The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-09-14
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE.
Centennial Celebration, January 70, 1904
History Before the War.

The centennial of the opening OF the
South Carolina College will be cele-
brated on the 10th day of January, l9Oo.
The centennial of the chartering OF the
College was celebrated December ~,
1901, in Charleston. during the ENyosl-
tion The chief object of this celebra-
ton, as emphasized at the time, was
to lead up to a worthy celebration OF
the true centennial of the lie Oh toe
College in January, 1908, when 1t IS
expected that hundreds of alumni from
all parts of the country will be present
in Columbia to signalize one of the most
notable events in the history OF the
State.
The establishment Of State College,
conceived by John Rutledse, was re-
commended to the Legislature by Gov.
John Drayton, in November, 1901, and
was carried successfully through that
BODY by II. w. DeSaussure: afterwards
Chancellor, and until his death. in 1889,
bulwark of strength to the South
Carolina College. The Forernor, in
his message, referred to the advantage
of an institution supported by public.
funds: ''the means could not be want
inc Of inviting and providing for learn
ed and respectable professors in the
various branches Of science, and the
need of q common center of education
in the State: 1.-The frindships of young
men would thence be promoted and
strengthened throughout the State: and
our political union be much advanced
thereby" The "charter" of the Col
lege, ratified December 10, 1901, bears
the simple title, ''An Act to Establish
a College at Columbia and is signed.
John Ward, President CT the Senate,
Theodore Gaillard, Speaker OF the
House of Representatives. The OBJ
ject was thus set forth in the preaole:
''Whereas, the proper education OF
youth contributes to the prosperity.
of society. and onght always to be an
object of legislative attention.: and
whereas. the establishment OF Il college
in I central part of the State, where all
its youth may be educated. will highly
promote Instruction, the good order
and the harmony of the whole com
munity." The chief provisions OF the
Act where the following: That his
Excellency the Governor, his Honor
the LieutenantG Governor, the honorable
the President OF the Senate, and the
Speaker of the Houseof Representa-
tives. the honorable the Associate
JUICES of the Court OF Equity. shall be,
ex-officio, together with Gen. Charles
c.. Pipckney. H, w. DeSausspre, Thos'
Tavlor, the Rev. D. E, Dunly, the Rev.
Mr.. John Brown, of Lancaster: Wade
Hampton, John Chestnut, James B.
Richardson, Dr.. Isaac Alexander, Hen
rv Dana Ward, the Rev: Samuel W..
Yongue, William Falconer. ahd Bart
lee Srnyth,' The Trustees OF the
Soutl. Carolina College, and shall
draw ''out of the treasury OF this State
the sum OF fifty thousand dollars, to be
appropriated to the purpose OF erecting
a building Of brick or stone. and cover
ed with tile or slate, suitable to the ac-
commodation Ct the students of the said
College, and suitable for fully carrying
on the education Of the said students
and for the erection of such other build
ings as may be necessary for the use OF
the said College," She Comptroller IS
authorized ito pay over to said trustees
the sum of six thousand dollars, yearly
and every year, to be appropriated to
the purpose Of paying the salaries OF
the faculty of the said College, and tor
the further support OF the same"
THAT the said trustees, with the con
currence of the commissioners OF Co.
lumbia. shall be empowered to make
choice of any square or squares, yet IN
sold. in the town of Columbia, for the
purpose of erecting said college, and
the building attached thereto, having
strict reference to every advantage and
convenience necessary for such lnstltu-
tion."
With these small beginnings but ex-
alted aims the College was opened Jan
uarv 10, 1905, with the President and
one other professor two more profes-
sors being secured during the session.,
and with a few students, numbering IN
six months twenty-nine. The first stu
dent enrolled was William Harper, al
terwards the distinguished Chancellor,
and the first graduated lin 1906 was
Anderson Crenshaw, of Newberry Coun-
tv. AFTERWARDS the distinguished Guam
cellor OF Alabama. The President:
from 1904 to his death, in 1920, was
Jonathan MaXcy, a native OF Massa-
chusetts. who, at "a, was President OF
Brown University, and later succeeded
Jonathan Edwards as President OF In
ion College, filing each presidency
with brilliant success, and still ranked
by each institution as one OF It's great
est presidents. He wasa Baptist preach
er. and already sat the North he was
REGARDED as unrivaled in the pulpit" ="
His students. Pettigru and O'Neall. in
after wears pronounced him the great
est of orators. Tho monumeant stand
ing in the center of the College campus
was erected to his memory by the
Ciariosophhic Society.
Up to the War the history OF the Col
! leee and the history Of the State were
one: during that brilliant half-century
almost all the distinguished men OF the
State and many of the leaders OF the
Southwest were gradutes OF the South
Carolina College, Congressman. Sena-
tors, Judges, Governors. When the
War came, students and alumni rushed
to the defense of their State, and
whether from South Carolina or from
ether States. eighteen OF her alumni
rose to the rank of general. All know
Hampton and Butler and Mart Gary
and John Bratton. T. N. Logan and
A. C. Haskell divided the honors OF the
class of 1860, and in less than four years
commanded regiments or brigades. The
academies which then fourished in the
State we're founded by alumni of the
College, and one of the Youngest OF
these teachers before the War is today
the revered Nestor of the profession
DR.. James H. Carlisle, of Wotford.