Life and Education of Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary Jane McLeod was born to former salves, Samuel and Patsy McLeod in July 10, 1875 in South Carolina; she was their fifteenth child out of seventeen children. Upon the freedom of Samuel and Patsy, the McLeod family saved what little money they had and purchased a local farm. Their new location granted Mary the opportunity to attend the Presbyterian Mission School, an all African-American girl institute, at the age of eleven years old. Although Mary had to walk twenty miles everyday for school, she remained determine to seek an education in a changing world. It was Mary's love for education which lead her to spend every evening teaching her family what she had learn at school; She would become the ONLY child from her family to receive any formal education.
Upon graduating from the Presbyterian Mission School, Mary applied to become a missionary. However, she was quickly denied entry for the reason that she was of African-American decent. Bethune would then receive a scholarship to attend the Scotia Seminary School in North Carolina, an all African-American women school. It was at this seminary that she discovered her love for music as well as dance. Upon graduating from Scotia in 1893, Mary moved to Chicago and attended the Moody Bible Institute.
Upon graduating from the Presbyterian Mission School, Mary applied to become a missionary. However, she was quickly denied entry for the reason that she was of African-American decent. Bethune would then receive a scholarship to attend the Scotia Seminary School in North Carolina, an all African-American women school. It was at this seminary that she discovered her love for music as well as dance. Upon graduating from Scotia in 1893, Mary moved to Chicago and attended the Moody Bible Institute.
Early Career
Her love for education would then take her back to North Caroline where she accepted a teaching position at Presbyterian Mission School in 1896. After one year of teaching at Presbyterian Mission School, Mary moved to Augusta, Georgia and began teaching at Haines Institute from 1896-1897. It was in 1897 that Mary left Haines Institute and began teaching at Kindell Institute in South Carolina; that same year she would meet and marry Albertus Bethune in 1898 and later gave birth to their son. The marriage to Albertus lead to a separation, with Albertus blaming Mary's devotion to teaching children as a cause to the end of their marriage. Devastated by the separation, Mary was eager to begin a new chapter in life and wanted to change the ideas of society concerning African-American children and education.
Daytona Literacy and Industrial School,
Bethune - Cookman College
&
Later Life
With the migration of African-Americans using the Florida East Coast Rail Roads, Mary saw the opportunity to educate children of former slaves and opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial School for Training Negro Girls in October 1904, with a total of six students (five girls and her son). Although they lacked education equipment, they managed to use milk crates as desk, charcoal as pencils and the ink from crushed berries. With the rapid growth of the Daytona Literary and Industrial School, in 1912 Mary contacted James M. Gamble, owner of the Procter and Gamble Company in Ohio, and convinced him to donate finances to the school and welcomed him to serve as Chairman.
It was not until 1923 that Daytona Literary and Industrial School merged with the all-male school, Cookman Institute, renaming it the Bethune-Cookman College. Bethune-Cookman College would become the first co-educational institute which included a farm, a high school and a nursing school. Mary served as President of Bethune-Cookman College until 1942 and then again in 1946-1947.
Mary died of a massive heart attack in 1955.
It was not until 1923 that Daytona Literary and Industrial School merged with the all-male school, Cookman Institute, renaming it the Bethune-Cookman College. Bethune-Cookman College would become the first co-educational institute which included a farm, a high school and a nursing school. Mary served as President of Bethune-Cookman College until 1942 and then again in 1946-1947.
Mary died of a massive heart attack in 1955.