The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, July 10, 1912, PART 1, PAGES 1 TO 8, Image 1
LAURENS WILL MEET THE ISSUE
Great Mass Meeting of Progressive Citizens in the Court House
Yesterday Evening, when Unbounded Enthusiasm Reigned.
A Committee Appointed to Select a Sub-committee of Three from Each Denomination to Solicit Subscriptions
from every Man and Woman in the City of Laurens. A Spirit of Determination and Co-operation
Pervaded the Meeting Such as Never Before in the History of Laurens. Keynote of the Meet
mg a Determination to Secure the Amount Necessary at Any Cost.
A great muss meeting of the cit
izens of Laurens was held in the
court house yesterday afternoon to
formulate plans to make a proper
answer to the letter of the board of
trustees oi* Ohicora college, in which
letter it was promised that it $75.
000 and a suitable site were prof
fered, the college would be moved
here. Such a spirit of determina
tion and enthusiastic cooperation
?howed itself in the meeting as has
never been shown in this city be
fore. A committee was appointed
to solieit. subscriptions and another
one to procure options on all
available and suitable sites in the
city. After the money is secured,
the offtr will be formally laid be
fore the board of trustees of the col
lege and they will select whatever
site they tliink best.
The following are the commit
tees:
Presbyterian church: B. II.
Wilkes, R. P. Fleming, Ii. K. Aiken
Baptist: R. A. Cooper, C. B.
Bobo, D. A. Davis
Methodist: W. L. Gray, L G.
Balle, W. II. Dial.
Episcopal: R. E. Hughes, M. L.
^'opeland, W. II. Washington.
^ Committee to secure options: T.
M. Lake, R. Ross Blakeley, J. P.
Tolbert.
The meeting was organized with
R. B. Babb as chairman and A. C.
Todd as secretary. Dr. II. K. Aiken
stated the cause of tlie meeting. The
chairman asked for suggestions as
to prooeedure. At this moment,
Rev. C. P. Rankin arose and stated
that he wished to make a few re
marks before other business was
attended to.
Mr. Rankin began by saying that
though he was by virtue of his
calling only a transient citizen here,
he felt the deepest interest in the
city and wds ready at nil times to
do everything in Lis power to fur
ther its growth and progress. He
felt that now a great opportunity
was before the eity, which must be
graaped now or never. Opportun
ities such as these come but once
in a#life time and to let this one
pass would be to let the best thing
go by that Laurens has ever had
the opportunity to grasp.
After reviewing the history of the
movement to secure Chicora college
for Laurens, Mr. Rankin went on
to state that the trustees of Chicora
had given the matter serious and
solemn consideration and had tome
to the conclusion that if Laurens
would raise $75,000 and provide a
jftable site that the college would
jk moved here. He said that this
was a bold move on the part of the
trustees and as liberal as could be
npectcd. Though thewe h*ve been
those who have-said tfr&t Lauren?
could not secure the college, if she
wanted it, there was no reason to
donbt what the board had said.
They would not carry on a flirta
tion on the part of Chicora with
Liaurens. This was a matter of
the pest interest of the colloge and
/
he had no doubt but that Laurens
would receive a fair deal from the
trustees. Tie felt it a reflection
upon the trustees to doubt but that
they would stand by the proposi
tion they hail submitted, lie felt
sure that if Lauren's secured the
college that it would always sup
port it and that it would remain
here at all times. for never had ho
known of a ease where a college was
moved twice. \
Mr. Rankin said that he doubled
whether the citizens of Laurens
appreciated tin- great advantages of
such an institution. With '2~>0 stu
dents and .'18 teachers and officers,
it disbursed about $:{~),000 a year
and he believed that at least $50,
000 a year was now spent in Green
ville by Chicora college and stu
dents. With a large and beautiful
building and endowment fund of
probably $100,000, Chicora would
prove a great asset and an adver
tisement* for Laurens. In its ef
fect upon the moral and intellec
tual side of the 1 ift; of the city,
the college would far exceed the
financial benefits. Laurens has now
the opportunity to strike for Chris
tian education.
He said that Laurens was eon
fronted with a big task in raising
this large sum and it would be nec
essary for many to make a sacrifice
to secure it, but the returns of ev
ery kind would justify a much
larger expenditure. With a spirit
of determination he believed that
the citizens of Laurens would suc
ceed in raising the money. In
closing Mr. Rankin said that he
hoped that the people of Lauren*
would respond in the same generous
spirit in which the board had made
the proposition.
Dr. W. II. Dial spoke a few en
thusiastic words in support of the
movement, declaring that now was
a psychological moment to put new
life into the city and to begin an
era of growth and progress, for the
l>enefit of the children and genera
tions to follow.
