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Named for Dr. Wil Lou Gray, this building was constructed in 1949 and has housed several departments over the years. It became Gray Admissions Center in 1991 and is the first stop for prospective students who visit campus. Dr. Wil Lou Gray graduated from Columbia College in 1903. She was born on August 29, 1883 in Laurens, South Carolina. She was the daughter of William Lafayette Gray and Sarah Lou Dial. She completed her post graduate studies at Vanderbilt. During her travels to Europe, she became interested in educational sightseeing for teachers and pupils. This would later lead to the famous pilgrimages she arranged for her pupils to places such as Charleston, New York and Washington, D.C. Wil Lou Gray received awards for her many accomplishments during her long career. The State American Legion gave her a plaque for Distinguished Public Service in 1950 and South Carolina State University gave her an Award for Service to the Black Race in 1950. She received honorary doctorate degrees from Columbia College, Clemson University and Winthorp University. In 1959, Bob Hope recognized Dr. Gray as the National Woman of the Year on his television show. The Rotary Club of Columbia presented her with the Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1980, the first time a woman had received this honor. The South Carolina General Assembly gave her a citation upon retirement in 1957 during a joint session, and she was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 1974. After her retirement from the education profession, Dr. Gray channeled her energies toward the senior citizen movement, creating the Federation of Older Americans. The work with senior citizens led to the establishment of the South Carolina Commission on Aging. Through this effort her work led to the popular annual Senior Citizens Day at the State Fair. Under then Governor Richard W. Riley, Jr., Dr. Gray's portrait was placed in the South Carolina State House on May 14, 1986. She became only the third woman in the history of South Carolina so honored. She died on March 10, 1984, in Columbia, South Carolina. Her life's work spanned over 50 years and her accomplishments brought her recognition as a national figure in the field of adult education. |
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