Locating Slavery's Legacies @ Sewanee: The University of the South

Memorial Structure

Academic Facility

Pro-Civil Rights

Grover, Edwin O.

Edwin O. Grover Room

Edwin O. Grover was born in Minnesota in 1870 and had a career as a journalist, editor, and publisher. In 1926, the president of Rollins, Hamilton Holt, asked him to accept the position of Professor of Books. He served in this capacity for 21 years. As a professor, Grover introduced the conference style of teaching, where he and his students discussed literature while seated at a round table. The conference style of active engagement and discussion remains an important part of the Rollins pedagogy today.

In the Winter Park community, Grover and his wife, Mertie, were actively involved in improving the lives of the African Americans who lived in the Black neighborhood, Hannibal Square. His wife co-founded the day nursery in Hannibal Square, which still exists. Grover also raised substantial funds for a library, community center, and nursing home to serve the African American inhabitants--all of which also are still extant. Additionally, Grover served on the board of trustees of Bethune-Cookman College (now University) an HBCU in Daytona, Florida.

Classroom on the first floor of Olin Library at Rollins College. The classroom has a glass wall with an image of Edwin O. Grover's round table teaching style. The classroom setup reflects a modern version of the round table where the desks are in a u shape. On the side of the classroom is a plaque dedicated to the creation of the classroom and then a smaller version of the image on the wall of the classroom.

A Gift from David F. & Nancy Berto
In memory of
Edwin O. Grover '49H
Professor of Books
Rollins College

Gift from David F. '56 & Nancy Berto

July 8, 2005

1890-1945: Era of the Lost Cause, Jim Crow legal segregation and discrimination, and organized anti-Black racism

Gift from David F. '56 & Nancy Berto

Rollins College; Winter Park, Florida

Grover

Photo of Grover with Mary McLeod Bethune

Grover biography

Classroom memorializing Edwin O. Grover