The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, April 28, 1939, Image 2
I
TWO
FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1939
HISTORY of NEWBERRY COLLEGE
Rev. James A. B. Scherer, Ph. D.,
was elected his successor and during
his term of service the college in
creased greatly materially. It was
through his efforts that Andrew Car
negie gave $10,000 to the college,
and Dr. D. K. Pearson gave $25,000
which together with other gifts from
many friends put the college in a
better finacial condition than ever
before in its history. Dr. Scherer
was president from 1904 to 1908
when he accepted a position in an
other field of labor. Two buildings
were erected during his term—Holl
and hall, completed in the spring of
1904, and Carnegie hall, in 1907. The
latter building was used for the De
partment of Technology during the
brief existence of that Department.
About the same time, the “Alumni
Building” was erected, where the
college canteen now stands. Another
building was added during the ex
pansive construction program—the
“Boarding Hall” which is now the
home of Dr. and Mrs. S. J. Derrick.
Rev. J. Henry Harms, D. D., an
alumnus of the college, was next
elected to the presidency of the in
stitution and administered success
fully and efficiently for ten years,
resigning May 9, 1918 to return to
pastoral work. During his time, the
need for additional college ground
was apparent so the land between
the college and Rosemont cemetery
for construction on a new modem
gymnasium. It was completed in
1924.
The last building to be erected on
the campus was the men’s dormitory
which was first occupied in Septem
ber of 1924.
The sub-freshman class was dis
continued after the session, 1926-26,
because of easy access to good high
schools. Newberfy was the last col
lege in the state to abandon the pre
paratory school.
On March 1.6,1926 Newberry Col
lege merged with Summerland col
lege, located near Leesville, under
the name, Newberry college. Dr. S.
J. Derrick continued president and
G. F. Morgan headed the Summerland
department.
Plans were begun in June of 1928
to remodel Smeltzer hall, the oldest
building on the campus. A commit
tee, composed of Z. F. Wright and
George W. Summer was appointed to
raise, $30,000, the amount necessary
to cover expenses of repairing this
old structure. The money was rais
ed in a short time and Smeltzer was
converted into one of the best wo
man’s dormitories in the state.
In 1929-1930, Newberry began pre
paring for full membership in the
Southern Association of Colleges and
Secondary schools. Her drawback
was an endowment fund. So in 1930,
the foremost thought in the minds of
all loyal Lutherans was the raising
ONE OF THE DORMITORIES AT NEWBERRY COLLEGE
was purchased from Mrs. Mamie E.
Sohumpert for $6,000. In 1914 the
Preparatory department, which open
ed in 1856, closed. A sub-freshman
class was organized to prepare pu
pils for the college freshman class.
The Technological department was
also discontinued in 1915. President
Harms thought Newberry college
should do her part for the country
in the World War period so in 1917-
18, military training began in the
college, being compulsory for sopho
mores, freshmen, and sub-freshmen.
Upon Harms’ resignation, the mind
of the Board of synod turned to an
other of the college’s own loyal men,
one who had shown abundant inter
est in the institution. That man was
Dr. S. J. Derrick, who was elected
president June 3, 1918. From that
time until 1930, Dr. Derrick capably
led the institution. In 1921, J. H.
Summer, George W. Summer, and C.
E. Summer, all of Newberry, offered
money to establish a chair of Bible
and Christian ethics in Newberry
college. Dr. R. A. Goodman was
elected to fill this place in the begi.u
ning of the session, September 1921,
and has held it ever since. In the
1920-21 period, Carnegie hall wat,
converted into a new and modern
boarding hall and dormitory.
A new athletic field was completed
e»rly in November 1922 and named
“Setzler Field” in honor of Dr. E. B.
Setzler who has done so much for
Newberry athletics. Much credit
for the field is due the former Coach
F. D. McLean. The first contest on
this field was a football game be
tween Newberry and The Citadel,
Newberry winning 10 to 7.
On May 18, 1923, dirt was turned
of a $500,000 endowment fund. Ap
pointed to supervise the campaign
were Dr. George B. Cromer, general
chaiman, Dr. H. A. McCullough, Rev.
J. L. Cromer, Dr. S- j. Derrick, Dean
Jas. C. Kinard who was treasurer,
Rev. Charles J. Shealy, W. H. Mix
on, George W. Summer, Z. F. Wright,
and J. B. Hunter, vice chairman. Dr.
