Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Cover story CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A year ago, USC President Andrew Sorensen announced plans for a research campus, 5-million-square-feet of research space built on partner ships with private businesses. USC has already begun construc tion on a new Arnold School of Public Health on Assembly Street and plans to break ground some time this year on 425,000 square feet of buildings on the “Hardee’s block” on Blossom Street. In a letter to USC on his first an niversary as president, Sorensen wrote that “the research campus will transform the economy of the Midlands, the state and the na tion,” underscoring Sorensen’s vi sion for USC’s future. “It will sort of beredefining the university,” Sorensen said in an interview with The Gamecock. With a multi-million-dollar re search campus becoming the gleam of USC’s eye, the Horseshoe cottld be relegated to second place. To many, it already has. The Horseshoe of the 1960s wasn’t the same as it is today to Walter Edgar, USC’s historian. In those days, all major sbadeinic de partments were located on the Horseshoe and, as Edgar put it.it was the place to be on campus. It was in the 1970s that USC had an explosion of growth! Strapped for space and time, USC built sev eral high rises to accommodate the growing housing demand. Suddenly, USC was surrounded by the giants of Capsfofte, Pattejfeon, South Tower and, finally, Bates House. It was the age of the mega university, a place yy ith highls spe cialized curriculum and ca^uses that looked more life ofBcijarks. But in the midd|e of all [that growth was the Horseshoe, ajdace that, by necessity, almost every student had to cross. J|£g| “It gave the university, which was then really explodJBijftill a small college feel,” Edgar said. ‘‘It didn’t feel that big back then.” Slowly the university started to spread out. English moved to Gambrell, journalism moved to the Coliseum, and nursing moved to the Williams-Brice building. Students started to nothave a rea son to come back to the Horseshoe. “To me, the heart ofUSC’s cam pus is dafi&itahc the Rtissjftb Rouse,” fir^f year tSdlol^Itudblit* Matt Nettles said. \ First-yeaV international busi ness student Charelle Hogan said the only time she walks on the HoTseshoe is fox' a rare-'shortcut p ii USC spread its roots to the south, east and west. ; “A lot of people never really set foot on the Horseshoe,” said Sederber|, who is also the chair man of the*Horseshoe Restoration Committed Most of the Horseshoe’s traffic copies from students who live there. Foryears, the HorshsHbe rep resented the elite of campus hous . ing, a privilege usually reserved for roomd. the'HorsIshoe fetes stiff competition from the Quads. le tend to gravitate toward * ^ ' ''^a^ M'OCk published its Best of USC awards. More than 800 students voted the Quads the best place to live. | seems shaky, USC administrators are taking steps to ensure ifnas a* firm foundation. Thornwell Willbe ball spins when they walk byg mos|pon’t know its importance as Mills’ first prominent use of the Egyptian revival of the 19th cen tury architectural style “that leads him directly to the creation of the Washington Monument and - Washington, D.C.,” Bryan said. And before Thomas Jefferson designed the University of y^inia s Lawn, he designed a similar campus for his alma mater, William and Mary, in 1773. The rev olution broke out, and the plans r Campus spot plays host to politicians and a pope University of South Carolina PHOTO COURTESY OF USC ARCHIVES The Pope was welcomed to USC on Sept. 11,1987. He asked the students to seek the truth and told them that it was wonderful to be young and a student at USC. BY CARRIE GIVENS THK GAMECOCK The Horseshoe has seen its share of influential people and speakers. It was Saturday, Nov. 6,1909, when the Horseshoe was graced with its first presidential visit. President William H. Taft spoke to a crowd of about 2,000 students on the steps of the President’s House, or what is now McKissick Museum. Almost 50 years later, another popular name in politics spoke on the Horseshoe. Former President John F. Kennedy, then a Democratic Massachusetts sena tor, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary doctorate at USC’s graduation May 31,1957. In his speech to the graduates, Kennedy emphasized the ties be tween his Northern state and South Carolina. He encouraged students to consider the political arena. More importantly, he urged them to apply their talents to the problems of the times, specifically small business fail ures, the complexities of war and peace, and the imminence of nu clear war and the resulting de struction of mankind. Twenty-five years after Kennedy’s assassination, he would again be honored with a ceremony on the Horseshoe. On Nov. 22,1988,150 people gathered in the Horseshoe’s Rutledge Chapel to remember the presi dent. The guest speaker, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Patterson, memorial ized the once-great