The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, November 12, 1970, Image 22
CLINTON, PC, AND THORNWELL
(Continued From Page 1)
Tiad determined that the College should not be
moved. They were surprised that anybody for a
moment would think that one could find a better
place for PC than Clinton.
On September 13, 1905 (a year later) the trus
tees assembled in Columbia to receive bids from
five cities for the college . . . Bennettsville, Chester,
Clinton, Yorkville and Sumter. The Clinton,
Newberry & Laurens Railroad furnished a special
car which carried 30 Clinton citizens to this meet
ing of the trustees. None of them had slept the
night before, because they had just heard that
another city was offering $20,000 while Clinton’s
bid was only $12,000. Throughout the night they
had called on one another and urged all subscribers
to double their subscription. The next morning
they left for Columbia with $20,000.
On the afternoon of the 14th . . . after two days
of hearing, the Board voted twelve for Clinton,
six for Chester and one for Bennettsville. The
Clinton delegation was elated and celebrated all
the way home. When the train pulled into Clinton
at 8:00 P.M. that night, they were surprised to
hear the sound of fire bells all over town. There
was a fire indeed . . the fire of enthusiasm. The
whole town had turned out to welcome the con
quering heroes . . . and the streets were filled with
the sound of college bells, orphanage bells, fire
bells and scores of cow bells.
That night Dr. Jacobs wrote . . . “Our college is
now the Synod’s college and I am proud. God
bless and prosper the college.”
For the next 25 years, PC enjoyed a period of
expansion and construction. Neville Hall was
built in 1907, and the old Recitation Hall was sold
to Thornwell. (It served as their high school until
it burned in the late 30’s.)
Laurens Dormitory, Judd Dining Hall, and
Spencer Dorm were completed next. In 1915
Jacobs Science Hall was erected (the ROTC
Building). Smyth Dormitory and Springs Gym
nasium were built in the 20’s.
In 1923, as a result of an increase in endowment,
Presbyterian College received accreditation from
the Southern Association.
Unfortunately construction moved faster than
money could be raised in the 20’s and the college
found itself in need of several hundred thousand
dollars to finish payment on its new buildings.
Bonds totaling $400,000 were issued, and a special
synod-wide campaign was planned to repay the
bonds. The campaign began in September, 1929 .. .
and the stock market crashed one month later.
With an indebtedness greater than its endowment,
PC was insolvent.
By cutting salaries and pinching pennies the
administration managed to hold body and soul
tog^her for the first few years of the depression.
In 1935 accreditation was withdrawn from the
College due to its continued indebtedness. About
this time, when PC had $137 in the bank, and owed
more than $400,000, a group of merchants in Clin
ton to whom large accounts were owed met to see
if they should force payment. After studying the
situation they all realized that to do this would
be to bankrupt the College . . . and no one in
Clinton was willing to close PC.
Finally, a banker was found who would lend the
College money, provided the president gave his
word to work tirelessly to pay it back, and pro
vided the college insured the president’s life as
security for the bank. The college doors stayed
open. .
Enough cannot b£ said about the faithfulness of
the faculty during these days. Each month when
pay checks were issued, those who could wait a
little longer were asked to step aside so others
who were more in need could be paid in full. In
one twelve month period, nine faculty members
received offers of jobs paying as much as 50%
more, and only one of them left.
Many students paid for tuition with promissory
notes, and few could afford to pay the full charges.
Gradually, the College began to lift itself by
its own bootstraps. The only new building erected
in these 20 years was the present library and ad
ministration building which was constructed by
the Works Progress Administration in the early
40’s as a means of giving employment to local
victims of the depression. Since government funds
could not be spent on private colleges, this build
ing and the land it stands on were deeded to the
City of Clinton. The city still shares in its mainte
nance cost.
In 1946 PC had regained its feet sufficiently to
hold another capital funds campaign in South
Carolina and in the Georgia Synod, which had
joined in support of the College in 1928. This one
was successful. Endowment was assured and once
again the college was accredited by the Southern
Association after being off the list for financial
reasons (not academic) for 14 years.
The other buildings on the campus were erected
in recent years, and came as a result of four cam
paigns which netted a total of $4 1 / 2 million. The
citizens of Clinton contributed almost half of this
amount.
So, you see, Presbyterian College and Clinton
have shared the ups and downs of life. The College
is the result of a full century of praying and
planning, sacrifice sharpened by tears and heart
ache, and dreams which were fulfilled with joy
and thanksgiving. We have a great college here.
