Anderson College - Columns / Sororian Yearbook (Anderson, SC)

Page 10 text:

5D years at ANDERSON In the spring of 1910, three Anderson men gathered in the office of General M. L. Bouham for a meeting which was to have far-reaching results. For this group, appointed by the Anderson Chamber of Commerce, took the first steps toward organization of a college for the community, which became the Anderson College of today. - - - EAST DOMITORY Members of this first committee were J. L. Sherard, W. R. Osborne, and Leon L. Rice. These men wrote leaders in the city and county and called for a meeting at the courthouse April 21, 1910. At this time, it was decided to canvass for subscriptions and hold a report meeting November 23, 1910. A 40-member committee, Mr. Leon Rice says, went out into the highways and byways and successfully raised $92,350, and a site of thirty-two acres of land. At the report meeting, A. M. Carpenter, Chamber of Commerce secretary, announced that he was authorized by persons not present to an- nounce that the goal of $100,000 has been reached. This met with loud cheers from the assembled group. From the beginning, the only stipulation made by the contributors, and the only underlying principle of the school as it was first planned, was that it be a Cliristian institution and that it be placed under the support and control of some church. A committee prepared a memorial offering the $100,000 and tlie land to the South Carolina Baptist Convention, meeting in Laurens in November, 1910. The Convention accepted the offer and named 15 trus- tees to the first board for the college. These were L. J. Bristow of Abbeville; C. C. Brown, Sumter; J. N. Brown, J. J. Fretwell, R. S. Ligon, M. M. Mattison, C. S. Sulli- van, H. H. Watkins, W. A. Watson, all of Anderson; L. M. Roper, W. E. Thayer, J. K. Durst, Creenwood; W. H. Hunt, Newberry; S. C. Mitchell, Columbia; and W. B. Wilbur, Charleston. An executive committee, charged with active con- duct of affairs, included Judge H. H. Watkins, Rev. L. J. Bristow, R. S. Ligon, M. M. Mattison, and C. S. Sullivan. A charter for a four-year college for women, known as Anderson College, was issued by the General Assem- bly of South Carolina meeting on Valentine ' s Day, Feb- ruary 14, 1911. It is from this time that the college is dated, and February 14 is observed each year as Founders ' Day. During the summer of 1911, buildings were con- structed on the 32-acre site, and in September, 1912, th e college opened its doors to its first group of young ladies. Anna Tribble Pearce (Mrs. Thomas Pearce) was the first student to apply to the new college for ad- mission. First president was Dr. J. A. Chambliss, and the first dean was J. K. Breedin. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 4i 5

Page 9 text:

m sm Contents ADMINISTRATION . . . . Pg. 9 ORGANIZATIONS Pg. 19 SPORTS Pg. 33 FEATURES Pg. 39 CLASSES Pg. 59 ADVERTISEMENTS Pg. 109

Page 11 text:

COLLEQE The college continued as a four year school until 1930, at which time it opened as the first junior college in the state. Reorganization was made to a two-year school at the suggestion and under the guidance of Dr. Annie D. Denmark, fifth president for Anderson Col- lege, and its only woman president. « i.: WEST DORMITORY No complete history of the college can be given in this limited space, but some of the significant dates for the school can be recorded. Historical highlights for Anderson College begin with signing of its charter in 1911. In 1916, Dr. John E. White became president and, in that ye;ir, he re- financed the college, and had $61,00() pledged by local citizens for expansion. A new dorm, Whyte Building, opened in 1921. In 1930, when the school became a junior college, young men were also admitted for the first time as day students. PRESIDENTS HOME In 1938, during Dr. Denmark ' s administration, An- dersonians joined with the State Baptist Convention to pay off the bonded indebtedness for the college. In 1956 the first new building for many years ap- peared, as a new library was constructed during Dr. Elmer F. Haight ' s administration. A $200,000 expansion campaign followed in 1958, near the start of Dr. John E. Rouse ' s administration, with local citizens and industry coming to the support of Anderson College. In 1960 the student center-gymnasium was author- ized by the State convention, using both expansion funds and capital needs of the funds contributed by South Carolina Baptists. Accreditation by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges followed on December 3, 1960, after intensive work toward this by President Rouse and officers of the administration and faculty. Six days later, the gift of a new infirmary to the college by Mr. and Mrs. Max Rice was announced. A $100,000 bequest in the will of Mrs. H. H. Wat- kins was announced on December 24, 1960, to close out an eventful year for Anderson College. Mrs. Watkins said the gift was made in honor of her husband, the late Judge H. H.Watkins. Construction of a dormitory for boys was authorized at the 1960 Baptist Convention and plans for its con- struction iire in progress at this time. In Januiiry, 1961, a Living Endowment program for the college was inaugurated, at suggestions made by Dr. J. R. Young of Anderson in February, 1960. This program will have much to do with the success and progress of Anderson College, as the Baptist school enters the second-half century of its existence. 7