Cover Story…12–13 | Homecoming - University of the District of ...

Remembering
In Memorium
Hilda Howland Mason ’52, ’61
(Miner Teachers College, BS; DC
Teachers College, MA) was universally
known as an educator, civil servant and
champion and as the self-proclaimed
“grandmother of the world.” Her love
of her alma mater and her philanthropic
activities were fact, not fiction. From
her days on the District of Columbia
City Council, and chair of what is now
its Education, Libraries and Recreation
Committee, she let it be known, publicly
and privately, that the educational
needs of the city’s residents were a real
concern and should be addressed.
A teacher, counselor and administrator
for the DC Public School System for
19 years, she was appointed to the
DC Council to fill the unexpired
term of Statehood Party founder Julius
Hopson. The legendary figure and her
husband, the late Charles N. Mason,
were committed to education, civic,
community and legal affairs. Ms.
Mason played a central role in the
creation of the University of the
District of Columbia in the 1970s.
In the 1980s, the couple staunchly
supported what eventually became
the UDC David A. Clarke School
of Law. Over time, the Masons contributed
some $4 million in scholarship
money to the law school and were
honored to have the law school library
named for them.
Florence Elaine Towles Rosser ’54
(Miner Teachers College, BS), who
always wanted to be a teacher—in spite
of her father’s wish for her to study
medicine, enjoyed her chosen profession
for 12 years, until resigning to
teach her own children. A concerned
parent, Rosser became involved in
the PTAs of the schools her children
attended and served as an area liaison
to parents living in “off areas” during
the desegregation of Prince George’s
County schools. Rosser maintained
a very busy schedule with her family
and others, was an excellent cook and
an avid reader with a strong interest in
Civil War history and rare books. She
enjoyed jazz music, tennis, family tent
and trailer camping and loved football.
Rosser joined the DC graduate chapter
of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and
worked in many political campaigns.
A “Life Fully Paid” member of the
NAACP, she chaired fundraising banquets
for the Prince George’s County
branch of the NAACP and, over the
years, made donations to countless
causes and charities.
She was the wife of Dr. John R. Rosser,
Jr., a graduate of DC Teachers College
(‘58), and the two declared their love
for the University of the District of
Columbia throughout their marriage.
Kenneth Edward Spann Sr. ‘72
(MA) was a man of many talents who
believed that one should never stop
striving for the top. So it was of little
surprise to family and friends that,
in spite of illness, he continued his
academic studies and received a doctorate
of education from Concordia
College and University in 2001. In
addition to his degrees from UDC
and Concordia, he received his BS in
business administration from American
University and held a certificate of
advanced graduate studies in higher
education administration from Virginia
Polytechnic Institute.
Spann held many administrative
positions at UDC and its predecessor
institutions during his tenure, including
associate provost, associate professor
of education administration, assistant
director of personnel and chief negotiator
for non-faculty contracts. He was
one of the founding members of the
UDC Phi Delta Kappa (chapter 1521),
an international education association.
He also served as chapter president and
was recipient of the Kappan Service
key. He received distinguished service
awards from the UDC and Maryland
chapters of the association. Prior to his
career as an academician, he proudly
served in the United States Army as
a commissioned officer.
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