Welcome to Dr. Harry L. Griffin
Welcome to my digital exhibit of the life of Dr. Harry L. Griffin. The objects shown throughout the exhibit come from Dr. Griffin's collection housed in the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Special Collection in the Edith Dupré Library.
Dr. Griffin was born on a small farm near Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 11, 1883. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1911 From West Virginia University and his Judaical Doctorate in 1927 from the University of Chicago. Dr. Griffin arrived on the campus of the Southwest Institute of Learning, today known as the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in the hot September days of 1912. Though employed to teach history and government, there were no courses offered on the subjects. Dr. Griffin quickly introduced courses in America History and American Government, but to fulfill his teaching schedule he also taught literature for a few years.
In 1921, SLI was authorized by the Louisiana State Legislature to grant degrees. President of the University Edwin Stephens divided the University into two colleges, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Education. Dr. Griffin was then named Dean of the College of Liberal Arts after Miss Edith Dupré declined the position. Dean Griffin was taked with having SLI become an accredited organization through the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. SLI at first did not meet the requirements, therefore Dean Griffin did not submit the University's application. Standards were soon set up and by 1924 President Stephens was told that SLI's application was viewed in high favor, and if presented at the next meeting of the Association, would be approved. Dean Griffin prepared a prospectus to accompany the application detailing buildings, grounds, laboratories, faculty, salaries, students, etc. The whole thing was presented to the Association in December of 1925 and was unanimously approved with no conditions. SLI thus became the first university under the Louisiana State Board of Education to be accredit by the Southern Association.
Dean Griffin would remain in his position for 30 years becoming more involved in the University and the surrounding community. This exhibit attempts to highlight just a few of those accomplishments throughout Dean Griffin's long and successful career. I would also like to thank Zach Stein and the staff of the ULL Special Collections for their help in getting his project off the ground.
This photo was taken by William David and currently hangs in the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts conference room in Harry L. Griffin Hall on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
