Peace College Main Building
Encyclopedia
Peace College Main Building is the focal point of the Peace College
campus
in Raleigh
, North Carolina
. Built between 1859 and 1862, Main Building is located at the northern end of Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh and is considered one of the largest antebellum
buildings surviving in the city. During its early history, Main Building was used as a military hospital
and offices for the Freedmen's Bureau
. The building now contains offices, parlors, banquet rooms, and dormitory
residences. Main Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973 and is a designated Raleigh Historic Landmark.
, women in North Carolina were not allowed to receive higher education
at most colleges. The only exceptions were Salem College
, Louisburg College
, Greensboro College
, and New Garden, an institution operated by Quakers
. In 1847, Presbyterians
in Raleigh passed a church resolution
to provide an educational institution specifically for women. The resolution stated, "Be it resolved that the Reverend William N. Mebane and Elder Alfred M. Scales respectfully bring to the notice of the Orange Presbytery meeting in Raleigh the importance of establishing a female institution of learning to be under the direction of Orange Presbytery."
William Peace, one of the founders of the University of North Carolina
, was an elder
in the First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh. Peace donated land and $10,000 (one-third of the total cost of Main Building) for the construction of the new school. Peace Institute of Raleigh was incorporated on October 1, 1858.
Construction of the building began in 1859, but when North Carolina seceded
from the Union
in 1861, the building was still incomplete. Thomas Hill, a surgeon
for the Confederate States of America
, was sent to Raleigh to open a hospital for wounded Confederate
soldiers. Hill wrote:
After the Civil War ended in 1865, Main Building was used as the district headquarters of the Freedman's Bureau Agency. The Bureau was responsible for providing relief and education to refugees and former slaves during the Reconstruction period. In 1869 the Bureau moved to another location, and Main Building went through an extensive renovation.
Because of the economic hardships experienced by many Southerners
after the War, the trustee
s of Peace Institute were unable to repay the loans for the building project. A local businessman, R. S. Pullen, assisted with repaying these loans. A joint-stock company led by local Presbyterians funded the curriculum
of "three courses of instruction: Primary
, Preparatory
and Collegiate." With this funding, classes officially began at Main Building in 1872.
In 1914, Peace became the first accredited
junior college
in the South, and eventually the primary and preparatory programs were discontinued at Main Building. The East Wing of the building was constructed in 1928. In 1995, Peace's curriculum was changed to baccalaureate
status.
and is accented with Italiante
designs. The facade of the four-story building contains a central portico
supported by four Doric
column
s. Baluster
s are located between these columns on the three upper levels. The balconies offer views of downtown Raleigh.
The building consists of three wings. The first and second floors of Main Building are occupied by faculty and administrative offices. The third and fourth floors are used as dormitory rooms by approximately 50 students. The West Wing contains the Williams Board Room, the Blue Parlor, offices, and the James Dinwiddie Chapel. The East Wing contains Career Services, Academic Advising, Adventures Program, Educational Support Services, and the Leggett Theater complex.
Other buildings that have been constructed on the college campus are similar in architectural style to the Main Building.
Peace College
William Peace University is a small liberal arts college located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.-History:...
campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Built between 1859 and 1862, Main Building is located at the northern end of Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh and is considered one of the largest antebellum
Antebellum architecture
Antebellum architecture is a term used to describe the characteristic neoclassical architectural style of the Southern United States, especially the Old South, from after the birth of the United States in the American Revolution, to the start of the American Civil War...
buildings surviving in the city. During its early history, Main Building was used as a military hospital
Military hospital
Military hospital is a hospital, which is generally located on a military base and is reserved for the use of military personnel, their dependents or other authorized users....
and offices for the Freedmen's Bureau
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau, was a U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed freedmen in 1865–1869, during the Reconstruction era of the United States....
. The building now contains offices, parlors, banquet rooms, and dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
residences. Main Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973 and is a designated Raleigh Historic Landmark.
History
Before the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, women in North Carolina were not allowed to receive higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
at most colleges. The only exceptions were Salem College
Salem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
, Louisburg College
Louisburg College
Louisburg College is a private two-year college located in Louisburg, North Carolina. The Methodist-affiliated college claims that 90 percent of its graduates move on to four-year institutions...
, Greensboro College
Greensboro College
Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838...
, and New Garden, an institution operated by Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
. In 1847, Presbyterians
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
in Raleigh passed a church resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
to provide an educational institution specifically for women. The resolution stated, "Be it resolved that the Reverend William N. Mebane and Elder Alfred M. Scales respectfully bring to the notice of the Orange Presbytery meeting in Raleigh the importance of establishing a female institution of learning to be under the direction of Orange Presbytery."
William Peace, one of the founders of the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, was an elder
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
in the First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh. Peace donated land and $10,000 (one-third of the total cost of Main Building) for the construction of the new school. Peace Institute of Raleigh was incorporated on October 1, 1858.
Construction of the building began in 1859, but when North Carolina seceded
Ordinance of Secession
The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the states officially seceding from the United States of America...
from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
in 1861, the building was still incomplete. Thomas Hill, a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, was sent to Raleigh to open a hospital for wounded Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
soldiers. Hill wrote:
"It was at first proposed to take the St. Mary’s School with buildings, but on consultation with friends this idea was abandoned; and it was pointed out that the Peace Institute, then in an incompleted condition, could be had-and would be more suitable and cause less dissatisfaction. I visited the place and found a large brick framework,-the roof on,-but no floors and
windows,-, General HolmesTheophilus H. HolmesTheophilus Hunter Holmes was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate Lieutenant General in the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
’ orders were to hurry up matters and, if necessary, to impress every able-bodied man in Raleigh and put .him to work-and get the building ready. Major Pierce called in the contractor, Mr. Briggs, and he promised to put hands enough to work to get the Hospital ready in a month. . . . In the meantime . . . the floors were put down and frames made for the windows - no glass could be found - so the frames were covered with white domestic and painted to keep out the cold. . . . As well as I can recollect . . . the first patients were received on the 6th of June, 1862."
Because of the economic hardships experienced by many Southerners
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
after the War, the trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s of Peace Institute were unable to repay the loans for the building project. A local businessman, R. S. Pullen, assisted with repaying these loans. A joint-stock company led by local Presbyterians funded the curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
of "three courses of instruction: Primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, Preparatory
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
and Collegiate." With this funding, classes officially began at Main Building in 1872.
In 1914, Peace became the first accredited
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
in the South, and eventually the primary and preparatory programs were discontinued at Main Building. The East Wing of the building was constructed in 1928. In 1995, Peace's curriculum was changed to baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
status.
Architecture
Main Building is an example of Greek Revival architectureGreek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
and is accented with Italiante
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
designs. The facade of the four-story building contains a central portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
supported by four Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s. Baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s are located between these columns on the three upper levels. The balconies offer views of downtown Raleigh.
The building consists of three wings. The first and second floors of Main Building are occupied by faculty and administrative offices. The third and fourth floors are used as dormitory rooms by approximately 50 students. The West Wing contains the Williams Board Room, the Blue Parlor, offices, and the James Dinwiddie Chapel. The East Wing contains Career Services, Academic Advising, Adventures Program, Educational Support Services, and the Leggett Theater complex.
Other buildings that have been constructed on the college campus are similar in architectural style to the Main Building.
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in North Carolina
- Women's colleges in the United StatesWomen's colleges in the United StatesWomen's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...