Coastal Carolina University - Atheneum Yearbook (Conway, SC)

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j v 51 X J' jr f always there in times of fun and laughter - and in times of need . . from rat week with rat caps and jeans to graduation with caps and gowns . . . only with your love, your patience and your understanding that our dreams have become a reality . . . thus we dedicate this, the 1969 atheneum, to you . . . larry loiddle r' , l i 1 i 9 i Q F53 it

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in july of 7954, a group of horry county citizens met in conway for the purpose of determining a means of providing additional educational opportunity for the people of the county. these men of vision, cognizant of the mounting expenses incurred in obtaining a college education, and aware of the relatively small percentage of horry county high school graduates pursuing higher education, determined among themselves to do what they could to rectify the situation. the first organized meeting of these citizens was called on july 23, 7954, at the horry county memorial library in conway. also present at the inaugural meeting were members of the conway merchants association and certain public school officials of horry county. these assembled delegates declared themselves to constitute an association for which the purpose of operation would be the advancement of higher learning within horry county. at a meeting on august 6, 7954, the decision was made to form an eleemosynary corporation, and the designation the coastal educational foundation, inc. was adopted. the public school superintendents of the county were asked to serve in an advisory capacity as ex-officio members of the foundation. at this meeting a constitution was formulated and adopted. within the month the secretary of the state of south carolina issued a charter to the coastal educational foundation, inc. the next six years was a busy period for this newly formed foundation. a committee representing the foundation was authorized to enter into negotiations with the college of charleston, in charleston, south carolina, with the proposal that a two year junior college in horry county be maintained under the auspices of the charleston institution. a sympathetic ear was found and an off-campus branch of the college of charleston, known as coastal carolina junior college was established. as tangible evidence of their own convictions, the members of the foundation took it upon themselves to underwrite some 578,000 as a guarantee towards the operation of the proposed college's first year. the coastal carolina junior college opened its doors at conway high school on september 20, 7954, with an enrollment of fifty-three students. afternoon and evening classes were scheduled to provide an opportunity for working persons to attend college during non-working hours. this inaugural year proved a very trying one for the foundation and its members. faced with the financial responsibility of continuing the college, the members frequently made great personal sacrifice in order to keep the movement alive. from september, 7954, through june of 7958, the coastal carolina junior college served as an off-campus branch of the college of charleston, during this four-year period the school slowly increased its enrollment and added significantly to its course offerings. the services of dr. e. j. woodhouse were secured as the first director of the college. many history-making events occurred during these years and a strong basis was being laid for the educational future of the citizens of horry county. dr. george c. rogers, a former superintendent of the charleston city schools, served as administrative director of the college from 7955 until his retirement in 7960. on november 4, 7958, a referendum was held on the question of raising county taxes by three mills to provide funds to support the school, the vote was carried in the affirmative by a margin of four to one. the members of the foundation were thereby relieved of the annual chore of soliciting funds to insure the financial success of the operation of the college. because of the constitutional prohibition against levying a public tax for a private purpose, the horry county higher education commission was created by legislative act on april 9, 7959, with the members of the coastal educational foundation, inc., becoming the first members of the commission. the newly created commission in turn was given the responsibility of administering the funds derived from the tax levy. the first day of august, 7959, was an historic one for the college. on that day, joseph w. holliday, chairman of the horry county higher education commission, and william h. patterson, dean of administration of the university of south carolina, affixed their signatures to an agreement that joined the two parties in the operation of the coastal carolina junior college. the college thus became a branch of the university of south carolina. this contract went into effect with the fall semester of the academic year of 7960-67. many events led to the historic signing of this agreement. the college had operated independently for a two year period l7958-601, and was faced with the option of beginning the long struggle tor regional accreditation as an independent college or affiliating with a stronger, more establihed institution as an off-campus branch. it was only natural that the commission would look to its own state university for help. w. c. casper was named as director of the coastal carolina center upon the retirement of dr. rogers, and was the chief administrator for a two year period from 7960 to 7962. during the administration of eldred e, prince, in 7967, the horry county higher education commission and coastal education foundation faced one of its more difficult tasks, the group was confronted with the challenge of securing a suitable site and raising the necessary funds to erect a building to accommodate the academic program of the university center. a one hundred and eighty-five acre site was secured on u.s. highway 507 between myrtle beach and conway. the major portion of this land was donated jointly by the burroughs timber company and international paper company. a successful fund raising campaign was initiated and carried to a successful completion. more than 5372000 in pledges was secured by public subscription, exceeding the campaign goal by some 572000 to erect an academic building on the campus site. practically every citizen of horry county was involved in the campaign in some way. coastal carolina center of the university of south carolina opened the doors of its new building for the first time in september of 7963 and welcomed 770 full time students to its campus. edward m. singleton, superintendent of the conway city schools, had been appointed the new director of the college in july.