The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-18
SEWBERRY COLLEGE.
A Prosperous Session Closes-The work OF
the Institution and the Prospects for the
Futare-Its Claims and Needs ,. o.

The interest of our people in our edu-
cational institutions never wanes. 1t
is we'll that it is so. It 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 pleasure
to The Herald and News to note this
fact. It is further pleasure to US that
our people in Newberry continue to
show their appreciation of our own COL
lege. It is home institution. 1t is q
power for good in our community ard
wields an influence for good that cannot
we'll be overestimated.
The people of Newberry evidenced
their interest iE, and appreciation for,
such an institution when fourteen years
ago they contributed nearly $40, 900 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 The
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 a 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 classical school located
at Lexington, S. c., where some of the
leading ministers and laymen received
their education.
In 1855 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. D., LID, Revs.
f. B. Hort, n. Aldrich, r. S. Boinest,
J. P. Margart, J. H. Bailey, and
Messrs. G. Muller, w. X. Backman,
Jacob Schumpert, NJ. Barre, Patrick
Todd, Henry Summer, n. A. Hunter,
A. c.. Darlington, J. P. Aull, Simeon
Fair, and J. P. Kinard. Of this num-
Der 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; O. B. Mayer,
NJ. D.; J. Bachman, D. D., LID;
Rev. J. A. Brown, A. NJ; C. A. Stork,
4. 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 a 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 by the fortunes Of war, or
retained in Confederate bonds which
were worthless. The college building
was occupied by soldiers and it too after
a while crumbled and fell down. In
1868 an offer came from the citizens of
WalhalIa for the removal of the college
there and it was accepted and the COL
lege was conducted there for nine years
with varying success and great sacri-
flee on the part of the faculty. Before
| it's removal to Walhalla Rev. J. ?.
Smeltzer had been elected President
and continued in that position until
the return of the college to Newberry.
DR.. Smeltzer was the second president
of the college and deserves much credit
for the hard work he gave to the insti-
| trtiOn