We also have a wonderful heritage, as we look
back upon the close relationship between Clinton
and PC, and upon those unselfish men who have
served and are still serving here.
Men of great faith . . . men who, in the truest
sense of the word, were pioneers, whose vision
and foresight looked far into the future . . . who
were never satisfied with today because they could
see the overwhelming possibilities of tomorrow
. . . who had determination and a willingness to
work with persistence . . . Dependable men who
stepped forward to accept responsibilities which
weaker men would have refused.
Thank God for these men!
JACOBS FAMILY — Dr. William P. Jacobs,
founder of Thornwell and Presbyterian College,
is shown above at left on second row with mem
bers of his family. Shown above, front row, left
to right: William Jacobs, Thornwell Jacobs. Mrs.
Carrie Lee Jacobs (stepmother of Dr. Jacobs),
2—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Nov. 12, 1970
Mrs Charles E. Little, (half-sister,) Dr. Dillard
Jacobs and Cyrus Bailey second row: Dr. Jacobs,
Mrs. J. F. Jacobs, J. F. Jacobs, II, Mrs. William
S. Jacobs, Dr. Charles Little and Mrs. W. J. Bai
ley; top row: J. F. Jacobs, W. S. Jacobs, and Wil
liam J. Bailey.
Thornwell
Had Humble
Beginning
PC SCENE—Shown at water trough on PC cam
pus are, left to right: Jane Kennedy, Allie Gar
vin, Gene Power and Essie Young.
SERVING CLINTON SINCE 1932
ADAIR'S
MEN’S
SHOP
I \
THORNWELL SEMINARY — The
Thornwell seminary shown above al
so was used by Presbyterian College
for commnecement exercises until
the building was destroyed by fire
about 1903. The building was con
structed in 1886.
The Rev. William P. Jacobs
was a man of great foresight,
as is evidenced by his founding
of Presbyterian College, one of
the outstanding liberal arts col
leges in South Carolina. But he
was also a man of great com
passion, and he felt a great
concern for children who were
alone in the world without par
ents. In order to provide care
and Christian instruction for
these children, he founded
Thornwell Orphanage in 1875.
Thornwell had very humble
beginnings. For several years,
there was only one building on
the campus, the “Home of
Peace.* This original building
is still in use and will soon be
remodeled at a cost of some
$35,000. Today, the Orphanage
is situated on a 450 acre camp
us that Includes 20 cottages, a
swimming pool, a youth center,
an accredited high school, and
recreational facilities that in
clude tennis courts and horse
back riding.
Thornwell is supported by the
Presbyterian Church in South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Other sources of Income in
clude contributions from inter
ested friends, income from
Limited Endowment Funds,
contributions from relatives of
Thornwell students, and the
Duke Foundation. Also, Thom-
well receives some assistance
from Social Security benefits
from deceased parents and also
some V. A. assistance.
Thornwell is not a true
‘Orphanage* in the literal
sense of the word. That is, a
child does not have to be with
out both parents to be admitt
ed. These children are given
first consideration, but child
ren with one or both parents
living can also be admitted.
" \
Dr. Jacobs Served As Pastor Of Clinton
First Presbyterian Church For 47 Years
For All Of Your Men's Wear Needs
1932*37—Partnership • Hipp and Adair
1937- 1970 - ADAIR'S MEN'S SHOP
1938- Present Location Was Altered For Our
Store.
Remodeled 1948 As Appears In Picture.
Vernon Trammell loined Us In 1939 And Has Been
With Us Continuously Except During His Service In
World War H
Dr. William P. Jacobs did a
great deal to transform Clin
ton from a country crossroads
with only a few stores to a
bustling city with an eye on
the future growth and develop
ment of the town. Dr. Jacobs
was a Presbyterian minister
born on March 15, 1842. He
joined the church on Feb. 8,
1858, and his seventy years of
service to the spiritual and
physical needs of the people of
South Carolina, and particu
larly in the Clinton area had
begun.
Dr. Jacobs served the Clin
ton area as pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church for 47
years. In recognition of this
service, a plaque was unveiled
in his honor at the Presbyterian
Church on September 30, 1923.
According to the September 27,
1923 edition of the Chronicle,
the plaque was unveiled by Wil
liam P. Jacobs, great-grand
son of the Presbyterian Mini
ster and educator and the ad
dress was delivered by Dr.
Dudley Jones, former pastor
of the church.
Dr. Jacobs lived through
very turbulent times during
his service to God and man. The
Chronicle reported that the
marker listed some of the ac
complishments of the minister.
He was graduated from the Col
lege of Charleston in 1860.
