Things Discovered Along the Way:
We learn a lot while pursuing our research here in the
archives. Hopefully this blog, which includes some of our discoveries, will interest all of you PC historians out there. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have a
suggestion for a future topic.--Nancy Griffith
William T. Johnson and Charles B. MacDonald (July 2009)
Charles Brown MacDonald was one of my favorite people. He was a Senior at Presbyterian College when I was a Freshman. I assume he never knew my name. I can still hear his jaunty whistle as he walked down the hall and up the stairs to his room on third floor, Spencer Dorm.
Continue reading William T. Johnson and Charles B. MacDonald.
Memories of the 1940s (June 2009)
William T. Johnson, ‘47
During World War II, PC changed its academic calendar to a quarter system. Students could go to school year-round, and could graduate with a degree and an army commission in 28 months. The college students shared the campus with aviation students from the 39th College Training Detachment of the Army Air Forces. William T. Johnson began his career at PC before World War II, and graduated in 1947 after his return from the service. After his graduation, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. He posted these memories on his blog, and he has kindly given us permission to publish an edited version.
Continue reading Memories of the 1940s.
Hard Times (April/May 2009)
With our country facing difficult economic times, we thought it might be interesting to look back at the Depression, and find out how the college managed to survive those tough times.
Continue reading Hard Times.
Record of Garden Successes and Failures (March 2009)
William Plumer Jacobs
1868 – 1869
Rev. William Plumer Jacobs, fresh out of Columbia Seminary, arrived in Clinton in May of 1864. He was 22 years old, and had been hired as the first full-time pastor of the Clinton Presbyterian Church, now First Presbyterian Church, Clinton. The next year he married Mary Dillard, and by the time he was writing this garden notebook, he was living in his own home with his wife and two children, Florence and Ferdinand.We plan to publish these notes in several segments, to correspond to the months in which they were written. Hopefully you will find them informative, and they may even give you ideas for a garden of your own. Many of the seeds he mentions are still available from heritage seed catalogs.
Continue reading Record of Garden Successes and Failures.
Record of Garden Successes and Failures (February 2009)
William Plumer Jacobs
1868 – 1869
Rev. William Plumer Jacobs, fresh out of Columbia Seminary, arrived in Clinton in May of 1864. He was 22 years old, and had been hired as the first full-time pastor of the Clinton Presbyterian Church, now First Presbyterian Church, Clinton. The next year he married Mary Dillard, and by the time he was writing this garden notebook, he was living in his own home with his wife and two children, Florence and Ferdinand.We plan to publish these notes in several segments, to correspond to the months in which they were written. Hopefully you will find them informative, and they may even give you ideas for a garden of your own. Many of the seeds he mentions are still available from heritage seed catalogs.
Continue reading Record of Garden Successes and Failures.
Record of Garden Successes and Failures (January 2009)
William Plumer Jacobs
1868 – 1869
Rev. William Plumer Jacobs, fresh out of Columbia Seminary, arrived in Clinton in May of 1864. He was 22 years old, and had been hired as the first full-time pastor of the Clinton Presbyterian Church, now First Presbyterian Church, Clinton. The next year he married Mary Dillard, and by the time he was writing this garden notebook, he was living in his own home with his wife and two children, Florence and Ferdinand.We plan to publish these notes in several segments, to correspond to the months in which they were written. Hopefully you will find them informative, and they may even give you ideas for a garden of your own. Many of the seeds he mentions are still available from heritage seed catalogs.
Continue reading Record of Garden Successes and Failures.
Food, Glorious Food! (November 2008)
The ever-curious Chris Bates ’86 has also asked about student eateries, both on and off campus. In the earliest days of the college, the students could either eat on campus, or eat with a local family for $12 per month. The first official dining hall was next to Alumni Hall (now Doyle Hall) on the present-day campus.
Continue reading Food, Glorious Food!
Pranks (October 2008)
The ever-curious Chris Bates (he is a librarian, after all) inquired recently about stories involving Volkswagens and Neville Hall. We did a little research, and came up with details on that event, as well as several other memorable pranks.
Continue reading Pranks.
Rat Season (September 2008)
With the freshmen having recently arrived on PC’s campus, we thought it would be fun to explore the freshman experience at PC over the years. The college’s Matriculation Pledge, which all incoming students signed until 1971-72, strictly prohibited students from engaging in any type of hazing. There was, however, an institutionalized form of hazing, called “Rat Season,” which served as a forerunner to today’s Freshman Orientation.
Continue reading Rat Season.
