Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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Sketch of Furman University HE Baptists of South Carolina sent some of their ministerial students to the Academy on the High Hills of the Santee, where the principal. Dr. J. M. Roberts, received a part, if not all. of them free of tuition. In 1827 the Baptist State Convention opened “ The Furman Academy and Theological Institution” at Edgefield, buildings and land having been conditionally offered by the citizens of the village. The magnetic influence of Basil Manly. Sr., and a desire on the part of the convention to secure the co-operation of the Georgia Baptists, caused the school to be 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 the Santee, in Sumter County. Later. Prof. Samuel Furman was added to the teaching force. The last four years at the High Hills. 1830-1834, was the period when it was attempted to support the school by means of scholarships. A suspension of two years, 1833-1836, followed the failure of this method of supporting the faculty. Efforts were resumed on the first Monday in February. 1837, when a Manual Labor Classical School was opened near Winnsboro. under the principalship of Prof. W. E. Bailey, but its bright prospects began to wane the following May, when the building was burned. In 1838 the Theological Department was resumed, under Dr. W. Hooper as President. Dr. J. L. Reynolds succeeded him in 1840. In 1842 Rev. J. S. Mims became Junior Professor and Teacher of Systematic Theology. Dr. J. C. Furman succeeded Dr. Reynolds in 1844, and Rev. Peter C. 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 be a general topic. In 1848 Dr. Furman was released from the duties of the schoolroom, and, with the help of others, was successful in raising $70,000 for Furman University, to be located in Greenville. In 1851 this transfer was made, and the Academy and Theological Departments were opened under Dr. James C. Furman, as C hairman of the Faculty. Fifty-nine acres were purchased at first, but a part was afterwards disposed of. In 1832 the College of Liberal Arts began its work. In 1855, Prof. Mims, of the Theological Department, died, and was succeeded by James C. Boyce, under whose leadership this department of the University grew into the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1859), with the famous quartet, James P. Boyce, Basil Manly, John A. Broadus and William Williams, as professors. In this year (1859) Dr. Furman became the President of the University, and served in that capacity till 1879, as Chairman of the Faculty till 1881, and as Professor of Moral Philosophy till his death, in 1891. Dr. Charles Manly succeeded to the presidency in 1881. and held this position till 1897. The period from 1865 to 1885 was a period of precarious struggle. At its beginning the University was stripped of everything but the campus, the main building and several thousand dollars, held for ministerial education; and it was only in 1885 and 1886, when, by the successful agency of R. H. Griffith, a considerable endowment fund was raised, that the institution breathed freely again. In 1888 Judson Cottage was built, at a cost of $2,800, and shortly after this Griffith Hall, at about the same cost, and some other smaller buildings. In 1897 Dr. A. P. Montague became President, and during his incumbency of (19)

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TOWARDS THE CITY

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 five years the Alumni Hall, the old Fitting School building, and the Montague Hall were built, at a cost of $22,000, $3,000 and $12,000, respectively. Dr. E. M. Potcat succeeded Dr. Montague in November, 1903. In the same year, under the agency of Rev. Joel I. Allen, subscriptions to the amount of $125,000 were secured for endowment. In March, 1905, Mr. Andrew Carnegie proposed to give $15,000 for a library building, on condition that $15,000 be raised as an endowment for the library. This condition was met by Dr. Judson, who created the Charles H. Judson Endowment Fund for the library. Dr. Judson died January 12, 1907, in his eighty-seventh year, after having served the University in various capacities—Professor, Treasurer, Acting President,Dean—for fifty-six years. In recognition of his eminence as a mathematician and teacher, shortly the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of ’Teaching granted him a pension of one thousand dollars per annum. In his last will and testament Dr. Judson made the Library Endowment Fund residuary legatee of his estate, and it is expected that several thousand dollars will thus be added to the fund. The library building was erected in 1906-07, at a cost of $23,000, Mr. Carnegie having added $4,000 to his original grant, and other friends contributing a like sum. In December, 1907, the South C arolina Baptist State Convention at Orangeburg projected a campaign for the erection of a new building, to be known as the James C. 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 subscribed by Andrew Carnegie. Also in 1908 a commodious dormitory was built for the Fitting School. On December 31, 1909, largely through the efforts of Rev. E. P. Easterling. Financial Agent, all the conditions named above in reference to the James C. Furman Hall of Science were met. The work of erecting the new building was begun in the year 1910, and it was formally opened with appropriate exercises on January 18, 1912. At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, June 4, 191 I, it was resolved to add $100,000 to the general endowment at the earliest possible date. In October following the General Education Board of New York voted a grant of $25,000 of the proposed $100,000, on condition that $75,000 be raised by July 31, 1914. At the December, 1911, meeting of the Board. Rev. Dr. M. V. McDuffie was elected Field Secretary and put in charge of this undertaking. (20)