Location

The College is located on the old Fort Hill homestead of John C. Calhoun, on the dividing line between Oconee and Pickens Counties, in the picturesque foot-hills of the Blue Ridge. It has an elevation of 900 feet above sea level, and commands an excellent view of the mountains to the north and west, some of which attain an altitude of nearly 5,000 feet. The climate is invigorating and healthful, and the surroundings are in every way favorable to the highest physical and mental development.

The College is one mile from Calhoun, a station on the main line of the Southern Railway, and two miles from Cherrys, on the Blue Ridge Railroad. By means of these roads and their connections, the College is easily accessible from all parts of the State. It is also connected by local telephone with neighboring towns in adjoining counties, and by telegraph and long distance telephone with all parts of the country. The post office is conveniently situated on the campus, and receives five daily mails.

Historical Sketch

The College is the outcome of a movement for the estabiishment of an Agricultural College by a convention of farmers of the State in 1886. The first step toward the realization of this project was taken by the Hon. Thomas G. Clemson, who, upon his death in 1888, bequeathed to the State the old Fort Hill homestead, the former home of John C. Calhoun, and other securities to the value of $58,539, "for the establishment of an Agricultural College." The estate included about 800 acres of land and the historic old Calhoun residence, which is now carefully preserved on the College campus. This bequest was accepted by the State Legislature in an Act which became a law in November, 1889.

The College was opened on the 6th day of July, 1893, and 446 students were enrolled during the first session. These were classified as sophomores, freshmen, and higher and lower preparatory. The Trustees having decided that sessions should begin on the third Thursday in February and end on the third Thursday in December, the first session was

only about five and a half months long. On this account the students were continued in the same classes throughout the second session, February to December, 1894, and the enrollment increased to 635. On the night of May 22d, 1894, the Main building was burned, but the regular exercises were not interrupted, and the only summer vacation consisted of a week's encampment at Spartanburg in July.

During the third session, February to December, 1895, there were 370 students in attendance, with the former sophomores advanced to the junior class. There was a recess of two weeks in the latter part of July, and the session was closed on December 7th. The enrollment during the fourth session, February to December, 1896, was 350, and the first commencement exercises were held on December 13th to 16th, 1896, with a graduating class of 37, 15 in the agricultural course and 22 in the mechanical-electrical. The fifth session opened in the regular way, on the third Thursday in February, 1897. At a meeting of the Trustees in July, it was decided to open the College on the 14th of September, and that henceforth the sessions should begin regularly on the second Wednesday in September and close on the second Wednesday in June. The exercises of the second commencement, which would normally have occurred in December, 1897, were held on February 6th to 9th, 1898. The graduating class numbered 25, 13 in the agricultural course and 12 in the mechanical-electrical. The undergraduate classes were continued until June, and the total enrollment for this long session (February, 1897, to June, 1898), was 449. It will be observed that, owing to the change from winter to summer vacation, there was no class graduated in 1897.

Since 1898 the annual commencement exercises have been held regularly in June, although the closing day was afterward changed to first Tuesday, instead of second Wednesday. During the sixth session, 1898-1899, the enrollment was 446, and the graduating class numbered 16, 6 in the agricultural course, 6 in the mechanical-electrical, and 4 in the civil engineering. The textile department was first opened for students at the beginning of this session, in September, 1898. During the seventh session, 1899-1900, 461 students matriculated, and the class of 1900 numbered 28,

including 12 in the agricultural course, 6 in the mechanicalelectrical, 6 in the civil engineering, and 4 in the textile.

Beginning with the eighth session, 1900-1901, preparatory instruction was restricted to a one-year course, thus abolishing the lower preparatory class. During the session 483 students were enrolled, and the graduating class numbered 31, including 9 in the agricultural course, 11 in the mechanical-electrical, 2 in the civil engineering, and 9 in the textile. In the ninth session, 1901-1902, 500 students matriculated and 59 were graduated, including 12 in the agricultural course, 28 in the mechanical-electrical, 2 in the civil engineering, and 17 in the textile. The enrollment during the tenth session, 1902-1903, was 539, and the graduating class numbered 60, including 6 in the agricultural course, 28 in the mechanical-electrical, 5 in the civil engineering, and 21 in the textile.

