THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ALUMNTDEPARTMENT
National Alumni Congregation, an affiliate of the National School of Ushering was founded by George T Grier, then, the National Chairman, Editor and Publisher of the National Bulletin, and Author and Publisher of the School of ushering Manual; at the National Convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, the last week in July 1958.
It's purpose was to keep all graduates together after finishing the school of Ushering as a viable and working group; to give all assistance possible to our Alma Mater-the School of Ushering; to enhance, perpetuate the National School of Church Ushering by supportive n, and to trained judges for the School of action; to usher at the National Conventio Ushering in fields contested The following officers were elected and named from the Bible:
Warren Malcolm Lea of Brooklyn, New York National Eldad
Jessie B. Spaulding of Chicago, Illinois Medad
Mabel Saunders of Washington, DC Caleb
Alvin Taylor of Dayton, Ohio Keeper of Shekels
Mary McClemon of Baltimore, Maryland Scribe
Corine McMillian of Los Angeles, California Aaron
George T. Grier of Chicago, Illinois Election Master
In the 'Chain of Command' was Warren Malcolm Lea -the first years were fruitful. Many tribes were oranized and chartered. The first tribe to organize and charter was the Thomas A. Ellis Tribe of Brooklyn, New York on september 20, 1958. Two weeks later Tribe Number Two, the George Grier Tribe of Chicago, Illinois formed. Later the same year other tribes were organized and chartered, namely:
Tribe #3 W. Gordon of Detroit, Michigan
Tribe #4 Pritillia of St. Louis, Missouri
Tribe #5 Bertha Thompson of Buffalo, New York
Tribe #6 Uda of Dayton, Ohio
Tribe #7 Los Angeles City Tribe and several others in the state of California
In 1959 at the N.U.C.U.A.A., the first session of the National Alumni Congregation was held in Phildelphia, Pennsylvania. Officers performed their duties according to ritual, to the delight of those in attendance. The first news bulletin was published in November of 1959 and consisted of news and information from three tribes in the Eastern Region, three tribes in the and several tribes in the Central Region and several in the Western Region.
1959 Brought new National President R.E. Harshaw with his dislike of the rituaL The Biblical Seven Contest was initiated. In 1960 the state of Michigan won the prize for the most Verses of the Bible with the Number Seven. Soon after leaving the 1960 Convention, the founder of the Alumni, George T Grier passed; with Levite Eldad Warren Malcolm Lea still in command. It was the plea of Eldad Lea to National President Harshaw that the School of Ushering is named the George Grier National school of Ushering .