H. K. Boyd headed the alumni com
mittee drive and Major J. M. Davis,
the city-wide drive. The work suc
ceeded in “going over the top” in
May, 1930.
Just prior to the endowment drive,
the Board of Trustees met in Colum
bia, November 21, 1929, and decided
to discontinue Summerland college
because of the lack of patronage.
At the regular meeting of the
Board held on June 2, 1930, Dr. S. J.
Derrick, resigned the presidency on
account of ill health. He had served
12 years. James C. Kinard, then
Dean of the college, became its ninth
president and under his leadership to
day, the college is steadily growing
and prospering.
During the first year of Dr. Kin-
ard’s administration, 1980-31, -music
was added to the curriculum. A full
department was established headed
by Professor and Mrs. Paul Ensrud,
the only instructors the first year.
Expanding the 'program in the 1931-
32 session, Professor and Mrs. Theo
dore Vosburgh came to head the
voice department. They remained
five years and upon leaving to go to
another college in the North, Milton
Moore succeeded them and is now
voice instructor. Keith Snyder was
piano instructor for five years. He
was succeeded by John Erickson who
is now connected with the college.
MR. J.H. SUMMER
NEWBERRY’S
OLDEST
MERCHANT
BOTH IN YEARS
AND IN
POINT OF SERVICE
HE BEGAN
BUSINESS HERE
IN 1884
Harry Feld has been with the depart
ment for a number of years as violin
instructor. Mr. Ensrud has contin
ued to head the important music de
partment since 1930. An outstand
ing accomplishment of his work is
the noted student organization, the
Newberry College Singers, which he
organized the first year he came to
Newberry. During their eight years
of existence, the Singers have ap
peared before important gatherings
and made tours covering many of
the eastern states.
Another prominent step forward
for Newberry in Dr. Kinard’s first
years as president was the establish
ment in 1931 of the Department of
Business Administration with Ken
neth Baker, head of the department.
There were only eight students to re
ceive certificates the first year. In
June graduation 0 f 1933, 12 students
finished the school. In the 1933-34
session, when 33 students were en
rolled, Miss Mazie Dominick was
made instructor. She is still serving
most capably in the department. In
1935, Kenneth Baker resigned as
head of the department to go to
Presbyterian college at Clinton to
open a business school. Dr. John A.
Aman was placed on the Newberry
college faculty in 1936 as head of the
Department of Social Sciences and
the following year, 1937, the Business
Department was included in the De
partment of Social Sciences of the
college and the courses were made of
college grade. College credit is now
given for all the business subjects,
except shorthand and typwriting.
This merger of the Business Depart
ment and the Department of Social
Sciences enabled the college to offer
a new four-year course leading to
the degree of B. S. in Commerce.
This degree will he awarded for the
first time this coming June. In 1938,
a new two-year executive-secretarial
course was established — making
available for study, three one-year
courses and one two-year course.
Assisting Miss Dominick and Prof.
Aman in the department is Mrs.
Fred Dominick. The growth of the
department is shown by the fact that
this year’s enrollment is by far the
largest since the school began. There
are now 66 students.
By 1936 Newberry had complied
with the conditions necessary to be
come a member of the "outhern As^
sociation of Colleges and Secondary
schools, There was much rejoicing at
the College when the announcement
came in December <tf 1936 that New
berry had been admitted to the As
sociation after preparation of six
years,
Fred D. McLean who began coach
ing at Newberry college September 1,
1921, resigned in the spring of 1938
and thoughts of the college’s loyal
supporters turned to the selection of
a new coach and expansion of the
athletic program. William L. Laval
was chosen to succeed McLean. In
the summer, work began remodelling
the gymnasium and rebuilding the
athletic field. A new football field,
lighted for night games, was com
pleted in the early fall of 1938 and
Newberry was host to many state
teams in football, winning all the
igames played on local ground. Just
back of the football Held Is the
new baseball diamond, also lighted.
The College’s endowment fund con
tinues to grow. In February of this
year, $10,000 was added to the fund,
a gift from Bernard M. Baruch,
wealthy New York broker.
