Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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Historical Sketch D( RI X 1 the first «111«ii i • i of tlu- Iasi century the Baptists of South Carolina ent miiiic . i‘ ?heir ministerial students to the Academy on the High Mills of Santee, where the Principal, Dr. J. .M. Rolicrfs, received a part, if not all, of them free of tuition. In 1 27 the Baptist State Convention opened the Furman Aeadomy and Theological Institution a: Edgefield, buildings and land having been conditionally offered by the citizens of the village. The magnetic influence of Basil Manly. Sr., then a young man and pastor of the village elmreh. and a desire on the part of the Convention to secure the cooperation of Georgia Baptists, can seal the school l he located not far from the Savannah River. After an experiment of less than two years, with Dr. Joseph Warne as Principal, the Convention decided to abandon the classical department, surrender the property to the donors and remove the beneficiaries to the High Hills of Santee, in Sumter County. As the school grew. Prof. Samuel Furman was added to the touching force. The last four years at the High Hills, 1 s:'JO-1S. U, was »lie period when it was attempted t . npjiort tin school by means of scholarships. A suspension of two veins, is:}. ,- |$:}C , followed tile failure of this method of supjtorting the Faculty. Efforts were resumed on the first Monday in February, 1837, when a .Manual Labor Classical School wa opcimd near Winnshoroitgh. under the Prineipalship of Prof. W. F. Bailey, luit its bright prosj octs ln-gan to wane in the following May, when the building was burned. In IS3S the Theological Department wa resumed under Dr. W. Hooper as President. Dr. J. L. Reynolds succeeded him in |s4o. and in 1842 Rev. J. S. Mims became Junior Professor and Teacher of Systematic Theology. Dr. J. C. Furman succeeded Dr. Reynolds in 1 44, and Rev. Peter (Edwards was made teacher of Hebrew and Biblical Exegesis the following year. The celebrated trio were hardly in their chairs before a removal to Greenville and the enlargement of the school began to lx a general topic. In 18-18 Dr. Furman was released from the duties 15

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£ i tor °'TOR in c ' ' •8ruNs° fOiroR potf.M EDllO9' eoaoR fOlTOR VupSCO ' EDITOR • LiDe COITOR Kditowar. stait or Tiik Bo.nhomik

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«»t the ch »lr iui, and with 'lie li«-l|»••! others wa successful in raising $70 000 for Furman Fniversity, i«» Ik located in Greenville. In 1851 this transfer was made, and flu Academy and Thmlogiea! I tepartments were opened under Dr. •Tatlie.- (Furman, as Chairman of the Faculty. Fifty-nine acres were purchased at first, hni a part was afterwards disposed of. in 1852 the College of Liberal Arts U gan its work. Four years after the Fniversily was opened tin- Treasurer. (11. Jtidson, reported to the Convention ’hat $12,500 had heen spent for buildings and improvements „f grounds, $l,mo for purchase of real estate. $2,825 for interest and exchange. $2.200 for library, and $.'17,000 for salaries of instructors and agents. In iNfi.’i Professor Mims, of the Thcidogical Department, died, and was succeeded hv dames P. Royee, under whose leadership this department of the Fniversity grew into tin Smilhcru Ihiptist Theological Setuinarv ( 1 50 with the famous quartet, Janies ! Royee, John A. Rroadua. Rasil Manly and Wil liam Williams, as professor . In tliis year (1850; Dr. Furman In.•came President of the Fniversity. and served in that capacity till 1 70; as Chairman of the Faculty till 1881. and as Professor of Moral Philosophy till his death, in 1801. Dr. Charles Manly succeeded t the Presidency in l sj, and held this position fill 1 ' 07. The period from 1S(»5 to 1885 wa a period of precarious struggle. As its beginning the Fniversity was stripped of everything hut the campus, the main building and several thousand dollars, held for ministerial education: and it was only in 1885 and 1 «; when, hv the successful agency of R. II. Griffith, a considerable omlowment fund was raised, that the Institution breathed freely again. In Is'-- Jnds« n Cottage was built, at a cost of $2,800. and shortly after this Griffith Hall, at about the satin cost, and some other smaller buildings. In 1807 Dr. A. P. Montague l ocnu:c President, and during his incumbency of fi e years the Alumni Hall, Fitting Sch« ol and the Montague Hall were built, at a c t of $22,000. $2,000 and $12,000. respectively. Dr. K. M. Pot ear succeeded Dr. Montague in November, 1002. in this same year, under the agency of Rev. Joel I. Allen, subscript ions to the amount of $125,000 were eeured for endowment. Of these siihseri] tions upwards of $100,000 has I»een paid at ibis writing ( February, 1008). In .March. 1005. Mr. Andrew Carnegie proposed to give $15,000 for a io