The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-26
WHAT DO YOU sAY7
MAY the Good Name of Erskine New
or be Stolen from Due West"

| or he Stolen from Due West.'
WASHINGTON, D. C., Novembe %. 1890.
Mr.. Robert S. Galloway, Due West, s. g.
| DEAR "BOB "-Robert G. Davis, whom you
will remember as passing out with the ciaSs
OF II, is now making name as physleian
| in the city OF New York, as 1 have had occa.
sion several times recently to observe from
the metropolitan papers. He is, among 9TH
er things, Inspector Of Contagious Diseases on
Health Ie % and is identified with the leading
medical associations OF the city. ! wrote to
! hi IN a day or two ago, and have letter from
him this mornYng YaI Us Stv lEiio%s %ovember o. 1890
| NV dear Johnson:-Yours OF yesterday re,
ceived, and noted. l am greatly astonished
at what you tell me. Ihat IN atlenlpl N oeins
West can scarcely believe. And that my
good friend John Chalmers Is an active
Supporter of such an , enterprise lie ieaas aos
to eXslam 9om Due West is not Erskne
College. If they pesire to have Il college at
Rock Hill, or any other town, let them b1iid
it; but that they shall transfer Erskine n nt C1i
lege from Due West to another place snouiu
not, and, trust, will never, be permitted. II
ErskIne College does not flourish and pros
per at Due West 1t would not prosper IN Iy any
noted county in tho State where memories
of Calhoun, McDuffie. the Wardlaws, Hemp
hills, Preseys, Griers, and u host OF others.
are sweet to the lover OF Inc state: may 6ne Sne
West. and from A6beviile County. to be
placed upon a college In any other town."
10 writn. to Or. Grier few days ago,
quoted from letter had received from John
Mll;er, OF Birmingham, Alabama.
do not know what our friends who are ao-
vocatlng a change mean by "more progress.
years; but II they mean those who have
had the largest observation or progressive
towns" and the greatest experience Wild the
varied life of the cities. 1 warrant the state
. bat hat hor 2.
ly reject any proposition that contemplated
the removal OF Erskine College and declare
their unfaltering allegiance to the OLD land
marks. AS Mr.. Darlington says ut the close
of letter written to one OF the advocates or a
II must confess that, to me, a college loca-
ted at,R Rock Hill, or at Chester, orat Chariotte'
would seem little If any at all more than any
other college which might adopt that name.
But old Ersnine College at Due West with
ted with old friends and early days, and the
very atmosphere of which Is redolent with
sacred memories, has place IN my heart
feel as though another OF the cherished ob:
Iects we value In life had faded out, II Its old
place should be abandoned to disuse and
decay" very =: AErKETs Ifa!K EGH5sji JOHNSON.
WAsHISGToN, D. c.. Now l6. 1880.
Rev: w. N. Grier, D. D.,
Du6 w 6St, SOQIu SdlOIuo.
MY DEAR "DocroR": | hope the alarm
which seems TO have fallen Oh Due West
about the removal OF the college is Without
just cause. Surely those who have control OF
the matter will not, under the circumstances.
think seriously OF q change oflocatton. Why,
Ersk Inc College would not be Erskine any.
where but at Due West, which Is interviewer
halls might be erected at some other place
and the name Erskine" inscribed upon
them, Shey would be utterly wanting ln
the local traditions and associations which
bind together the members Of common fra
ternity, and which constitute, more than any.
thing else, the esprit de corps !" OF an insti.
tuition. To make Il change would be to blot
the history half n century, the most priceless
possessions of the Institution and to call the
creation 81 Erskine" would be the merest
mockery. Erskine", indeed, 1t might be
without its soul, and devoid Of Its treas
ures.
And what is the occasion sor change? The
loyalty of Due West TO the church Of the faith
such as always TO have constituted her an ex-
ample-a living exponent, indeed-of the doc
trines they preached and precepts they prac-
charity and 4 hospitality which are bounded
only by the limits of opportunity; the moral
atmosphere of the community is such as en-
velopes no other place In all this country
more than the growth and the outcome OF the
Institutions In their midst. thus securing the
utmost harmony of effect and adoption OF
purpose; and yet 1t Is proposed that the.col-
fege shall be torn from It's setting; and, why,
because rorsooth some Ostrogoth offers IN oney
for that which Is priceless In value and which
must perish in the selling.
My dear sir, you must excuse me, but can
hardly restrain my Indignation when think
of the proposition TO remove Erskine College
Is there nothing safe from the vandalism OF
gold?
Interest and who has pride In his Alma
Mater; and know am not alone in the feel
ings entertain. One OF the engineers OF the
removal scheme wrote TO Mr.. Darlington
few days ago for his opinion on the subject.
and received for answer that the scheme
was an outrage.
Very truly yours,
]. ALTHEUS JOHNSON.