Mr. R. A. Cooper spoke a few
Words declaring that the campaign
must be carried out to a successful
end. Mr. W. L. Gray made an en
thusiastic speech urging the people
to put. forth every effort to raise
the required sum of money, de
claring that it was an investment
in which tho returns would bo far
greater than anything that money
could buy. lie stressed the advan
tages to those who were unable to
send their children elsewhere to
college and who would be most ben
efitted by having the college here.
To those who are not familiar
with the cironintitances leading up
to the call of this meeting, it would
not be put of placo to review the
happenings of the past few weeks
or the past few months. In fact
for the past several years Rev. C.
F. Rankin has had a plan revolving
in his mind to secure a col logoff or
Laurens. Realizing when ho first
came here that such an institu
tiou \v;i>> one of its direst needs ami
feeling sure that tho city and coun
ty were willing and anxious to
support n college, he has constant
ly kept the idea in mind. A few
months ;i*r<*. when some, dissatis
faction Was expressed because of
the cramped Conditions surround*
ing the present location of Chieora
college at Greenville and th<> facti
eanie out ?t a meeting of the hoard
of trustees that tho college would
likely be moved from its present
location to some other location in
or near Greenville or to some other
city, the question of securing tho
college for Laurens was agitated
quietly. The movement gained in
momentum until just before the ap
pointed time for the meeting of
the board of trustees last week, it
was thought advisable to get a
number of Laurens citizens togeth
er and discuss the question.
The meeting was held last Mon
day afternoon and & committee
consisting of enthusiastic, members
of all denominations was appoint
ed to appear before the board of
trustees at Greenville and to find
out the sentiment of the boa id. The
[committee went up without any
proposition 1?? differ and wer?' on
ly instructed to say that Laurens
was unwilling to enter into non
competition with other cities to
secure the college. bu1 thai Lau
rens stood ready to do all in her
power to meet any condition the
hoard might suggest. The trustees
were advised of the hopes and
plans of Ijourens in reference to
the college if it were established
here and were asked to state
the terms upon which the col
lege could be secured. The
committee was given a courteous
hearing. Wednesday afternoon
(the next day) Dr. H. K. Alken,
the chairman of the Laurens com
mittee, was informed that the board
had acted favorably upon the sug
gestion of the Laurens citizens
and would recommend moving
the college here if Laurens would
supply a suitable site and raise
$7;").000 for the college.
As the first newspaper announce
ment of the action of the board of
trustees covers very minutely ev
ery phase of tire situation, it is re
produced below, it being taken
from Thursday's issue of The
Greenville News. It is as follows:
That Ohicora College will be re
moved from Greenville to the town
of Lauren's is practically certain,
since the Hoard of Trustees, in an
nual session la.(;t night, adopted a
report from the "Ways and Means
Com mitte to the effect that should
Laurons provide the college with an
acceptable site and the sum of
$75,000 toward a removal plant,
the college would ba focorr.cr.ded to
the controlling Prosbytencs of thd
State. That Laurens will meet the
condition laid down by the trustees,
is more than probable. In fact, it
was reliably stated last night that
the conditions will be met in full
, within 10 days. That the controll
ing Presbyteries would adopt, the
recommeaation of tho Hoard of
Trustees in very likely. '
"The Board of Chicora College
deem in due to all concerned to
make a succiont but plain state
men I of their action in connection
with the probable transfer of the
intsitulion from its present site to
the city of Laurens.
"At its meeting in July. 1911,
a member of the board who found
it impossible to be present in per
son at Ibis meeting addressed to
it a communication in which be
raised the question whether the in
terests of the college did not de
mand at the hands of the board
a frank consideration of the ad
visability of transferring the in
stitution to some other place in the
Synod and suggesting Laurens as
a suitable place.
STATEMENT BY BOARD.
"The board referred this com
munication to its executive com
mitte with instructions to consider
its contents and in connection with
same to see whether they could not.
secure for the college an eligible
site in or near the city of Green
vile.
"When the board met this year,
at S:'M) p. m. July 2nd. they were
informed that a number of gen
tlemen representing the various de
nominations and the business in
terests of Laurens were in the city
and desirous of confering wtih them
touching the matter of the removal
of the college from its present site.
These gentlemen were granted an
audience by the board. Through
their spokesman, Dr. Aiken, they
stated that, they had heard that
there was a posibility that the hoard
might deem the removel of the col
lege advisable. They also stated
very explicitly through Dr. Aiken
and others that they had not come
to try to get the college away from
Greenville or to make any bid for
it as against any other community;
but were before the board to say
that if that body should decide that
they were willing to consider the
removal of the college and would
stafti the conditions upon which its
removal hinged they could assure
the board that the city of Laurens
was ready to make an earnest and
othusiastic "effort to meet those con?
ditions. They made no proposi
tion of any kind to the board, but
in private .conversation with the
members of that body stated they
believed the e.ity of laurens would
provide the college with a suitable
site and money enough to pay off
its present tndebtness.
