The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-12-03


through the very greatest of trials
kept the lamp of learning agloW ant
just now is beginning to realize the
splendid results of that long period o.
distress and suffering 1t is gloriousll
triumphant today, however, with &
large student enrolment, an endow,
ment reaching a size that makes it o!
substantial value to the college, lifting
it above the state of grinding anxiety
This institution now presents to the
public as many and as strong attrac-
tions as any institution in the state can
boast, splendid faculty, elegant build
ings, full equipment for carrying on its
work
Newberry. College was the outgrowth
of a movement in the Lutheran Synod
of this state, when Rev. John Bachman
of revered memory, recommended in
his address in 1923 the establishment
of a classical academy. This institu-
ton was established in Lexington, S.
C. Here it remained for many years,
under the title of the classical and
Theological Institute" The church
continued to grow, and soon it was
apparent that regular college, with
a more favorable locality, must be
erected. In 1856 the Synod decided to
abandon the Institute at Lexington and
build a college. On invitation Of her
hospitable and liberal people, New
berry was chosen for the location. A
building was at once provided and the
college chartered by the legislature.
For many years the theological school
of the Synod was sheltered in the col
lege. until it found its permanent home
in Columbia, S. c.
TIE college began its work in 1859,
with Rev Theophilus Stork as presi-
cen. He was Obliged soon to resign
on account of i'll health and Rev. James
A..cD Brown became the president
The career of the college had opened
with the greatest promise, when 1t was
suddenly closed by the war, when the
buildings were occupied for time by
the federal garrison and so abused that
they crumbled into ruins in short
while, and the devoted band Of workers
whose hearts were in the college sad
Iy gathered up the few serviceable
relics left and carried them to Wal
halla, new and growing town IN the
mountains. where the influence OF the
German element was very strong. The
people of Newberry, however, were un-
willing to give up the college in their
community, and the sight Of the ruins
inspired them to action, and The COL
lege came back TO its home and to
the handsome new buildings erected
by the people in Newberry in 1871.
Rey. J. P. Smeltzer, the tnird president
of the college and the one who had
carried it through the war period, was
succeeded by Rev George w. Hol-
land, when the college was taken back
to Newberry. He served the college
and the people of Newberry until 1898,
when he died and was succeeded by
Hon. George B. Cromer. who was in
turn succeeded in 1904 by Rev. James
A. B. Scherer, who served until l9OS,
and was succeeded by the present eX-
ecutive, Rev. j. Henry Harms. In the
last decade the college has enjoyed its
period of greatest prosperity and
strength, the endowment being largely
jncreased and three handsome build
ings being erected, the gymnasium, the
technological building and the board
ing hall.
The plant of the college now con-
sists of Smeltzer Hall, the original
building of the reconstruction period,
a large three-story building conspicu-
Gus on the landscape to all who pass
through Newberry on the railroads,
used as a dormitory for the students
and the student Y M. G. A. and read
ing room; Holland Hall, the building
devoted to lecture rooms, one Of the
h2ndsomest and most commodious col
lege buildings in the South; Keller
Hall for the preparatory department
and chemical school and library and
museum; the engineering building,
donated by Mr. Andrew Carnegie in
1907, containing $4,000 square feet OF
floor space on three floors and
equipped with all kinds of machinery
for teaching mechanical and electrical
engineering; a splendid gymnasium
and large boarding hall and three pro-
fessors houses complete the list OF
buildings, all beautifully situated on
an attractive campus. provided with
ali of the conyeniences of modern san
itation. Young ladies are admitted to
,yhe classes and lectures on the same
plane as male students, but no dormi-
tory is provided for them. One OF the
medal winners in the last session was
young lady of Newberry, an honor
graduate of the college.
Newberry College is essentially
Christian institution, though in nc
sense is sectarian teaching permitted
but each student is required to &C
knowledge and be governed by the
standards of religious life, to recog
>nize the supremacy of the law of Get
and the obligations to Christianity ant
Bible teachings.
The rules of the institution are firm