Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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Bennette Eugene Geer M.A., I.itt.lX, President of I'urman University and Greenville Woman’s College

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A MESSAGE EROM TWE PRESIDENT HISS WASN7 IN THAT DAWN TO IE ALIVE. IUT TO SE YOUNG WAS VERY HEAVEN The one distinct message i would leave with THE MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 1935 IS THAT IN ALL HISTORY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A DAY OF GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR A YOUNG MAN WHO HAS PREPARED HIMSELF FOR A DEFINITE WORK THAN TODAY. Within the memory of persons now living the PROGRESS OF SCIENCE HAS TRANSFORMED INDUSTRY. GOVERNMENT. PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. EVERY PHASE OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR. IN THE LAST FIFTY YEARS MORE THAN IN ALL THE PRECEDING YEARS IN HISTORY THE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN OPENED AND ITS CONTENTS CLASSIFIED. CODIFIED. AND INDEXED SO THAT IT IS AVAILABLE. IN NO TIME IN THE WORLDS HISTORY HAS IT BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE EDUCATED. THAT IS. DEFINITELY TRAINED FOR A LIFE WORK. BUT LET IT NOT BE FORGOTTEN THAT THIS THING WE CALL EDUCA-TION IS NOT A STAND-STILL ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT RATHER A PROCESS THAT IS CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT LIFE. ONLY THOSE WHO USE THEIR TRAINING IN COLLEGE AS A MEANS OF FURTHER AND PROGRESSIVE ATTAINMENT HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL THEMSELVES EDUCATED. B.E. GEER.

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ROBERT NORMAN DANIEL M-A-. PH.M. DEAN U«lr«riit| The history’ of Furman is based, not upon the customary legal documents, dates, and similar data, but upon the lives of those men whose wisdom and self-sacrifice made the present college possible. Dr. Richard Furman, who gave most of his life to the promotion of education for Baptist ministerial students, is rightly called the ’'founder and father” of Furman. For it was through his unceasing efforts that the convention of the South Carolina Baptists opened, in 1827, the institution which was ultimately to grow into Furman University. The first location of the school was in Edgefield, but it was removed to High Hills in the year 1829. Mr. Jesse Hartwell, who was in charge of the institution, struggled to alleviate financial conditions, but his resignation and that of Dr. S. Furman at the same time, left the school without faculty or friends; and in 1834 it closed. In 1836 it was again removed, this time to Winnsboro. Here it was called the Furman Institution, and again had THE STORY two departments of study. At first, the students were compelled to do two and one-half hours of faculty-supervised labor on the farm each working day, but after they began to object so strenuously the requirement was withdrawn. In the year 1850, Furman Theological Seminary, a leader in the field of theological education at that period, was removed from Winnsboro to Greenville and established as Furman University. The first president of the new University was Dr. James C. Furman. The students enjoyed a great deal of freedom in the choice of their studies, but their moral life was carefully supervised. During the presidency of Dr. Furman the enrollment more than doubled, Furman Hall was erected, a large endowment was pledged; but at this time the Civil War broke out, and again the college was forced to close. After the war, Dr. Furman was a guiding spirit in the reorganization of Furman, but it was Dr. Charles Manly who won the favor of the Baptists and balanced the budget for Furman, when he became president in 1881. Dr. Montague’s presidency, in 1897 and the following four years, was noted for the erection of four new buildings, and for the introduction of new courses of study. Dr. E. M. Poteat, Furman’s fourth president, strengthened the science department. Furman was included in the Duke Trust Fund during the presidency of Dr. W. J. McGlothlin. Since 1933, Dr. B. E. Geer has been leading onward the co-ordinate Furm3n-G. w.c. « 2k