Helen Grant Gray

October 16, 1889 - August 11, 1943

Helen Grant Gra
Helen Grant Gray. Image Source: The Tecoan, 1924.

Helen G. Gray served as the first full time head librarian at ECTC and in that capacity presided over the move of the young school’s meagre holdings from their location in a single room in the Administration and Classroom Building (later, Austin), where they had been overseen by Miss Ola Ross, ECTTS administrative secretary, to a brand-new stately brick building located on the eastern end of campus bordering what came to be known as Wright Circle. From September 1923, when Gray joined the ECTC faculty, until her retirement in 1935 due to her struggle with leukemia, Gray effectively led the first period of explosive growth in the school’s library. Equally important, she was instrumental in educating ECTC students, by and large unaccustomed to library etiquette and academic research protocols, in the proper use of the school’s library facilities.

Born in Eddyville, Iowa, Oct. 16, 1889, Gray studied at Northeastern State Teachers College (later Truman State University) in Kirksfield, Missouri. There, she worked in the college library and then following her graduation, rose to an administrative position in it. Gray also completed a graduate degree in library science at the University of Illinois, then home of one of the oldest and most progressive programs in library science in the nation. With the growth of ECTC holdings, Gray was later joined by Margaret Sammon, a graduate of Peabody Teachers College with a degree in library science, as assistant librarian. Gray and Sammon were in turn assisted by a small but steadily expanding staff of student assistants.

The new library building (later, Whichard) was occasionally referred to as the James Yadkin Joyner Library, but more commonly and affectionately as “the college library.” President Robert H. Wright promoted the use of Joyner’s name. During one of his “Chapel Talks” in late 1932, Wright presented a portrait of Joyner to the student body, adding that it would soon be hung in the new library building. A Teco Echo article reporting the presentation added that the portrait would be placed in “the J. Y. Joyner Memorial Library of this college within a few days.” An early photograph of the interior of the new library reveals the portrait hanging in an alcove left of the stairs. By whatever name, the library as led by Gray remained an integral part of Wright Circle until 1954 when a new facility on the southwestern end of campus was completed. That building, also named the J. Y. Joyner Library, was dedicated in 1955.

Following her retirement in 1935, Gray moved to Asheville, N.C., and remained there until her passing in August 1943. She was succeeded by James R. Gulledge, a graduate of Duke University with a master’s degree in library science from the University of Illinois. A native of Albemarle, N.C., Gulledge, prior to joining the ECTC faculty, had served as a librarian at N. C. State College, Louisiana State University, and Mississippi A&M College. Before succumbing to appendicitis in 1941, Gulledge oversaw the doubling of the ECTC holdings and the establishment of an initial curriculum in library science. In many respects, the exceptional growth realized during Gulledge’s brief tenure was made possible by the solid, very professional foundations laid during Gray’s time as head librarian at ECTC.

Sources

More from Digital Collections

Helen Grant Gray (top right) Image Source: The Tecoan, 1929

Helen Grant Gray.
Margaret Sammon, Assistant Librarian and then Acting Head Librarian.
Image Source: The Tecoan, 1933.

James Gulledge, Librarian. Image Source: The Tecoan, 1936.

Citation Information

Title: Helen Grant Gray

Author: John A. Tucker, PhD

Date of Publication: 2/2/2021

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