While in Charleston, he cov
ered the dramatic Secession
Convention in December of 1860
for a Charleston newspaper.
In 1861, he entered the Colum
bia Seminary in Atlanta in 1862.
After graduating from the
Seminary, he received his first
church appointment at Bethany
in Laurens County in May of
1862. He preached his first
sermon in Clinton on July 16,
1862, when he substituted for
Rev. Zelotes Holmes.
Jacobs was assigned to his
first regular charge at Shady
Grove and Duncan Creek in
upper Laurens County. In 1864
he accepted a call to preach
twice a month in Clinton while
preaching once a month at Shady
Grove and Duncan Creek. He
began work in Clinton on May
5, 1864. He organized a Sun
day School on May 22, 1864
with some 80 members. He was
installed as the first pastor of
the Clinton Presbyterian
Church in May of 1864. He was
ordained on May 20, 1864, by
Rev. Holmes. He married Mary
Jane Dillard on April 20, 1865,
and his first child was born on
April 11, 1866.
Dr. Jacobs ’Iso founded the
first paper in Clinton with the
first printing press in the
town. The name of the paper
was the True Witness, a re
ligious publication. He also
started the Phonographic
Magazine in 1869.
During these years, Clinton,
like the rest of the South, was
ravaged by the Civil War and
the RadicaJ Reconstruction that
followed Appomatox.
There were only 176 white
people in Clinton in the midst
of all the trouble and blood
shed. Dr. Jacobs did his best
to help his congregation through
these troubled times. In 1871,
he founded the Clinton High
School Association. In order to
further educational oppor
tunities and spirtual training
for the children of Clinton and
the surrounding, he made plans
to establish Thornwell Orphan
age in October of 1872. His
dreams became a reality when
the Orphanage opened on May
28, 1874.
Tragedy struck the aging
minister when his beloved wife
died on i-ebruary 15, 1887. He
resolved on June 21, 1887, to
build a Presbyterian College in
Clinton, ‘If it takes always to
d'' it.* The college opened on
March 15, 1866.
Dr. Jacobs took a trip abroad
in 1887 and retired from active
service to the Clinton Church
in 1911. He died on September
10, 1917
* * *
First Female Nominee
The first woman nominated
for the office of president of
the United States was Vic
toria Claflin Woodhull, who
was nominated by the Equal
Rights party in 1872.
Thornwell formerly admitted
children of all denominations,
with Presbyterians getting first
consideration. However, due to
the tremendous Increase in the
number of applications for ad
mittance to Thornwell, those
admitted must be from a Pres
byterian background.
As a religiously oriented in
stitution, Thornwell strives to
provide a Christian background
for the residents. A child must
be recommended by a Presby
terian minister before he can be
admitted. A beautiful new
church has recently been con
structed to aid in tbls religious
training.
In order to provide practical
experience for Thornwell stu
dents and to help relieve some
of the staggering economic bur
dens of running an instututlon
like this, every child twelve
years of age or older is as
signed a Job in the printing,
dairy, farming, poultry, elec
trical, serving, dishwashing,
sewing, kitchen, office, infir
mary or electronics depart
ment In fact, this has been so
successful that the Thornwell
Farm under the direction of
Robert L. Wickham produces
all of the food required on the
campus.
The educational facilities at
Thornwell are excellent. The
orphanage provides educa
tional training from kindergar
ten through high school. As an
example of its excellence, the
elementary school was among
the first four to be accredit
ed by the Southern Association
and has remained in good stand
ings every since. Thornwell of
ficials announced last summer
that Thornwell will accept stu
dents who are not residents of
Thornwell and began operating
as a private school this fall.
Thus Thornwell provides re
ligious, vocational and educa
tional training for students who
might otherwise be deprived of
the chance for such instruction.
The orphanage also works
closely with Presbyterian Col
lege to provide college scholar
ships for graduates of the
Thornwell High School. In fact,
the college was originally
founded to provide further in
struction of Thornwell gradu
ates. The High School also has
an excellent sports program,
and their teams participate in
inner-scholastic competition
with other high schools of its
size in South Carolina.
The dream of William P. Ja
cobs to create an orphanage
has come true in a way that
this pioneer in the field of
religious and educational in
struction probably never dream
ed possible. Jacobs headed the
Orphanage as its President
from 1875-1917. Dr. L. Ross
Lynn headed the Orphanage for
some 25 years, from 1918-1943.
Dr. M. A. McDonald became
President of Thornwell in 1944
and has headed the institution
for the last 26 years.