As I volunteered in the 2006 Panthers at Work P.A.W Program, I, along with the rest of my group, discovered pages upon pages of documented history of Prairie View A&M University. Our sole purpose was to inventory old school yearbooks. However, we all soon became captured in the legacy of those pages, a legacy we are living today. As students, each day we walk around this campus never really understanding the history of the land. We’ve all heard the story of Alta Vista and even the stories of the legendary heroes in which many of the university’s buildings are named. Yet, have we once pondered the history of the buildings lost through demolition or even the history behind the name of this great university.
Through discovering these priceless memories, we can revive the soul of the university. The soul and story is simple but forgotten. Take for instance, the name of our school. In the 1917 yearbook, “The Prairie,” the name of the school was stated to be coined when W. E. Minor and Richard “Dad” Wells were taken in by the view of the surrounding prairie from their vantage point in the attic of the old Kirby Hall.
Although Kirby Hall along with W.E. Minor and Richard “Dad” Wells may not be present on this campus, the spirit that was embodied by them is. After 130 years of rich heritage, it is time for students, faculty and staff to rediscover the history of this university. In the words of the 1986-87 yearbook editor, Angela Wilson, “In a sense we are pioneers of a new era – the Prairie View of tomorrow – built on so many yesterdays.” For any students who desire to refocus the view, join the pre-alumni association which seeks to enhance Prairie View’s future, today.
– Erika Green