As of Wednesday, a new historical marker stands on the lawn in front of the library at the Edwards Waters College campus.
College president Nat Glover was in studio with Melissa Ross to talk about the new plaque as well as a scholarship program.
Glover and the Edward Waters Alumni Association unveiled the historical marker during a dedication ceremony in front of the more than 100-year-old Centennial Library. The marker commemorates the building’s history.
“It’s a significant building, it’s an old building,” Glover said. “At Edward Waters College, there are a number of old buildings there but this one we will actually kind of be memorializing it with a marker.”
Edward Waters is the oldest historically black college and private institution in the state of Florida.
Glover said the college wears its history with honor.
“The education of slaves was a criminal act,” Glover said, “so right after the Civil War, Edward Waters College was directed to educate those free slaves.”
Glover also shared information about the “Call Me Mister” scholarship program that is designed for African American male students who want to teach.
“Call Me Mister program is one of those programs that’s dear to my heart,” Glover said, “because I understand the significance of a role model to young people.”
Glover said that in the African American community, 72 percent of children are born to a single-parent home and less than one percent of elementary school teachers are African American males.
”We think it’s important that these young kids get to see a positive role model so they can at least say, that’s what I can be,” Glover said.
This scholarship requires that the graduates teach elementary education and then five years at a middle school.
It’s a good deal for us,” Glover said, “and it’s a good deal for the community.
A new historical marker now stands on the lawn in front of the library at the Edwards Waters College campus as of Wednesday afternoon.
College president Nat Glover was in studio with Melissa Ross to talk about the new plaque as well as a scholarship program.
Glover and the Edward Waters Alumni Association unveiled the historical marker during a dedication ceremony in front of the more than 100 year old Centennial Library. The marker commemorates the building’s history.
“It’s a significant building, it’s an old building,” Glover said. “At Edward Waters College, there are a number of old buildings there but this one we will actually kind of be memorializing it with a marker.”
Edward Waters is the oldest historically black college and private institution in the state of Florida.
Glover said the college wears its history with honor.
“The education of slaves was a criminal act,” Glover said. “So right after the Civil War Edward Waters College was directed to educate those free slaves.”
Glover also shared information about the “Call Me MISTER” scholarship program for African-American male students who want to teach.
“Call Me MISTER program is one of those programs that’s dear to my heart,” Glover said. “Because I understand the significance of a role model to young people.”
Glover said that in the African American community, 72 percent of children are born to a single-parent home and less than one percent of elementary school teachers are African American males.
”We think it’s important that these young kids get to see a positive role model so they can at least say, that’s what I can be,” Glover said.
This scholarship requires that the graduates teach elementary education and then five years at a middle school.
It’s a good deal for us,” Glover said, “and it’s a good deal for the community.
You can follow Melissa Ross @MelissainJax and Lindsey Kilbride @lindskilbride.
