Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

’ Every Week More People Read The Sun The Sun Strives To Serve The Whole People VOLUME 2; NO. 27 The Rising Sun—1856-1860 NEWBERRY, S. C. FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1939 Slider & Greneker—1856-1860 $1 PER YEAR History of Newberry College High In Interest I* —— INSTITUTION HAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO CULTURAL LIFE OF CITY For 83 years one of the greatest assets of the city of Newberry has been Newberry college. The insti tution “on the hill” was established by the Lutheran denomonation of the state in 1856 during the best days of the old South. Newberry college grew out of a seminary first proposed to the Evan gelical Lutheran synod of South Carolina in 1828 by Dr, John Bach man. In 1829 a committee of 20, of which Rev. John G. Schwartz was chairman, was appointed to receive donations and legacies to be used in the establishment to a Theoligical Seminary. At synod meeting in 1830, plans were made to establish a Theo logical Seminary to be called the “Classical Academy and Theological Seminary of the South Carolina Sy nod” with the Rev. Schwartz head ing the work. The academy and seminary did not have a permanent home, go Col. John Eichelberger, member of the first board of direc tors, gave permission to use his resi dence until a building could be erect ed. The Eichelberger home was lo cated near Pomaria and is still standing. The institution was open ed the first Monday in February 1831. About a year later it was moved to Lexington where it grew and prospered for about 20 years, under Rev. E. L. Hazelius, D. D., of Hartwick, N. Y. In 1866, it was resolved that sy nod establish a college in connection ■with her seminary and designate it as “Luther College and Theoligical Seminary,” but at the convention of the synod in 1856 held in Mount Cal vary church, Edgefield county, the •red and the name Newberry college, was adopted. At this convention, the report was made that a suitable location had been se lected for the college site—Newberry —and that the land had been purch ased and titles secured. Two agents had been employed to collect addi tional funds—Col. John R. Leavell and Rev. T. S. Boinest, the latter be ing subsequently elected general agent for the college. In the year 1856 a charter was ob tained for the institution and New berry college dates its history from that time. Members of the first board of trustees consisted of twelve members of the Lutheran church and six citizens of the town of Newberry and vicinity. They were Rev. J. Bachman, Rev. E. B. Hort, Rev. N. Aldrich, Rev. T. S. Boinest, Rev. J. P. Margaret, Rev. J. H. Bailey, Dr. G. Muller, W. K. Bachman, Mattias Bar re, Dr. P. Todd, J. K. Schumpert, J. P. Aull, Henry Summer, N. A. Hunter. Gen. A. C. Garlington, Dr. O. B. Mayer, Col. S. Fair, and Major John P. Kinard. Soon after synod meeting in 1856, a contract was let for the erection of the college building, to cost $18,- 000, Osborne Wells and Wallace A. Cline being contractors. The corner stone was laid July 15, 1856 with ad dresses by Rev. J. Brantley, Baptist pastor of Newberry, Dr. John Bach man, Major Henry Summer, and Gen. A. C. Garlington. When synod met in October of 1857, a report was made that the walls of the first story were nearly complete and that the building was to be finished by October of 1858. By July of 1858 one wing of the college building was sufficiently completed to admit its being occupied. The Preparatory Department was opened on the first Monday in October with Rev. M. Whittle a graduate of Roanoke Col lege, principal of the Department. The term opened with 50 students. In February of 1859 the college and seminary opened in the “large and substantial building at New- berry” with the first session ending in June of the same year, the total enrollment being 150. Dr. Theophi- lus Stork, D. D., was the first presi dent and the Rev. J. A. Brown, D. D., headed the seminary. At the time DR. JAMES C. KINARD President Newberry College Dr. Stork was inaugurated Newber ry’s first president, about 136 stu dents had enrolled. In 1860, Dr. Stork unexpectedly resigned because of ill health. Dr. Brown filled out his term. In 1861, Dr. Josiah P. Smeltzer was elected president and the prospects for the college seemed most encour aging the number of students in the several departments exceeding the highest expectations of its friends. The college now seemed firmly es tablished. But the work so well be gun, so vigorously prosecuted, was suddenly and seriously interrupted. The country became involved in war and the college, as well as all other institutions in the south, was great ly crippled. All of the students who were able to bear arms were led by the excitment of war, or perhaps the urgent need of men to forsake their studies and undergo the hard ships of a life in the soldier’s camp. Under much personal sacrifice and many difficulties, the college was kept open under Dr. Smeltzer for students until the spring of 1865. From 1863 to 1866, the college