The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-18
SEwBERRY COLLEGE.
A Prosperous Session Closes-The Work OF
the Ips itution and the Prospects FOR the
Eucure-Its>cl~irps and Needs -

The interest Of our people in our edu-
cational institutions never wanes. 1t
is we'll that it is so. 1t is good sign:
"Education is the hope of our country"
is an old saying, but it is as true to-day
as when first uttered. 1t is a pleasure
to The Herald and News to note this
fact. 1t is further pleasure to US that
our people in Newberry continue to
show their appreciation of our own col
leee. It is a home institution. 1t is
power for good in our community ard
Yields an influence for good that cannot
well be overestimated.
The people of Newberry evidenced
their interest in, and appreciation Tor,
such an institution when fourteen years
ago they contributed nearly S20,O0O OF
their money to secure the removal OF
the college from Walhalla to its former
and proper home in their midst. In
one sense it is their college. They claim
nothing for their money, however,
except the good the college is doing
their community, but in this alone they
are many times repaid for the invest
ment.
At this commencement season Inc
Herald and News desires to give briefly
some little sketch of the college-the
work it has done and the claims it has
upon the public and the needs and
prospects for the future.
A few years ago The Herald and
News published short sketch of the
college and the men who worked there,
and no doubt this history is still fresh in
the minds of our readers and does not
need at this time to be dealt with in
detail.
The Newberry College was the out
come of the old classicalschool located
at Lexington, S. c., where some of the
leading ministers and laymen received
their education.
In 1856 it was chartered as a college
by the Legislature of South Carolina
and locat ed at Newberry.
Not until July. 1857, was the corner
stone of the building laid and not until
1858, was the college opened for stu
dents. The first board of trustees were:
John Bachman, D. T., LID, Revs.
Z. B. Hort, n. Aldrich, T. S. Boinest,
/ J. P. Margart, J. H. Bailey, and
Messrs. G. Muller, w. K. Backman,
Jacob Schumpert, NJ. Barre, Patrick
Todd, Henry Summer, n. A. Hunter,
A. G.. Darlington, J. P. Aull, Simeon
Fair. and J. P. Kinard. Of this num-
ber none are on the present board and
all are dead except Revs. Margart and
Bailey and Mr.. Bachman.
Rev.. j. Brantley, A. c: Darlington,
ESQ, and DR.. Bachman delivered ad-
dresses at the laying of the corner stone
of the first building. The first building,
which stood where the present one is,
was beautiful structure, in fact one Of
the handsomest college buildings in the
South.
The first faculty was composed as
follows: Rev. T. Stork, D. D., president;
Robert Darlington, A. NJ; 0. B. Mayer,
NJ. D.; J. Bachman, D. D., LID;
Rev. J. A. Brown, A. NJ; c. A. Stork,
A. B.; Rev. NJ. Whittle A. B.; and A.
P. Pifer, A. B.
The war soon came on, however, and
the young men were called to take up
arms for cause they thought to be
right and the bright prospects of the
college were very materially interferred
with. The large endowment fund was
| swept away ny Tue N"ituueo VI va,
retained in Confederate bonds which
were worthless. The college building
was occupied by soldiers and it too after
q while crumbled and fell down. In
1868 an offer came from the citizens OF
Walhalla for the removal of the college
there and it was accepted and the col
lege was conducted there for niue years
with varying success and great sacri'
fee on the part of the faculty. Before
its removal to Walhalla Rev. J. P
Smeltzer had been elected President
and continued in that position unit
the return of the college to. Newberry
DR.. Smeltzer was the second president
of the college and deserves much credi
for the hard work he gave to the insti
| tntioT