Dr. Mary McLoud Bethune was a woman who made a major impact in Daytona Beach, Florida. She is the daughter of two slaves, Samuel and Patsy McLoud. She is commonly known as the founder of Daytona Beach’s historically black college, Bethune Cookman University. Being the founder of Bethune Cookman is only one of the many accomplishments of the late and great Dr. Mary McLoud Bethune. The more I read, the more I learn about who exactly Dr. Mary McLoud Bethune was, her family and what her other greatest accomplishments were.
Who is Dr. Mary McLoud Bethune? Besides knowing that she is the founder of Bethune Cookman University, Is there anything else that we know about this legendary woman? Well lets go back one-hundred and thirty nine years, three
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With this scholarship Young Mary left her hometown and moved to Concord, North Carolina to Attend Scotia Seminary. Young Mary attended this school for seven years. She had two roommates Janie Shankle, Then later Abbie Greeley. Mary was apart of the chorus and debate team. She was Known as the “Bell ringer of Scotia” because of her punctuality ringing the schools bell. She later became president of the schools literacy society. Mary graduated from Scotia Seminary in 1894 at age nineteen. Mrs. Crisman agreed to keep financially supporting Mary when she was given a scholarship to the Dwight Moody Institute for Home and Foreign Missions in Chicago. Mary was the only african American student out of one-thousand students. Mary had a heart to become a missionary to Africa, and immediately started her training. Still nineteen years old, Mary finished her training at the bible Institute. After her training she applied to do missionary work in Africa but was denied. Although she was upset, she refused to give up and returned home to Mayesville, South Carolina and assisted her former teacher Miss. Wilson at the Mission School. When Mary Moved to Atlanta, Georgia she became a teacher at Haines Normal and Industrial School. Mary was later sent to the Kindell Institute in Sumter , South Carolina to teach and work in social services. The church she attended here is where she met her husband Mr. Albertus