Huntingdon Library Study Room Named for Julia Helms

Header Photo: Julia Moore Helms (1927) Study Room

Montgomery, Ala.— A study room in Houghton Memorial Library commemorates the life of Julia Moore Helms, Class of 1927. Mr. Robert Helms made the dedication possible in memory of his mother, prior to his own death October 27, 2022.

“Mr. Helms was a great supporter of Huntingdon for nearly two decades,” said Dr. Anthony Leigh, senior vice president for student and institutional development. “In 2005, he established the Georgette and V.C. Helms Endowed Scholarship in memory of his aunt and uncle. His aunt, Georgette DeLoach Helms, was a member of his mother’s Class of 1927. He was excited to add to his philanthropic legacy at Huntingdon by providing this recognition of his mother’s loyalty to her alma mater.”

Born September 4, 1906, Julia Moore grew up in Nyota, Alabama. She studied Latin and piano at Woman’s College of Alabama from 1923 to 1927. In the 1927 “Bells and Pomegranates” yearbook, her list of college involvements included Grand Council, Pan Hellenic Council, Glee Club, Senior Musical Comedy, English Club, Riding Club, basketball, swim team, class president in her freshman and senior years, house president of Pratt in her sophomore year, and house president of Hanson in her junior year. She was involved in debate clubs, press clubs, a member of Tri Sigma Honor Society, X Club, and named Most Dignified in her senior year.

Her sophomore sister, Eugenia Tate, said of her, “Julia is one about whom any praise can be written with truth. Her stately appearance, her magnetic personality, and her keen intellect which have led her class to success will certainly lead her to a bright and successful future.”

Julia Moore married Osburn Charles Helms in 1930. They had two sons, Charles and Robert, and moved to Grove Hill, Alabama, in 1939. A dedicated member of the Clarke County Historical Society, the home Julia and Osburn shared is now the Helms House and is used for society offices, meeting, and research rooms. Mrs. Helms was also a member of the Grove Hill Methodist Church, for which she served as pianist, organist, and choir director beginning in the 1940s. She was a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club and organized a group to read through the Great Books series. Her dedication to the community and church embodied a life applying wisdom in service, in keeping with the Huntingdon motto. Her efforts were recognized by the Clarke County Democrat as she was named Person of the Year in 1994. Mrs. Helms passed away September 14, 1994.

The Julia Moore Helms study room is located in the second floor of Houghton Memorial Library, built in 1929. The study rooms were specially constructed during a recent renovation and have etched glass walls with nature scenes. Each is equipped with a whiteboard, table, and chairs for group or individual studying and projects.

Huntingdon College, founded in 1854, continues a legacy of faith, wisdom, and service through a liberal arts academic tradition grounded in the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United Methodist Church.

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