The Samford University department of religion received a gift of $663,487 from the estate of Blanche Louise Abrams, a retired teacher who lived in Birmingham. The money will be used for scholarships, for the purchase of books and to assist faculty members in research and writing projects. A viewing-listening room in the Samford library will be named in her honor.
A member of Ensley Baptist Church in Birmingham Baptist Association for more than 80 years until it closed in 2005, Abrams taught for 40 years at Ensley and West End high schools. She taught bookkeeping, shorthand and typing courses.
A Birmingham native, Abrams worked her way through college during the Great Depression. She and her husband, Relius, were dedicated to the church and were avid students of the field of religion. After Relius Abrams died in the 1970s, Blanche Abrams made several gifts in his honor to the religion department. She died in 2005 at the age of 93, leaving the majority of her estate to the department.
"The Abrams gift will be a major boost to the work of the department of religion," said Kenneth B.E. Roxburgh, department chair. (SU)
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