The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-08-20
THE NEW EDUCATION,
CLEMSON coLLEaE-lTS ORIGIN AND
OBJECTS.

Before the State Agricultural and Me-
chanical Society at Its Summer Meeting
in OrangeburE.
When received from your secretary
the honor of the invitation to address
YOU / might very we'll have asked to be
excused in view Of the engrossing nature
of The great work at Fort Hill, the daily
sumerintendence of which Is my duty.
But rs l did not then beg to be excused,
in MY great desire to meet you l must
now profler as an excuse for the study
and care that is lacking in my paper, and
which should bo due this body in any
matter presented for it's consideration,
that the work there is so full of pcrplex-
ments of snatched opportunities could
be used for this service, and these mo-
ments have been all too rare for the prop
cr preparation of a paper Tor this occa-
sion.
TOO fresh in the minds of all are the
events which led to the founding Of Glenn
son College to need now minute histo-
ry Of its beginning. Thomas G. Glenn
son, the son-in-law of John g. Calhoun,
died in April, 1888, leaving by his will
Sl4 acres of land, with Fort Hill, the
old home of John e.. Calhoun, land about
$50, in money and interest bearing
stock as a bequest to the. State for the
iounding of an agricultural college. if
certain conditions were accepted by tho
Legislature.
TIE REVENUES OF THE COLLEGE.
Finally the bequest was formally
accepted, and, in sympathy with the
feeling OF many in the State, the Lcgis-
laturc furthermore granted certain funds
coming from the General Government,
and the proceeds of a certain small tax
cvlcd on those interested in fertilizers,
us an annual income to sustain the Col
lcgc. These combined sources of rev.
rnuc were found to yield between
seventy and ndsvcnty-livc thousand dollars
annually, and to place the College at
once on Il footing OF equality with
the richest institutions Of learning in the
South. The matter Of q building fund
was not at once arranged, as the ample
annual revenue, part of which might be
legally used for buildings, was thought
sufficient to provide against immediate
embarrassment.
THEBOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The boa. d of trustees, composed of
seven gentlemen appointed by Mr.. Glenn
son as scliperpctuating body, and of
six others elected by the Legislature for
terms of four years each, met, organized
and took up their great responsibility.
one OF their first acts was the election
ofan executive committee to represent
the board in the intervals between their
regular meetings, which could not be
frequent with the board composed of
gentlemen living in widely separated
parts OF the State. The next act was
the election Of president of the College
TO be a representative Of the executive
committee for all current business which
had to be transacted in the two weeks
intervals, which finally became the sci
periods between the meetings of the COM
mittee. Thus the plans of the College
along all its lines of growth and pro
gress represent by the organization the
work of the members of the full board
who have given their time and devotion
to the great task. Provided for by tho
tar-scclng mind Of Mr.. Clemson agains
the dangers of sudden changes in the
board Of trustees, the College has been
from the beginning under the influence
of Il steady policy which has ha.l as its
ruling principle the founding OF one ol
the greatest institutions Of its character
in the South.
a GOOD FOUNDATION.
AS the representative Of the executive
committee, which in its turn represents
the fuller management, I am by your
courtesy here today to tell you what
words Of hope and promise they wish to
90 out through you to the eXpectant
youth of the state; to tell you by what
methods they expect that the sentiments
OF honor, the spirit of thoroughness, and
tho cultivation of pure ambition may
be made TO blend in an educational sys-
tenn with that training Of the hand, the
eye and the brain that is to .orm the new
education. AS all must recognize that
no institution IN the South can aspire to
the first rank that ignores as the basic
element of Southern manhood love of
truth and honor, perhaps it is needless
to assure you that this will be fOunda-
ton stone in Clemson College. Along
with this more chivalrous element will
~ illili Ill III IllC CiluluCICI
ing attempted there the forming of those
habits fpromptness, accuracy, thoroug-
ness and reliability in regard to all re-
sponsibilities that make the successful
man. The cultivation of the esprit dc
corps will be looked TO as the safeguard
of the College. Its graduates will go
forth with that tic still attaching them
the alma mater that will teach them
to point with honorable pride to the
source Of the instruction that moulded
them for usefulness; and on her 20 them
as her most precious children destined
to bring honorable reputation for her
a;thful work.
THE MILITARY FEATURE.
In the military system, which becomes
part Of the College in connection with
the Federal grant, will be planted the
discipline of the institution. There
Will be no loss here to the student boy
whose farm exercises will grow into
manly shape in the exercises of the daily
routine, whilst the mind Of Southern
youth will naturally turn to thoughts of
that past OF his country's history that
yields much to stir the blood and to tend