| In 1913, the Evening School of Commerce, Georgia School of Technology (Georgia Tech) was inaugurated. From its humble beginnings on the campus of Georgia Tech in the Lyman Hall Chemistry Building in 1913 to the present, the Evening School of Commerce, now known as Georgia State University, has taken on the mission of educating students seeking access to higher education in an urban environment.; The purpose of this study is to organize and present, in a coherent form, a scholarly history of the origin, development, and governance of Georgia State University from 1913 through 2002.; Historical scholarship has served as the method for collecting, analyzing, and presenting the data. The words, ideas, and plans, of those who experienced the successes, failures, and growth of Georgia State University constitute the substance of the study. Primary sources such as archival documents and oral interviews are the foundation of this study. Secondary sources, such as institutional histories have enhanced my efforts.; This history of Georgia State University has been approached in two ways. First, I have researched and analyzed nine major events in the school's history. These events include the following nine administrations: Wayne S. Kell, John M. Waters, Fred B. Wenn, Georgie M. Sparks, Noah N. Langdale, William M. Suttles, John M. Palms, Sherman R. Day, and Carl V. Patton.; To present a complete picture of the history of Georgia State University, I have focused on various topics including institutional purpose, leadership and governance, faculty, curriculum and accreditation, student access, student life, funding, facilities, Board of Regents and political support, urban growth and business support, and alumni support. The overarching purpose is to present the institutional evolution of Georgia State University. The overarching theme is institutional mission and how the school struggled to articulate it to its various stakeholders over the past 89 years.; Because of the relative lack of scholarly research on the history of Georgia State University, this effort to chronicle the maturation of the university should help provide direction and guidance for future institutional planning and goal setting efforts. |