"The hoard heard these gentle
men respectfully and promised
tfem as early an answer as the
nature of their business would ad
mit of. "When the board went
again into executive session its ex
ecutive committee reported that
there was not before them any
propositionr for a site for the col
lege in or near the city of Green
villi'. Dr. Byrd, the president,
however, said that he was request
ed by certain gentlemen of the city
to lay before the hoard with suit
able explanation. four available
sites in as many diffcron subv/ebs
of the city. All these, together with
the address from the citizens of
Laurens, were referred to the ways
and means committee of the hoard
for consideration.
"That committee, after deliber
ating until late in the night, form-1
ulated and presented to the board
the following report :
To the Board of Directors of Chic
ora College in Session July 1912.
Brethren: Your committc on
ways and means had referred to
them four propositions touching
the removal of the college from its
present to some other site in or
near the city of Greenvile, and also
the matter brought to the attention
of the board by the committee of
citizens of Laurens ,S. C, touching
the removal of the college to that
city.
Early in our conference in be
came evident to our committee that
none of the propositions for tin- re
moval to any of the four sites in
or near Greenville was in such
shape as lo make it, wise in the
judgment of your committee to
entertain them at the. present time.
The following circumstances led
your committee to regard it as im
perative that we give the most care
ful consideration to the question
of removing the college to the city
of Laurens.
1. There is at present resting up
on the college a debt amounting
to $65,000 and bearing interest,
part at. 7 per cent, and part at 8
por cent.
2. Extensive improvements in
our present present plant at. an
early day are imperative. The
cost will aggregate $35,000. To
make these improvements there is
no money in hand. Should we ap
ply the whole of tin- $50,000 which
we hope will be secured For the col
lege by the campaign at present
in progress, we would still he con
fronted with the debt of $45,000.
Such .i debt, imposes a handicap
that constantly threatens the very
existence of the college.
.1. Our present Kite while bcauti
ful and convenient is not. eonvio
dious. In our judgment the in
terests of the college will demand
removal from it at no distant day.
Under these circumstances it does
not. seem wise to your committee to
spend upon our present plant a
single dollar more than is abso
utely neeeessary.
4. There seems to be no reason
able hope that the Presbyterians
and people of Greenville will feel
able to lift from the college the
burden of debt at present threaten
ing its existence and provide with
it an effective material equipment.
5. Your committee is credibly
informed that the city of Laurens
is prepared to at least assume our
I present debt and provide il witli tin
eligible site. This done, until it
could be sold at a reasonable price,
our property here could be bond
ed for al least the sum of $65,000.
With Ibis sum and $:{">,(>()() of the
$50,000 hoped for from the present
canvass we would have in hand the
sum of $l()(i.()(i(l a sufficient amount
with which to erect in the city of
Laurens a thoroughly well-equip
ped modern school plant.
(i. The board has already been
informed by our president thai the
present property of the college will
in his judgment bring under the
hammer, between $.60,000 and $100
000 and there seems to he no rea
sonable ground to doubt that given
a little time and the property prop
erly handled would bring not less
than $150,000.
In view of all these and other
circumstances not necessary to bo
formally incorporated in this re
port your committee felt con
si rained to recommend:
1. That the hoard reply to the
committee from the city of Lau
rens that if that community will
provide the college with an ac
ceptable site and the sum of $75,
000 towards a suitable plant, this
board will recommend to its con
troling Presbyteries that they ad
vise and consent to the transfer of
the eollege to that city.
2. That this hoard appoint a
committee to communicate their
action to Dr. Aiken, chairman of
the commit tee from the city of
Laurens, and to Juke such other
steps as may be necessary !?> give,
legal affetc to the previous reso
hit ion ''.
"In presenting this rcporl the
chairman of the ways and means
committee stated very clearly that
in making this report the commit
tee wen? not animated by any lac],
of regard for or good will toward
the city and people of Qrccnvillo,
but solely by the grave facts cm
bodied in their report.
"Tin' report, of the ways and
means committee, after elaborate
discussion, was adopted by tho
hoard and the special committee
provided for in the .second reso
lution of the report appointed.
This committee of one member
from each of the Presbyteries re
presented on the hoard.
"With the adoption the recom
mendations of the report of tho
ways and means committee and tho
appointment of the special com
mittee therein provided for, tho
matter of the removal of the col
leg proper, so to Speak, was taken
out of the hands of the board and
placed into those of the citizens of
Laurens and the Presbyterians ol'
the Synod. The outcome of tho
movement turns upon two condi
tions, viz:
(1) Will the citizens of Laurens
meet the conditions named by the
hoard T
(2) ' Will two thirds of the Pres.
byteries reatify its action?