building was occupied by Federal soldiers under Brigadier General Van Wyck. The use and abuse of the col lege by the troops finally led to the ruin of the building. Because of no fit building, college was suspended for a short time, reopening in Oct ober 1866 under Dr. Smeltzer with only 23 students. But trouble continued—a great debt was hanging over the college and the walls of the building were slowly, but surely, crumbling. Finally the college property was surrender ed. The building became unsafe and at this crisis an offer came from Walhalla of a suitable building and grounds. The college was moved there and remained ten years. An extra session of the Lutheran synod of South Carolina was held in Newberry April 3-6, 1877, to con sider the question of removing the college from Walhalla. Bids were received from Prosperity, Columbia, Anderson, Walhalla, Lexington, and Newberry. Newberry’s bid was $15,- 780 in subscriptions, together with a gift of ten acres of land or the pri vilege of buying tyie old site at $2, at $3,760. 200, valued This generous offer of the old site was made by Jor dan P. Pool, who then owned it. Newberry was chosen on the second ballot _by a vote of 25 out of 39, and on motion of Rev. J. A, Sligh, who made a strong plea for Prosperity, the vote was made unanimous, It was largely through the efforts of Rev. H. W. Kuhns, who was then pastor of the Lutheran church in Newberry, that the city gave the large subscription that it did and secured the college. The college building, now known as Smeltzer Hall had been completely remodeled, the comer stone being laid July 19, 1877. The next build ing to be erected on the campus was Keller Hall in June of 1895. After 16 years of ardent devotion to the college and of self-sacrificing toil, Dr. Smeltzer was succeeded by Rev. G. W. Holland, D. D. In writ ing of Dr. Holland’s presidency, the History of the Lutheran synod says that “his noble life was a benediction to thousands, an unceasing power for good in the college and in the church at large. For twenty-one years he was connected with the college, sev enteen years as its efficient and suc cessful president, from 1878 to 1895, and his dying prayer, ‘God bless Newberry College’ has been and ever will be abundantly answered.” Hon. George B. Cromer, an able lawyer of the Newberry bar,became president in October 1895. Dr. Cromer had, at first, refused to ac cept the office, but over his protest, he was elected. The Charleston “News & Courier” relating Dr. Cromer’s nomination said “Messrs. Schaeffer, Pope, and Holland were appointed to notify Mr. Cromer of his unanimous election. He was deeply moved by this earnest call. When Mr. Cromer appeared before the Board, a scene was presented which those present will never for get. Every word he spoke told of the deep emotion which stirred his soul. We knew that only a sense of duty, made unmistabable by the call of Providence, could induce him to lay down the profession of law, in which he had already attained emi nent success, and take up the respon sibility and laborious work of the presidency of the college. When he said, ‘the call of Providence seems so clear that I am, therefore, constrain ed to accept the call which you have made,’ the Board was almost over come with emotion, and the earnest handclasp and tearful eyes of strong men witnessed to the appreciation of noble sacrifice thus laid upon the al tar of duty.” Dr. Cromer served for about seven years when he resigned because of ill health. He died in 1935. Upon Dr. Cromer’s recommen-' dation to synod, Newberry was made a co-enducational school in 1897. (Continued on next page) NEWBERRY COLLEGE SINGERS DIRECTED BY PROFESSOR PAUL ENSRUD •mm u For MORE THAN A CENTURY One hundred and five years ago the South Carolina National Bank was born—and in the course of these hundred and five years the population of South Carolina has grown from half a million to nearly two million people. The States of the Union have increased from twenty-five to forty-eight and this country has grown into the greatest nation the world has ever known. Truly, the past century has witnessed mighty changes. *1 This Bank justifies its existence because it has maintained the tradition of banking integrity established in 1834. These principles, first implanted here more than a century ago, are as active and vital today a$ they have been throughout the years, On the occasion of Newberry’s Sesqui-centennial celebration it is with much pride that we look back on the achievements of the past. It is a combination of reverence for a glorious tradition, plus a vigorous spirit of modernity that keeps this pioneer institution of yesterday still in the vanguard today. The South Carolina National Bank Anderson Greenville Belton Leesville Charleston Newberry Cheraw Pickens Columbia St. Matthews Dillon Seneca Florence .Spmter LOCAL OFFICERS ■ C. C. HUTTO, Manager FLOYD BRADLEY, Asst. Mgr. JOHN M. KINARD, Asst. Mgr. JOHN T. NORRIS, Asst. Mgr Miss Tilla West, Clerk Miss Elizabeth Kinard, Bookkeeper Miss Rook Kinard, Bookkeeper # H '