Until 1930 Newberry was owned
and controlled by the Lutheran sy
nod of South Carolina. In thpt
year the charter was amended by
the General Assembly so that the
three Lutheran Synods of South
Carolina, Georgia-Alabama, and
Florida might be given joint owner
ship and controL This marked a
distinct forward step in the develop
ment of the institution as it greatly
increased the church-supporting con
stituency.
On the Newberry college campus
today of 47 acres, there are eleven
buildings. The two standard A. B.
and B. S. degrees are offered.
There are several active religious
organizations on the campus, among
them a Y. M. C. A., a Y. W. C. A.,
Lutheran Students’ Association,
Methodist Students’ Association, and
a Life Service Group.
Other outstanding organizations
Include the three literary societies—
the Excelsior and Phrenakosmian for
men and the Philomathean for wo
men, the Dramatics club, the Classi
cal club composed of Latin and Greek
students, the Anglo-Saxon club which
was organized in 1926, and the new
International Relations club. The
Euterpian Music club is also one of
the youngest organizations. It is
affiliated with the State and National
Federation of Music Clubs. The
Newberry College “N” Oichestra
was reorganized two years ago and
this year is at its zenith with Chris
Kaufmann, college registrar, continu
ing its leader. Possibly the most
widely known organization of the
college is “The Singers’. This, a ca-
pella choir of about fifty voices, is
ably conducted by Professor Paul
Ensrud. Other student groups in
clude the social clubs, the Phi Tau,
and the Kappa Phi.
Student publications include “The
Indian”, weekly paper which grew
out of “The Stylus”, a monthly maga
zine first appearing in January of
1884. The Stylus was discontinued
in a few years and the “Collegian”
published for a short time. However
The Stylus again appeared and was
published to the 1928-29 session. In
the beginning of the 1929-30 year,
“The Indian” started and is being
published now by the students. Each
year since 1916, the Senior class
has put out the college annual, the
“Newberrian”. This book was form
erly known as “The Newberry”.
Each year at the beginning of school^
the two “Y’s” of the college publish
a small handbook known as the
“Indian Guide’ r .
Over 400 are enrolled at the col
lege this year. The faculty include
the following: James G. Kinard,
president; E. B. Setzler, professor
of English; W. H. Gaver, professor
of mathematics; R. A. Goodman, pro
fessor of Bible; J. G. Park, professor
of natural sciences; Erland Nelson,
professor of education; William L.
Laval, professor of physical educa
tion; Gilbert Voight, guest professor
of English; Dr. S. J. Derrick, assoc.
Professor of social sciences; C. L.
Trabert, assoc, professor of educa
tion; T. E. Epting, assoc, professor
of language; Harry Feld, assist, pro
fessor of music; Hubert Setzler, as
soc. professor of natural sciences; J.
D. Rook, assist, professor of lan
guages; John Erickson, assist, pro
fessor of mimic; Milton W. Moore,
assist, professor of music; Miss Viv
ian Ellis, instructor in piano; Miss
Ruth Carroll, professor of Latin and
German; Miss Hattie Belle Lester,
dean of women; Miss Florence Tru-
berg, resident nurse; Miss Mazie Do
minick, instructor in business courses;
Miss Carolyn Cromer, librarian;
Ms. Mary H. Derrick, assist, libra
rian; Mrs. Lucille Mayes, dietician;
C. A. Kaufmann, registrar; C. W.
Harmon, assist, registrar.
Newberry college has played an
important part in the life of the
community and state from its very
birth and the usefulness and service
of this institution of higher learning
to the church, state, and nation has
never been permitted to diminish or
lag in any way during the many long
and trying years that have passed.
Over 1800 alumni and alumnae
combined, together with many hund
reds of former students, have passed
out from the sacred walls of the col
lege to become leaders in thought
and action and influence in all walks
of life and particularly in Christian
endeavor.
>
CONGRATULATING
NEWBERRY COUNTY
ON
150 YEARS OF PROGRESS
The v
American Bank of Whitmire
WHITMIRE, S. C.
M. S. LEWIS, President Wm. W. LEWIS, Cashier
?
•• :!
v ■
mm
For SEVENTEEN YEARS
We have contributed toward bringing about better
conditions on Newberry county farms through the
medium of diversification. <fl We are proud to have
had a part in the movement which holds so much
promise of reward to every Southern farm family.
ASK FOR "NEWBERRY MAID" BUTTER
Newberry Creamery
JAS. W. JOHNSON, Manager
NEWBERRY, S. C.