History, Mission and Position

Presbyterian College (otherwise known as PC) was founded in 1880 by Dr. William Plumer Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs arrived in Clinton, South Carolina in 1864, following the devastation of the Civil War, and he dreamed of building an orphanage in the area. In October of 1875, Thornwell Orphanage opened its doors to 10 orphaned children. Five years after establishing the orphanage, Dr. Jacobs was faced with another challenge; sending those children to a proper college to continue their education.  The institution—first called Clinton College—was organized under the ownership and management of local Presbyterians. Clinton College was coeducational from the beginning and its founding purpose was to care for young men and women from the local area. After operating its first 25 years under the sponsorship of the Clinton First Presbyterian Church, PC officially became the Presbyterian College of South Carolina in 1904 with the synod’s vote to assume ownership. By 1909, Presbyterian College offered a curriculum leading to a B.A. degree, post-graduate work for the M.A., and a B.S. degree.

The Honor System was established at PC in 1915. In an article in the 1931 edition of PaC SaC, the Honor System is described as “a consciousness on the part of the individual student of the relationship he bears to the larger group, viz., the Student Body, and sensitiveness to the honor of the College of which that Body is the living part.”

As a comprehensive liberal arts institution, Presbyterian College’s is known for known its exceptional academic, creative thinking, and service to the community. Over 95% of the faculty have terminal degrees, and six PC professors have been named South Carolina Professor of the Year. PC offers more than 90+ majors, minors, and special programs, eight pre-professional programs, and three graduate programs. Through the Center for Inquiry, Research and Scholarship, the college provides research opportunities for students to explore their fields of study. All students take part in experiential learning by completing an internship, conducting research, or studying abroad. PC has been recognized for its commitment to making a college education accessible. The U.S. News & World Report ranked PC #108 for social mobility and #124 nationally. The Center for First-Generation Student Success designated PC as one of the country’s “First-Gen Forward” institutions, which acknowledges higher education institutions for their commitment to first-generation student success.

It’s hard to imagine life at PC without the Blue Hose. Here is a quick rundown of when some of your favorite Blue Hose teams were formed:

• 1895: Baseball
• 1913: Men’s basketball
• 1913: Track
• 1913: Tennis
• 1913: Football
• 1915: Cross-country
• 1976: Volleyball
• 1977: Women’s basketball
• 1977: Men’s Soccer
• 1989: Women’s Soccer
• 2019: Men’s Wrestling and Women’s Wrestling
• 2019: Acrobatics/Tumbling

Presbyterian College provides students of all faiths, identities, and backgrounds with a transformative education that equips them for impactful careers and empowers them to serve as powerful forces for positive community and world change. PC’s distinctive approach uses innovative service as a tool of self-discovery, an amplifier of problem-solving skills, and a catalyst of curiosity. A PC education offers students a real-life proving ground to practice the grace-driven art and science of changing lives.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES INCLUDE:

• Innovative Academics
• Heart of Service
• Intentional Presbyterian Connections
• Center for Inquiry, Research, and Scholarship
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Jacobs Scholars Program
• Center for South Korean and Asian Studies

It began in the early 1900s when sportswriters referred to the Presbyterian College sports teams as the “Blue Stockings” because of the blue socks (or hose) they wore.

Former PC Public Relations specialist Ben Hay Hammet noted in his 1982 centennial history of PC that blue-stocking Presbyterians also refers to “Presbyterians with strong puritan leanings.” “The sports nickname was shortened to ‘Blue Hose’ in 1954,” Hammet wrote, “presumably under the assumption that it sounded somewhat fiercer to carry onto the field of athletic battle.”

These days it also stands for fierce Scottish warriors, giving a nod to the College’s Scottish heritage.

The first facility built for PC was Recitation Hall, erected in 1886 on four acres on the present-day Thornwell campus. Next came the land for PC’s present-day campus. Alumni Hall was built in 1891, followed by a small dining hall and kitchen that provided food for $6 per month. In 1906 construction began on PC’s landmark building: Neville Hall. It took eight months to complete at a cost of $35,000. Originally called the Administration Building, its name was later changed to honor former president William G. Neville. Not a student has passed through PC’s campus who does not remember Neville Hall.

Renowned New York City landscape architect Charles Leavitt, Jr. designed PC’s 240-acre campus. Unified around a central mall, the campus includes four grassy plazas surrounded by stately red-brick buildings of Georgian and Neoclassical design. The layout provides academic space, dining facilities, student housing, recreational areas, and athletic venues. Six campus buildings are part of the Thornwell-Presbyterian College Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The campus is beautifully maintained and has newly renovated buildings, including historic Neville Hall, Springs Student Center, and Bailey Hall, now home to the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program. In 2022, Blue Hose fans raised over $8 million toward the Athletic Facilities Initiative, including the new John McIntosh Athletic Center, a multipurpose center for Men’s and Women’s Wrestling, Acrobatics and Tumbling, and Competitive Cheer. The new baseball and softball facilities were completed in 2023. Other renovations include installation of an HVAC system, video boards and new bleachers in Templeton Physical Education Center Gymnasium.