Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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 BOMhOniE IE Historical Sketch of Furman University E. M. POTF.AT 6 M EPSON said, an institution is the lengthened shadow of a man. Furman University is the lengthened shadow of a towering man, Richard Furman (1755-1825). Ilis name is written in letters of light over all the early history of the Baptists in South Carolina. From the beginning of his public career he was an aggressive promoter of Education and ol organized denominational effort with a view to larger efficiency. As early as 17!H he brought before the Charleston Association a plan by which the churches might unite in aiding young students for the ministry, and when in 17112 the plan was ratified, his name is first in the list of signatures. He remained Chairman of the General Committee of the Charleston Association for educational work for thirty-three years. And it is significant of his influence in this interest that the white membership of the First Baptist Church of Charleston averaged about two dollars per mcml er for thirty-six consecutive years for education. In 181-1 he was elected at Philadelphia the first President of the Tri-cnnial Convention and in 1817 the theme of his presidential address was Education. Says Prof. II. T. Cook in the volume just cited: “Columbia College grew out of this sjmmmIj as well as divers colleges in the states” (p. 22). In the History of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, Dr. James C. Furman, the distinguished son of a distinguished father, says of this great Philadelphia address by his father: His own views contem- plated a central institution at Washington, with institutions preparatory to it founded in separate states, where lower grades of culture might he obtained.” And this great address grew out of an experience of twenty-six years during which the preacher had been educating young men. Richard Furman died without seeing the fruition of his far-sighted plans. But two years after his death, 1827, the Baptist State Convention opened “The Fur-Watervillc and Hamilton were probably the direct outgrowth of the original plan. So were Furman Institution in South Carolina and the institution at Penfield, Ga., now Mercer University. Furman Institution became Furman University and then gave up its Theological Department that it might become the Southern Baptist Seminary. Newton, in Massachusetts, it is believed, originated from dissatisfaction with the bad management at Washington. Indeed the whole later denominational movement in favor of education, originated from this impulse. 1 have given this much space in the brief sketch here undertaken because a clear sight of origins is essential to full comprehension of the growth of an institution. And in what has now been said it will be seen that Furman University is the heir and depository of the finest sentiments and insights and enthusiasm of as noble a pioneer as ever breathed. Page Ten

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man Academy and Theological Institution” at Edgefield, S. (•., buildings and land having been offered conditionally by the citizens of the village. It is not necessary to detail here the checkered years from 1827 to 1852; the annals are printed year hv year in the catalog. Hut it is impossible to read the story and not see and feel that truly great men were put to the test again and again and were kept on the strain well-nigh t » the limit of their powers to preserve the institution. Only a supreme purpose, with sources, like the great rivers, iu the far heights, where God dwells, could have held them to their task. Furman University comes to us of the present generation freighted with the devotion and prayers and consecrated by the tears ami toil of men of whom the world was not worthy. EXPANSION. At the commencement in dune, 1907, an alumnus who had not visited the institution for a number of years, said: “Things do not look as they did when T was a student here.” Then he proceeded to remark, “We had only this old building, and the I toys lived in hoarding houses off the campus.” At the end of the Civil War, Captain Patrick taught a preparatory department in the large room under the tower; and Dr. Furman and his three or four pro-lessors taught college classes in the other rooms of the main building. They could not foresee the development of the succeeding forty years. Indeed there was almost no expansion until 1885, when by the successful agency of l». II. Griffith, a considerable Endowment Fund was raised. In 1888 the first additional building (Judson Cottage) was put up, and a short while after this Griffith Hall, which for several years was the home of the Fitting School boarding students. Today there are sixteen buildings on the campus, including several small cottages, and nine of these are in constant use in the work ol' the University. Since 1897 six important buildings have been erected. The new library building was opened for inspection on .June 5, 1907. It. represents in cost and endowment an addition of $38,000 to our plant. It has been much admired by all who have seen it. In interior finish and general appointments for library purposes, it is probably unsurpassed in South Carolina. Its one remaining need is books! books! books! These will he purchased l v the Faculty, after consultation with library committees throughout flu country as rapidly as the funds will allow. Several classes of Alumni have already sent in contributions for the purchase of books. There is no more direct way in which the Alumni can help the institution just now than in gathering class contributions for the purchase of hooks. In December. 1907. the South Carolina Baptist State Convention at Orangeburg projected a campaign for the erection of a new building to be known as the “James (’. Furman Hall of Science.” At the end of the year 1908, subscriptions were in hand amounting to $50,000 for this purpose. $25,000 of which was sub- Pagc Eleven