A SKETCH OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 487 



was chosen president of Brown University at the age of twenty-four. In 

 1802 he became president of Union College, and two years later, came to 

 South Carolina to organize this Institution. There he served faithfully, 

 and with distinguished success, until his death, in 1820. A handsome 

 monument to his memory graces the College Campus. 



The College opened on the 10th .January, 1805, its first matriculate 

 being William Harper, afterwards Chancellor of the State, and one of the 

 ablest jurists that have adorned the American bench. Eight other stu- 

 dents entered the same day, and by .July the number had increased to 

 twenty-nine. From that time the College went on increasing in honor 

 and in usefulness. Its history is indissolubly connected with that of the 

 State. With reason has it been said that much of the peculiar genius of 

 ;Soutli Carolina, much of her prominence in the councils of the Union, 

 much of that high sense of honor characterizing her sons in every walk 

 of life, w^ere due to the formative influences of the South Carolina College. 



The youth of the State imbibed political economy from a Cooper, his- 

 tory and government from a Lieber, eloquence from a Preston, logic from 

 a Thornwell, science from an Ellett, or a Le Conte, Greek from a Henry, 

 and other branches from learned masters. Calhoun's Disquisition on 

 Government was, by law, a text-book in the College. All the depart- 

 ments of the State government attended commencement exercises in a 

 body. The C-olk^ge was the gymnasium in which youthful intellects 

 were prepared to grasp the problems of statesmanship equally with those 

 of ordinary business life. 



The succession of presidents up to the war were Rev. Jonathan Maxcy, 

 Thomas Cooper, Robert Hcnvy, pro. Jan., Robert W. Barnwell, William C. 

 Preston, James H. Thornwell, Charles F. McCay, and A. B. Longstreet. 



Among the alumni, now dead, who bore off honors, are James L. 

 Petigru, B. J. Earle, J. B. O'Neall, George McDutfie, Hugh S. Legare, 

 D. L. Wardlaw, F. H. Wardlaw, Richard Yeadon, Basil ' Manly, T. J. 

 Withers, Edmund Bellinger, James H. Thornwell, James Simons, and 

 Robert W. Barnwell, Jr. 



Among the graduates during the first quarter of a century, were Wil- 

 liam Harper, B. F. Whitner, Warren R. Davis, Job Johnston, W. C. 

 Preston, Waddy Thompson, A. P. Butler, T. N. Dawkins, J. H. Ham- 

 mond, and Stephen Elliott. The dead alone are mentioned ; the living 

 speak for themselves. 



On several occasions the College passed through trying ordeals, but 

 the State rallied to her support. Hon. Robert W. Barnwell was espe- 

 cially successful in twice restoring confidence and infusing new life into 

 the Institution. His name is more closely linked with the College than 

 any other. 



