The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-12-16
TUESDAY, DECEMBER IS, 1919.
NOT YEsTERDAY-BUT TO-DAY.

NOT YESTERDAY-BUr TO-DAY.
W. have been telling you 50, and It has come
+rue Tie colleges in South Carolina are no longer
to have their usefulness destroyed by any OF the
o,d idaas about "venerated seats" and such hke'
Thew; are out to do good; at least, some OF them
are. In Saturdays State we are told that the tros-
tees of Chicora College, in meeting at Columbia
h.d decided 70 snend FIVE hundred thousand dollars
in the next three years for the purpose OF "secur
ing a new location and moving the college lroni
its present seat" (Which we presume some OF the
moss-backs will also call "venerated.)
It is stated in the article referred to:
.srbe hoard of trustees felt that instead OF ex-
pending something like $250,000 building 70 the
nresent buildings and enlarging the plane' 1he
money should be used towards building an entIeiv
naw nlant which would be credit to the city OF
co,nmbia and which would have an opportunity TO
grow as the years pass and develop into cohese
,vo,+bv of the name The board felt that on four
acres of land, the present site of the college, no
worthwhile college would have a chance. Inc COL
lege is growing rapidly year by year and aireaoy
there is not enough room to house those VINO make
application for entrance. g..
r. that is true of Chicora College, perhaps some
Of the brethren may be able to tell us why II Is hot
+rne Of Erskne College, If it is necessary that the
se.t of Chicora be moved from four acre lot IN
the citv of Columbia in order that it may grow
wbv is it not necessary that Erskine College be
moved to site where it too may grow, unless
perhaps is not deemed wise that the latter shoo
grow? We have known men living In elty hAe
Spartanburg to be opposed to everything looklhg
to- progress for the reason that they were atraao
the institutions of the city might outgroW tnean'
and they would no longer be able to be the hlhe
Bee' of the whole transaction, but we take II tha1
the peope at Due West are not so minded no1
withstandng the fact that there are in the Seceder
church thousand young men OF college age' ohy
one hundred of whom are in Erskine College, anu
10 serious efforts are being made to gather in the
ether nine hundred.
The article referred to further states:
"Tbe college ia not to be taken away from 10
,,,,,h;a AND TT IS Fer THE CITY OF COLuM-
RIA AND CANNOT GROW WITHOUT THE AID
- tho neonle of Columbia" All ot this means
that a college of any denomination, wherever 10
Gated, is largely local institution and as saen
must first look to the people Of the community
whore It is located to make Of it really useful IN
stitution They must put up the money IN esner
words. = =
Now, what is concerning US is this snail Els
kne.: College and the authorities which govern IT,
catch the vision Of greater things as have the 'ros
+ses al Chicora, and determine NOW to make OF
tho old college an institution Of growing usefulness
usef,l' alike; to the community where It is located
and to the church at large? And if they SHALL what
support shall they expect from the "Veneta'eo
seat" and those who roll these terms under 1on-
cues as sweet morsels, shake their heads and look
wise? Will the trustees Of the college, looking onis
to the future usefulness of the saHa
every community in the Associate Reformed Ret pres res
byteran Church that the first consideration OF that
body is to build and equip real college lifted Tor
the exacting requirements of college Of today ana
tomorrov-not yesterday, and that they are OF
onen minds and ready to consider any proposition
looking to that end? Will they realize that Ers-
kline College must be rebuilt, and that the work
must commence now, and realizing it, will they
show disposition to make the college grow or Will
thew, like the editor of the Spartanburg journal
agree with the suggestion that progressive meas
ures must be taken to rebuild and endow the col
leee. but offer no solution of the problems to be
met? Money talks.
Why, may we not ask, should the trustees Of
Erskine College not allow other communities IN the
church to offer to the college sites for the New
Erski7e, which is to be, and allow them the oppor-
tunty of building for the college magnificent and
modern buildings fitted and equipped for con-