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“The totality of our history starts right there.”

the mother of her future son’s future roommate, artifacts from other historic central Georgia

the building was serving as teachers’ quarters for locations, as well. Walk through its front door and

the 12th District Agricultural and Mechanical you’ll see heart pine wainscoting salvaged from

School, and Cook was serving as the school’s first the Phillips-Frazier House in nearby Hawkinsville

home economics teacher. When she married, two and cast-iron fireplaces recovered from the

years after taking the position, her tenure at the Cochran Hotel and from Wesleyan College’s

A&M and her residency at former conservatory building

Ebenezer Hall both came to an in Macon.

end – married women (with According to David Sims,

the exception of the assistant vice president for

president’s wife) were not Facilities, in furnishing the

permitted to teach at the office and meeting space, the

school in those days. University is “…committed to

Starting in June, the hall preservation of the period.”

will host its newest tenants, Furnishings and fittings will

the Middle Georgia State Ebenezer Hall circa 1923. FILE PHOTO. stay as near as possible to the

Foundation. In addition to styles that would have been

office spaces for the Foundation and Alumni present in the building when it opened in 1890.

Affairs, the hall will host small gatherings and will All of these changes are good, says Barney

house a small display of artifacts relating to the Hendricks. For him, the hall isn’t just a building

University’s history. with an interesting history – his story is tied to the

Seeking a permanent home for its Cochran Cochran campus like few others. After WWII, he

offices, and to make way for an increased finished his degree at Middle Georgia College and

Admissions presence in the Welcome Center on returned to the campus as an employee from 1971

3rd Street, the Foundation in early 2015 identified to 1990. He looks around the room, and smiles.

Ebenezer Hall as a particularly appropriate new “It’s a good old building,” he says. “We need to

home. hold on to the historical things.”

“Ebenezer Hall dates back to the original

founding of the University. Our alumni are the

other thing that reaches back that far – it’s a

fitting space for Alumni Relations,” says Dr.

Raymond Carnley, vice president for University

Advancement and executive director of the

Foundation. Choosing Ebenezer Hall, he says,

“…was not a matter of convenience. The totality

of our history starts right there, regardless of how

that tree has split.”

Through its long history as part of New

Ebenezer College, 12th District A&M, Middle Barney Hendricks and his wife, Harriet Thorp Hendricks, at
Georgia College and Middle Georgia State Ebenezer Hall in March 2016. In the center is Julie Davis, Middle
University, Ebenezer Hall has accumulated some Georgia State’s executive director of Major & Planned Giving.

LEE GREENWAY.

Editor’s Note: We’re saddened to report that between the time that we spoke with Barney Hendricks in the front room
of Ebenezer Hall and this issue going to press, Hendricks passed away at the age of 91. As an alumnus and former
employee of the University, and active member of the Cochran community, he will be missed.

Spring 2016 MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE TODAY 13