Dominion Robert Glass (April 19, 1892 — October 8, 1968) was an African-American educator, academic administrator, and college president. He was the president of
Texas College
Texas College is a private, historically black Christian Methodist Episcopal college in Tyler, Texas. It is affiliated with the United Negro College Fund. It was founded in 1894 by a group of ministers affiliated with the Christian Methodist Epi ...
, a
historically black college
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...
in
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...
, from 1931 until 1961.
He also went by the name D. R. Glass.
Early life and education
Dominion Robert Glass was born in
Houston County, Georgia
Houston County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the Central Georgia, central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The estimated 2019 population is 157,863. Its county seat is Perry, Georgia, Perry; the c ...
, on April 19, 1892. His mother, Minnie (''
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Callaway), was a homemaker, and his father, Benjamin Glass, was a preacher.
He studied at
Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Founde ...
(now Clark Atlanta University;
A.B.
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
1917), followed by graduate studies at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, and a doctorate degree from
Miles College
Miles College is a private historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama. Founded in 1898, it is associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church) and a member of the United Negro College Fund.
History
Miles College bega ...
(
LL.D.
Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...
1946).
Career
He began his career in 1917, as the principal at
Jackson High School in Jackson, Georgia; and at the same time teaching sociology and economics courses at
Paine College
Paine College is a private, historically black Methodist college in Augusta, Georgia. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Paine College offers undergraduate degrees in the liberal arts, ...
in Augusta, Georgia.
The following year in 1918, he became the dean of Paine College the following year.
In 1919, he became the president of
Arkansas–Haygood Industrial College in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
In 1928, he moved with his first wife to Texas and became the registrar for
Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College (now Prairie View A&M University).
From 1931 until 1961, Glass was the 8th president of Texas College, a historically black college affiliated with the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
The Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church is a historically black denomination within the broader context of Wesleyan Methodism founded and organized by John Wesley in England in 1744 and established in America as the Methodist Episcopal ...
in Tyler, Texas.
During his time as the college's president he grew the student body and faculty; from 1931 to 1961 he grew the student enrollment from 233 students to 2,274 students, and grew the faculty from 10 to 100.
Glass was able to gain various accreditations for the school during his tenure including the
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States. (as a "Standard Senior College"), and by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
(as "A" rated).
He also connected the college to the
United Negro College Fund
UNCF, the United Negro College Fund, also known as the United Fund, is an American philanthropic organization that funds scholarships for black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private historically black colleges and universities. ...
(UNCF) at the time of its inception in 1944.
When he retired in 1961, the college’s board of directors awarded him the title of
professor emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
.
Death and legacy
He died on October 8, 1968, in Tyler, Texas. He is the namesake of the
D.R. Glass Library at Texas College; the building listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
since 2007.
Personal life
From May 28, 1923, until June 23, 1932, Glass was married to Myrtle Van Sweatt, which ended with her death.
On August 10, 1936 in Tyler, Texas, he remarried to
Willie Lee Dorothy Campbell, a noted educator.
His second wife died on May 2, 1999, many years after his death.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glass, Dominion Robert
1892 births
1968 deaths
African-American academic administrators
American academic administrators
Atlanta University alumni
Harvard University alumni
Heads of universities and colleges in the United States
Miles College alumni
Paine College faculty
People from Houston County, Georgia
People from Tyler, Texas
Prairie View A&M University people
Presidents of Texas College
20th-century African-American academics
20th-century American academics