The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-10-09


, the College will be in course of erection
} over $66,OO0 from other sources could
be used in buildings. The use of con.
Yicts also will very much lesson the
} demands upon the State treasury"
J "To the teaching of what special
branches will the College be devoted "
: "By the Federal law the course must
include agriculture, mechanic arts
military science and tactics, and ali
arts and sciences pertaining to these
This covers large field. In addition
J all the branches OF good English cdu-
cation would be included as neces-
sity:"
would instruction in these branches
be given by books or by actual work, or
; by both ?"
"By both. AS far as possible the
book instruction of the College would
60 hand in hand with practical instruc-
tion In the shape Of actual work in field
and shop"
"Will the College be likely materially
to increase interest in, or elevate the
popular estimation Of, agricultural and
mechanical purSuitsw
The boy who would come from the
lield at home, where he has labored
with no intelligence scarcely as to
causes and results from scientific
point OF view, would return with every
faculty quickened and q new intelli-
gence which would clothe all the old
details Of work with vived scientific
interest. lie would bear new force for
himself and his State. AS to mechan-
ical pursuits, our Southern people have
been strangers mostly as to contact
with machinery. New enterprises are
slowly organized with us which have
to do with manufacturing from the
general ignorance as to mechanical ap-
plicationS in the fields Of industry
When thousands of our boys who have
received instruction in scientific work
shops have become men the industrial
impetus will be widely felt throughout
the State. Our industrial dependence
upon other States and countries will
disappear with the growth of Southern
familiarity with the mechanical ap-
pliances of this era of an industrial
civilization"
| THE GENESIS OF TIE COLLEGE.
1t will not be uninteresting perhaps
to the readers of The News and Courier
to learn how the idea of establishing
an Agricultural College at Fort Hill
originated. From the several records
Of one sort and another accessible it is
evident that Mrs. Anna Clemson, wife
Of Thomas e. Clemson and daughter of
John 9. Calhoun, was the person who
conceived this object. Under her in
fluence Mr.. Clemson and other gentle
men at Pendleton began as early as
1866 trying to arouse the people Of the
State to the necessity Of an institution
OF the character which is now to bc
established.
Various efforts were made along that
line until in August, 1874. Mrs. Glenn
nv ifoI f, y l.
mlttce of gentlemen, us follows Major
Ben Sloan, the Rev. II. II. Cornish, Col
J. w. Livingstone. Mr.. a. n. Alexan
der, the Rev. II. w. McLees, DR.. Johl
II. Maxwell and Mr.. j. w. Crawford
who. ut her suggestion, issued an adj
dress to the people Of the State OF
South Carolina, dated August 8, 1874
having as the end in view the establish.
ment Of scientific college at Fort Hill
which would prepare the youth of the
State to become intelligent workers in
the material development of the State
At this time Mrs. Clemson proposed to
to the needs of the institution.
This effort having proved failure,
and their only two children, John Cal
houn Clemson and Mrs. Floride Lee,
both having died, Mr.. and Mrs. Clemson
made wills of their separate property
to each other, promising each other at
the same time that whichever survived
would carry out their joint purpose and
donate their combined property to the
State for the purpose of erectinga an ag-
ricultural college; and it was a part of
this arrangement, Mrs. Clemson own
ing the land, which was valued at $1O,-
goo, and Mr.: Clemson the money, that a
legacy of $4,000, the worth of the land
was to be given to their granddaughter,
Florlde Isabel Lee. This amount, how
ever was increased in the will to $15,-
OOO, Miss Lee having got one-fourth of
| the Fort Hill place, valued at 5000 in
addition thereto, and being entitled 30
the Bolsseau trust fund. amounting to
little over $1,000, making in all $25,-
GOO. besides the silver plate, appraised
at 81 800, and the family pictures.
MIR. Clemson therefore in making his
will as he did was but faithfully carry
ing out solemn promise made to his
wife, who died not long after these
wills were made. TO show the inter
est that Mrs. Clemson took in this idea,
when she was telling one of her friends
what had been done that friend sug-
gested that perhaps she and her hus-
band had not been rs mindful OF their
granddaughter as they might have been
Mrs. Clemson replied: 1--WE have care
fully considered the future of oul
granddaughter and what we have done
we considered best for all parties"
JOHN G. CALHOUN THE REAL FOUNDER
1t is fact also we'll known thai
Mrs. Clemson obtained her idea of thu
establishment Of such school from
her father, John G. Calhoun, who al
ways TOOK great interest in the cduca
tion of the young men of the country
mus we see that from 1866 to the deatl
OF Mr.. Clemson in 1883 the one great
purpose OF his life was the establish
mnenC or an agricultural and scientific
school at Fort Hill for the benefit OF
the youth Of the State. Mrs. Clemson
herselt selected the location of the Col
lege ana the main building will be
erected on the exact spot which she
pointed out.
TO show the reverence in which
Fort Hill is held by the people of this
and adjoining States, / will mention
the fact that the register which all Wis