Dr. Joseph Fanning Drake
Photo from the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library |
| Born: | March 25, 1892, Alabama |
| Died: | March 24, 1964, Normal (now Huntsville), AL |
| Buried: | Huntsville, AL |
| Father of: | Dr. Harold Fanning Drake |
Notes:
• "Born on the Auburn plains, Drake attended Talladega College to complete his high school and college education. He completed an MA degree from Columbia University. He was a bright scholar who received scholarship money contributed by an Eastern philanthropist, David Hale Fanning. Fanning founded Royal Worcester Corset Co. in Massachusetts." - Reconstruction Period Research Forum
• "In 1920 Dr. Joseph Fanning Drake began his service to Alabama education when he accepted an appointment as supervisor of adult education for the State Department of Education. After five years he became the Dean of the State Normal School (now Alabama State University) at Montgomery. In 1927 he accepted the presidency of what is today the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, located at Normal (now part of Huntsville). He served as president of this institution for 27 years, until his death." - Marks
• - Became president of Alabama A&M in 1927 (Fourth president) - Brought the university through the difficult times of depression, wars, civil rights challenges, prejudice. - During his tenure the faculty grew from 30 to more than 100 and the student body grew from about 386 to 1,307. - Retired in 1962 but remained president emeritus until his death in 1964. - Various Sources
• "He built on the campus, through federal, foundation and state funds: Councill Hall, Hurt Hall, Thigpen Hall, J. F. Drake Dining Hall, Bibb Graves Hall, the College Center, Grayson Hall and annexes, Walker Wood Hall, and Carter Science Building in addition to the vocational building, gymnasium, eight teachers cottages, faculty apartments, four trades buildings, 20 farm buildings, and the first greenhouse. " - aamu.edu
• "He might also have well been called 'The Savior' because only the efforts of his administration prevented the school from being entirely closed. So sure were the faculty and local residents that Dr. Drake had been sent to close the school that he found it necessary to remark quite often: 'I did not come here to conduct the funeral of A&M.' Besides buildings, Drake added 616.13 acres of land." - aamu.edu
• "J. F. Drake State Technical Trade School renamed in honor of Joseph Fanning Drake" - Wikipedia
• Quote: "a teacher or an executive must decide whether he wants cheap good-will or honest respect." - Reconstruction Period Research Forum
• Married to Anne Geneva Quick about 1920 (March 19, 1895, Wouth Carolina - October 1999, Untsville, AL) - Ancestry.com
• Two young children (8 and 6 years old) were listed in his home on the 1930 Federal Census (presumed to be his children). Their names are Harold and Miriam. - Ancestry.com
Related Links:
• aamu.edu - Presidents of A&M University with photo and short bio. (Originally found at http://www2.aamu.edu/president/presidentialhistory.htm.)
• Ancestry.com - Page owned by jenkinslc and requires Ancestry.com membership to view. (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/24598600/person/1559856155.)
• HMCPL - Huntsville Madison County Public Library - Photo and caption. (Originally found at http://digitalarchives.hmcpl.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/p15431coll1&CISOPTR=159&CISOBOX=1&REC=20.)
• Marks - Alabama Past Leaders, by Henry S. and Marsha Kass Marks, © 1982, p. 87.
• Reconstruction Period Research Forum - Article by Wendy Reeves, Times Staff Writer, April 24, 2005.
• Wikipedia - Wikipedia entry on J. F. Drake State Technical College.
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Dr. Harold Fanning Drake