Madeliene+T

For my project, I would like to research the key founders of the school and what specific roles they played in establishing it. I think I would like to specifically research Dr Vernon S Broyles (who was Chairman of the Board during the meeting where, instead of closing the school, they decided to build upon it), Dr William Pressely (the first president of the school), and Fritz Orr (who sold them the property Westminster now stands on). It seems from my research that these were the men who very instrumental in getting Westminster off the ground, and I would like to depict the school's transition from a white male dominated administration to the graduation of the first African American students and to what it has become today. My questions are: what faculty members were pivotal in making changes to the dynamic of the student body? How long did it take before Westminster decided to accept its first African American students and what was taken into account while making the decision? Why was enrollment decreasing in the 1940's when Westminster was considering closing down? What saved the school? What specific jobs did each founder have in the building of the school?