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This Day In USC History January 10, 1970 — The USC Board of Trustees consid ered starting South Carolina’s second medical school because of the state’s acute health care problems. A historic capital city Story and photos by Ann Marie Miani • etcetera Editor To most USC students, Columbia is their home away from home for nine months while they are in school. But Columbia is more than just USC; in fact, the original campus was built 15 years after the found ing of the city. Columbia was founded March 26,1786, and was the first American city to be named after Christopher Columbus. It was also the first planned state capital, as well as the center of everything from gov ernment to commerce. In February 1865, Sen. Sherman's army reached Columbia. A fire soon started that destroyed most of the city, but federal troops helped save USCs buildings from the flames. Buildings on campus were being used as a hospital. Columbia offers the conveniences of a metropolitan area with a small town atmosphere. The Statehouse The construction of the S.C. Statehouse began Dec. 15,1851, with $50,000 appropriated for it. Maj. John R. Niernsee was later appointed architect and completed the current building's design in 1854. Construction on the Statehouse stopped when Sherman's army came through Columbia in 1865, but damage to the building was minimal. On June 7,1885, Niernsee died, leaving the State house incomplete. A series of architects, including Niernsee's son Frank, was hired to complete the job. Finally, in 1904, Charles C. Wilson was appointed architect. Wilson completed the work of the origi nal designer at a cost of $100,000. Records show that over the years, the cost of construction on the Statehouse was more than $3 million. The University of South Carolina USC was founded in 1801 as South Carolina College. The original cam pus consisted of the buildings on the Horseshoe and the Longstreet Theatre. The South Carolimana Library was the first campus library in the South. When the Civil War began, the college closed and the campus was used as a Confederate hospital. When the college reopened in 1865, it went though many reorganizations and name changes, finally becoming the University of South Carolina in 1906. When the breat Depression hit in the 1930s, the university suffered. Enrollment declined, and courses were eliminated. When the United States entered World War II, most of the campus was transformed into a naval training base. The Navy paid the university, and it was able to stay open throughout the war. As USC enters 2000, it is expanding and building to keep up with the changing times. A physical education buliding, dorms and research centers are being built for Carolina students. Main Street Main Street in downtown Columbia is a combination of historic buildings and mod ern high rises. Bank off ices, including First Union and Wachovia, are on Main Street, along with restauants and hotels such as the prestigious Adam's Mark Hotel. fne S.C. Statehouse is in the middle of Main Street, with many state offices near its grounds. i f Campus Notes Deadline nears for Mungo teaching awards The deadline for Michael J. Mungo Teach ing Awards is Jan. 14. The $2,000 awards recognize and reward five undergradu ate professors on the Columbia campus. Winners will be announced at the gen eral faculty meeting April 27. Nomina tions should be sent to Donald J. Greiner, associate provost and dean of undergraduate affairs, Office of the Provost, Osborne Administration Build ing. Professor to present lecture on free speech The S.C. Association of Scholars, along with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, presents a public lecture entitled “The Betrayal of Liberty on America's Cam puses” by professor Alan Charles Kors at 2 p.m. Jan. 21 in the Russell House Theater. Professor Kors, co-author of The Shadow University, argues that the growing prevalence of “speech codes” and “sensitivity training” threatens the - freedom of speech for faculty and stu dents at American colleges and univer sities. For more information, call pro fessor Jeffrey J. Poelvoorde at (864) 596-9103 or e-mail jeff.poelvoorde@con verse.edu. Macintosh Users Group meeting to be held USC Macintosh Users Group will be meeting from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 in Room 210 of the School of Music. For , more information, call Marc LaFountain of USC Computer Services at 777-6144 or e-mail marc@sc.edu. USC Police to offer weekend RAD class The USC Police Department is spon soring a weekend Rape Aggression De fense class Jan. 23 and Jan. 24. Call Of ficer Garbade at 777-0855 for more information or e-mail hgarbade@gwm.sc.edu. Guardian ad Litem needs more volunteers Nfolunteer to become a Guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in family court proceedings. A 30-minute training ses sion will be held Jan. 22,23,29 and 30. Volunteers act as official representatives of the court by performing an indepen dent investigation of the allegations, mak ing recommendations based on those find ings, as well as helping the child cope with court proceedings. Contact C.C. Dennis, volunteer coordinator, at 784 5024 for more information. Dance association will hold monthly dance The Greater Columbia Chapter of U.S. Amateur Ballroom Dance Association will hold its monthly dance from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Jan. 22 at Hugh Dimmer Memo rial Center, 680 Cherokee Lane, West Columbia, near the airport exit on 1-26. Admission is $4 for national USABDA members, $7 for nonmembers and $3 for students. Call Mike Verdone at 407-0132 or Grace Keller at 957-9259 for more information. State Farm offers 50 student fellowships Fifty Exceptional Student Fellowships will be awarded by the State Farm Com panies Foundation 2000. Each winner will receive $3,000. To be eligible for the award, the students must be frill-time ju niors or seniors when they apply and must have a minimum 3.6 grade point aver age. Demonstrated leadership, as well as scholarship, character and career goals will be considered in the committee’s se lection. Applications are available in the Fellowships and Summer Programs Of fice in Harper College Room 101. The deadline for applications is Feb. 11. Ringling Bros, to bring circus to Coliseum Ringling Bros, and Bamum & Bailey will be at the Carolina Coliseum from Jan. 28-30. The circus will feature Ringmas ter Jonathon Lee Iverson, the first singing ringmaster in the show’s history. Tickets are available at the Carolina Coliseum box office and Capital Tickets outlets. ■ CORRECTIONS The Gamecock strives to report the facts correctly and responsibly. 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