Greenville Woman’s College was an independent college for women that was established in 1854 by the South Carolina Baptist Convention. In the financial uncertainty following the Great Depression, it merged with Furman University but maintained a separate campus for nearly 30 years. In 1961, when Furman University moved to its current site, the two campuses . . .Continue reading May Day at Greenville Woman’s College
Tag: Furman University History
Poem: To Furman
Continuing with our theme of National Poetry month, the following poem was published in the first edition of the Furman yearbook, Bonhomie (1901). The poem is entitled “To Furman” and was written by Samuel Marion Wolfe, who graduated from Furman University in 1903, and went on to become the attorney general of South Carolina (1918-1924). . . .Continue reading Poem: To Furman
New(ish!) Postcard Collections
Special Collections and Archives has recently completed inventories of two major postcard collections that were donated within the past year: the John L. Plyler, Jr. Postcard Collection and the Richard D. Sawyer Historical Postcard Collection. The Plyler collection contains roughly 1,600 postcards from throughout the United States and the rest of the world, and the . . .Continue reading New(ish!) Postcard Collections
Founders Week at Furman University
Founders Week (March 18-24) is an opportunity to remember and celebrate all those who were influential in the establishment of Furman University, including Richard Furman, the University’s namesake. Richard Furman was born in 1755 in New York State, but moved to South Carolina with his family when he was a child. As a teenager, he . . .Continue reading Founders Week at Furman University
The Purple Hurricane!
I thought it rather appropriate on this windy and rainy day to highlight a little bit of Furman University history: “The Purple Hurricane.” In the 1920s, the Furman University football team first used the title “The Purple Hurricane” to refer to their team; it was a moniker that would endure for over 30 years. The . . .Continue reading The Purple Hurricane!
Recent Donations
Special Collections and Archives has recently received several postcard collections. John L. Plyler, Jr., a valued supporter of Special Collections, recently donated a postcard collection of approximately 600 postcards that were received by Plyler family members from family and friends traveling around the world. All fifty states are represented as well as many foreign countries. Several . . .Continue reading Recent Donations
ROTC Collection
Furman Army ROTC Cadet, Alex Elmore, conducts a tactical training mission while being accosted by smoke grenades (1999). The Digicenter has recently digitized the Furman Army ROTC Collection. This collection, housed in Special Collections and Archives, contains photographs, pamphlets, and other materials on the history of ROTC at Furman. To view the digitized collection, visit the . . .Continue reading ROTC Collection
Furman on the Move: The Plyler Years
Have you ever wondered who Plyler Hall was named for? A new exhibit is on display in the Library Special Collections. Furman on the Move: The Plyler Years 1939-1964 chronicles the many ways in which Furman University shifted and adapted during the presidency of Dr. John L. Plyler. Through pictures, letters, and other memorabilia the . . .Continue reading Furman on the Move: The Plyler Years
Who’s Using the Library? Then & Now
“Furman Library Popular Place In Campus Life” This was the headline of a story in the January 31, 1928 edition of the Hornet, the student newspaper predecessor of the Paladin. The story went on to tell of the many daily visitors to the library (chalked up on a recording tablet in the library) and the . . .Continue reading Who’s Using the Library? Then & Now