In the eleventh session, 1903-1904, 605 students were enrolled, and the graduating class numbered 39, including 4 in the agricultural course, 28 in the mechanical-electrical, 2 in the civil engineering, and 5 in the textile.

A gold medal was awarded to the mechanical, electrical, civil and textile exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition.

A bronze medal was awarded to the agricultural department for the preservation of the sweet potato.

In the twelfth session, 1904-1905, 673 students were enrolled, and the graduating class numbered 39, including 5 in the agricultural course, 20 in the mechanical-electrical, 8 in the civil, 5 in the textile, and 1 in the metallurgical course. The total number of graduates to June, 1905, was 334.

Admission of Students

Every candidate for admission must be at least sixteen years of age.

Students desiring to enter the College should apply to the President for application blanks, and these, properly filled out, should be returned to the President as early in the summer as possible, and in no case later than August 15th.

Certificates of good moral character are required of all candidates not known to members of the Faculty; and if the

candidates come from another college, this certificate must show that he was honorably discharged.

In selecting students who shall be admitted to the College, subject to their passing the required examinations, the following rules, prescribed by the Board of Trustees, will gov

ern:

1. Students must undergo a medical examination, and no student will be admitted who is not healthy and free from contagious diseases, including consumption.

2. Students will be apportioned among counties in proportion to representation in the House of Representatives, under the following rules and regulations:

(a). Applicants prepared to enter College classes will have preference over those who enter only the preparatory class.

(b). As between applicants of equal preparation, the oldest will have the preference.

(c). Other things being equal, the first applicants will receive permission to enter.

(d). When a county has not sent its quota, the places thus left shall be apportioned among the other applicants.

(e). Provided a sufficient number of applicants from the State to fill the barracks do not apply, then students from other States may be admitted, and when so admitted, may continue in College until they complete their course.

(f). Applicants not entering within ten days after the opening of the session will have their rights in the place given to applicants next on the roll.

Students upon arrival at the College at the opening of the session must report at once to the President's office and matriculate before they will be assigned to quarters in the barracks. No student will be admitted to any of the classes or examinations of the College before matriculation and payment of the fees. (See pages 47-48).

Matriculation is equivalent to a pledge to conform to the rules and regulations of the College.

Entrance Requirements

For admission into the freshman class a thorough knowledge is required of arithmetic, elementary algebra, English grammar, geography, and history of the United States.

Arithmetic. The applicant is expected to have a thorough practical acquaintance with the ordinary principles and operarations of arithmetic. Wentworth's Practical Arithmetic is recommended as a suitable text-book.

Algebra. The detailed requirements are as follows: Definitions and notation, fundamental operations, including laws of signs, and the interpretation of negative results; use of parentheses; factoring; highest common factor; lowest common multiple; simple and complex fractions; simple integral and fractional equations with one unknown number, and problems leading to such equations; simultaneous equations of the first degree, with applications to solution of problems; involution of monomials and polynomials; evolution of monomials and polynomials; theory of exponents with applications; radicals, including solution of equations involving rationalization; simple operations with imaginary expressions; pure and affected quadratic equations containing one unknown number, with application to problems.

The student should cover carefully the whole ground here specified, and should acquire a clear understanding not only of algebraic processes, but of the principles and reasons involved in every operation. Students fail on entrance examinations more frequently because of imperfect knowledge of the subject matter passed over, than because they have not gone far enough in the text-book.

A satisfactory treatment of the topics in Algebra may be found in Wentworth's New School Algebra (used in the public schools).

English.-Applicants are examined in spelling, sentence analysis, and oral reading; and are required to write short essays on an assigned subject.

Geography.-Applicants must possess a fair knowledge of general geography, such as may be obtained from a proper study of Frye's Advanced, Maury's Manual, Tarr and McMurry's Complete Geography, or other standard textbook of equal grade. The following topics will be especially emphasized in the entrance examinations: Outlines and positions of the continents, and locations of the principal mountains, plateaus, river basins, and coastal lowlands; influences of land forms and climate upon the life and industries of the inhabitants; locations and outlines of important countries,