The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-04
The State Colored College.


the Columbia Register says under date
of October %: "This has been q red
letter day in the history of the Colored
Normal, Industrial, Agricultural and
Mechanical College of South CarQliNen
q, the Coiored State College,
nouncemertt- Was made in
the college would open H.
departments on this day, but b.
sapguine friend of the institution dld
not dream that these efforts would
have been crowned with 50 great a
success, for on July oath there was
not single foot of lumber on the
grounds with which to build, and to-
day four hundred and thirty students
are enrolled. Every class in the col
legiate, normal and college preparato-
ry departments, with eight classes in
the Model School and English depart
ment are organized. All Of the indus
trial departments, including the agri-
cultural, are equipped and have been
matriculating students for the last
three months. Hence any young man
or woman coming here can get in ad.
dition to the literary training any OF
the following trades to wit: Sewing.
dress making and millinery, cooking
and domestic economy, carpentry and
wook. k.work; bricklaying and plaster.
ing, architecture, mechanical drawing
and painting, iron-working and ma
chinery, housekeeping, farming, up
holstering and cabinet-making, sad
dlery, harness.making and shoe-mak.
ing, saw milling and manufacture OF
hard and soft lumber, type writing,
printing, tailoring and timing, also
instructions in orchestral and brass
band music. At 10 o'clock the trustees.
faculty and students convened in the
chapel. The devotional exercises were
conducted by DR.. w. R. A. Palmer,
after which the president addressed the
body, reviewing the history of the
struggle for the school, making assur-
ances for the future and pledges for
its support and continuance Of the two
races of the State in a united phalanx.
At the close of his speech Major Floyd
of Kershaw, Hon. Arthur Kibler OF
Newberry, DR.. w. R. Lowman and
Hon. G. D. Kortjohn of Orangeburg
made fitting and eloquent addresses.
The occasion was enlivened with mu-
sic furnished by Miss Rowence E. An
drews, professor of music. The singing
was grand, glorious and soul inspir'
ing. Students are from nearly every
county 10 the State, four are from
Georgia, and by the last Of this week
Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentuc.
ky will be represented. The correspon-
dence of the faculty shows that MEM
bers of the late Constitutional Conven.
ton, State Legislature, circuit Judges,
Solicitors and State Judges had all
been at work in securing students
from their respective localities. Can
any one wonder at the large attend
ance for the opening day-when the
best white people of the State have
been working for the school9 All OF
the daily and weekly papers OF the
State for the last five months rendered
great aid and support to the institution.
The State canvasser, DIR. Palmer.
left no stone unturned to arouse and
enthuse the colored people in the in
terest of the school and they have
unitedly responded to the call from
every portion of the State. At the
close of the exercise, the four hun
dred and thirty students, the presi.
dent, faculty and students formed in
line and marched through the princi'
pal streets of Orangeburg. It was a
grand and imposing spectacle"