president by remembering his call for Americans to, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Twenty-six years after Kennedy’s visit, President Ronald Reagan visited the Horseshoe. Amid inclement weather Sept. 20, 1983, Reagan spoke to a crowd of 8,000 people. Centering on public education, Reagan’s speech em phasized the need for discipline and prayer in public schools. Reagan was presented with an honorary doctorate. Other no table speakers that day included USC President Janies Holderman, Gov. Dick Riley, Sen. Strom Thurmond and Judge David Russell. Four years later, on Sept. 11, 1987, Holderman would introduce Pope John Paul II to 13,000 stu dents, faculty and alumni. Students welcomed the pope and his “Popemobile” with kind words and declarations of “We love you.” Holderman was reported in The Gamecock saying he was im pressed by students’ reactions to the pope. “Whether it was the Holy Spirit or papal spirit or human spirit, I don’t know, but it was very mov ing. It was very exciting,” he said. In his address, the pope en couraged students to seek truth about God and man — and to find truth within themselves. “It is wonderful to be young,” the pope said that day on the Horseshoe. “It is wonderful to be young and a student of a univer sity. It is wonderful to be young and a student of the University of South Carolina.” FILE PHOTO FROM GARNET & BLACK President Kennedy visited USC In 1957 to give the commenc ement address. FILE PHOTO FROM GARNET & BLACK President Reagan spoKe on the Horseshoe on Sept. 20,1983. What’s in a name? 9 The men behind the Horseshoe’s signature buildings By Meg Moore ( THE GAMECOCK Legare, DeSaussure. Harper. Rutledge — these days. USC students associate such names with fa miliar Horseshoe residence hails. Ye teach was the handle of a particularly Influential figure or fami ly in the development of the school and state. Then legacies resonate far beyo»| tape namesake fa cades. J ri jfe' I Many of the buildings were named after famed statesmen men who not only supported education hut also were devoted to their communities. Many were also named after South Carolina College grad uates.; ;• * P HARPER William Harper, for whom the building that now houses the Honors College was named, was a South Carolina College graduate of 1808. Bom on the island of Antigua in 1790, Harper and his family settled in Charleston and then Columbia during the 1790s. Alter graduating, he studied both medicine and law in Charleston and opened a practice in Columbia, where he became a trustee of the Coilege. He later served in the S.C. House of Representatives, held govern ment positions in Missouri, worked with the South Carolina Supreme Court, sewed in the U.S. Senate and acted as Chancellor of South Carolina. ELLIOT Stephen Elliot, for whom the other half of Harper Elliot was named, Was a Beaufort native. Yale ed ucated, Elliot returned to Sout^ Carolina and rarfa plantation, also serving time in the S.C. Legislature. In 1812. he Legare served as the state’s attordMfeeneral. His work impressed Edward LivingstonShe U.st sec retary of state, and thrpugh Livingston he received an appointment abroad in Brussels where he was able to further his stud became a me rtives and even eneral and sea jsignation of D n, opened his law practice in the city of 1779. Pinckney also began a successful areer, serving in both the Continental and the South Carolina Legislature. He ards the ratification of South Carolina which he became governor in 1789. He appointed minister to Spain by the Jefferson administration. . The other, older Pinckney brother, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, was born in Charleston In 1764 and received his education jn England, re ceiving admission to the English ter in 1769. Later pUwt.yearvhe returned to Soutl^clral’ma to begin his law practice and political career in the colony. After fighting in theRevolut ionary War, Pinckney returned to his work instate government. Both Pinckney , brothers attended the Constitutional Convention and were co-signers of the U.S. Constitution. The elder Pinckney was also invitedto serve on the presidential cabinet, but he declined, eventually accepting a post as a foreign minister. DESAUSSURE ft The second-oldest building on capipusp DeSaussure College, was named for statesman Henry William DeSaussure. Admitted to the S.cjr bar in 1785, DeSaussure served in the state Legislature for 18 years, helping to found South Carolina College. In 1795. he took a national lead ership role as the director of the U.S. Mint. He re-1 turned to S.C. government in 1808, hcwejjpr, as the state’s chancellor, a position he held for 29 years. jx ‘ °1 Liebe^ College, which now houses the Office of Admissions, was originally a faculty residence. It is also named after a professor—Francis Lieber*fac- ^ ulty member and editor of the “Encyclopedia M Pi. ; r James Rion McKissick, a USC graduate, had a a faculty member at the tmivers tend chief editorial writer at th Di<?j, ■ ' ■ Newi ^