Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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The I Diversity continued in a prosperous condition for a few rears. The dawn a- bright and hopeful. Bn? ».n I lie? trumpet blast wm heard in the distance and the elond of the «•- niinir conflict began to gather. The strife wm evident, and on it shadowy ev« two hundred and .»i. ty young men who had gathered within Funnan » peaceful walls to sit at the feet of sueli gifted men a •hidson. Furman. Boyce. Broadtis. Williams and Manly, laid aside their l ook and in response to the clarion call of their Udoved State marched forth to war. After four long years of martial conflict the drooping ling of the annihilated ('otifcderaey was furled, and the weary, half starved, half clothed, brokenhearted ('onfederate. returned to their devastated Southland. But the ruins themselves seemed to breathe into the hearts of the weary soldiers a new Iiojh-. and truly did they show a heroism which was equal to that shown so many times on the battle plain. Once more tile eyes of the Baptists of South Carolina were turned toward Furman. But nothing could now he seen save the Main Building standing in grey outline on a lonely campus of about fifty acres. What could he done f Curing an interval of four years several attempt to answer ibis question were made. But it was not til! I stiff that the school was permanently on sure ground. I’nder the presidency of ! octor I-'urman. who continued to -.erve in this capacity till 18S|, the school, year after year, breathed more freely. In the year fssi l r. Charles Manly assumed coiitr. I ami directed opera lions wisely and well until his resignation in 1 !»7. During his administration the financial agent, R. II. (iriWifh. was successful in raising a considerable endowment fund. New buildings also were erected on the campus, among which welt- -hidson Cottage, erected hv the Baptist ladic- of South Carolina at a cost of $g.'00. and (iriiKrh Mall at a similar cost. At the termination of Doctor Manly's incumbency. Dr. A. I Montague was chosen president. The administration of this brilliant man was one of great undertaking and accomplishment. During the first year that he was officially connected with the l’niver.-dly two modern and much-needed buildings were erected on the campus- Montague Hall (the- dormitory), at a cost of $12,000, and -Iudsoii-Alumni Hall (the auditorium . costing 22.001). Dr. Edwin M. Potcal. the present President, succeeded Doctor Montague iu l‘.M)3. hi this year, through the untiring efforts of the financial agent. Rev. .foe! I. Allen, subscriptions amounting to -S12.r ,000 were secured for Furman's endowment. Of ihi- amount $21,000 was given l y that grand old man,” who gave his rime, talent and fortune to the institution which was so dear to him— Dr. C. 11. -ludsou.

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As ;« partial result of this failure there was a cessation for about two years. Then on a bleak morning in .Ianmiry. 1 it was whispered half timidly, half hopefully around in the town of innsl orough that I'rot. . K. Bailey would open at that place on the first Monday in February a Manual Labor (’iassieal School. The morning arrived and with it were brought back to tlie hearts of many the bright hoj cs of former days. But just as the sun of their fondest hopes was scattering the last drifting mist from their hearts a cloud suddenly rose and hovered heavily above them. In May the academic building was burned. In the following year, however, Dr. W. Hooper of North Carolina was chosen president of the Theological Department and thus the work of educating the ministry was continued even through days of gloom and discouragement. And in those dark days of struggle were instilled in the hearts of many noble young men thoughts and ideas that have blest South Carolina in after days. In the vear 1S|0 Doctor Hooper was succeeded in the presidency hv Dr. J. L Reynolds, and in the course of four years he was in turn succeeded by |)r. .1. C. Furman. This eminent teaeher had as his co-worker Ucv. .1. S. Mims. Professor of Systematic 'Theology, and Rev. Peter C. Fdwards. Professor of Hebrew ami Biblical Kxegesis. Fnder their skilful guidance the institution began to flourish in a more marked degree. Indeed, after a few years an invitation was sent from Greenville asking that the school Ik- moved into her borders. 'The news of this soon spread to all (ptarters of the State, and the enlargement of the institution and removal to Greenville was the general topic in Baptists circles. T bring the proposed change to a reality. Doctor Furman, in |s4S, was successful in securing $7t ,00o for Furman Fniversity with the understanding that it he located at Greenville. ‘Three years later the proposed change was effected, and again, under the leadership of Dr. James C. Furman, the door- of Furman Academy and Theological Seminary were opened, and about sixty students found their way into her sacred rooms. Twelve months more witnessed the birth of the Standard College of Liberal Arts. This year also marks the arrival on the campus of that eminent man and teacher. Dr. Charles Ilallette Jnd on. Alter the death of Professor Mims in I.n.m, James P. Boyce assumed charge of the Theological Department of the Fniversity. He had as his worthy associates in the Seminary John A. Broad us, Basil Manly, and William W iHiatus. 'This famous quartet did much in promoting the cause of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 2!

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In March two years later. Mr. Andrew Carnegie proposed to donate s | . .(10(1 for a Library Building, provided tliai a like sum ! ■ rais -«l as an endowment for ihe Library. The.........nditiou wa met l y the generous response of |),.cior .ludsoii. who created the ('has. II. .ludsou Kndowiuent Km id for the l.ihrary. On January I2. I1MI7. in his eitshty seventh year. Doctor Jtidsou passed over she Liver into the (iivai Beyond. lie had tacn eonneeted with the 1‘nivcrsity for fifty-six years, during whieh lime lie served as Krofessor. Treasurer, Art in” I‘resident and Dean. In ivcogniiioii of his eminence a a matheiiiatieian and teacher, a short time before his death he was ranted a I tension of one thousand d dlars per annum b the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Doctor d nelson. in his last will and testament, made the Library Kndowmeiii Fund residuary legau............... his estate, and it is exjH-eU-d that several thousaml dollars will in this way he added to the fund. During tin- session linn; I'.tuT the Library Building was erected at a cost of $2oJ i»0, Mr. Carnegie having added $4.00o io his original irii'l and other friends of the institution contributing a like sum. In the autumn of ItMut the (Jeneral Kdiieation lh»ard oi New ork proposed to eontrilmie $25,000 towards tin ereeiion ot a science hail at Kurman, provided that South ('aroliua Baptists wm!d. by January 1, 1010, contribute $25.uoo tor the satin purpose, and also add $25.ot)n ?.» tin pcrimm nt Kndow-uieni Fuinl of the Institution, making the total endowmeii' $200,ooo. A few months later, at the baptist Stale Convention in Spartanburg. the proposition of the (Icurral Kducation Hoard va accepted with inueli entlmsiasni. Levs. K. I . Faster!inji' and ( . L. String'ield were employed a iinanciai agents t » secure subscriptions to covet the necessary annmni. In the meantime. Mr. Andrew Carnegie donated $25,000 |o materially assist in creeling the - ; i • 11 -hall. However, at the State Baptist Convention held in Anderson, in Dceiniber, 1000. it was made known that the feat undertaking of 1000 would tail it $14,000 could not l»c raised before ilie first day of January. ThD would mean the lo s of the conditional sum promised by the (renerai Kdiieation Hoard of New York, and also the csmditioiial donation from Mr. Carnegie. Hut a concerted campaign was at once begun and before the midnight tails announced to the sleeping world the bird) «d the New Year, the victory was won. and the cherished dreams of South ( aroliua Baptist? wen coming to pass. 1 he victory assures tin immediate erection of the James (’. Furman Hall of Science, which lias been needed many years. The building which will 2.1