 Friendship college as it appeared in 1910 | |
Former names | Friendship Institute, Friendship Normal and Industrial College, Friendship Junior College |
|---|---|
| Type | Historically black college |
| Active | October 12, 1891–December 16, 1981[1] |
| Founder | Dr. Masel Phillip Hall[2][3] |
Religious affiliation | Baptist |
| Location | , SC , 29730 , United States 34°55′41″N 81°01′58″W / 34.927970°N 81.032830°W |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
Sporting affiliations | South Atlantic Athletic Conference[4] Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference[5] |
| Mascot | Tigers |
Friendship College was a college in Rock Hill, South Carolina[4] that was established in 1891. It focused on training ministers. One basketball player from the school, Harthorne Wingo, played in the NBA and was an NBA Finals champion.[6] The school was closed permanently in 1981, and demolished after a fire.
Founding and early years
editThe school was founded in 1891 as Friendship Institute[7] with money from black Sunday schools by Rev M. P. Hall, who would go on to be the president of the school.[3][8] It originally taught elementary and high school students.[2] In 1906 the school became a college, and the name was changed to Friendship Normal and Industrial College.[7] By 1917-1918 it had grown to 466 day students and 120 night students, with 8.25 acres of land and 4 buildings. The school had classes in many subjects, including printing, manual training, and home economics, as well as literary studies.[9] Classes for ministers were based on Barrow's Companion to the Bible and included a 3 year course where prospective ministers would learn about the Old Testament and Christian ethics.[10]
Its name was changed to Friendship Junior College. A new president was chosen in 1933 by the name of James H. Gouldlock. In 1953 the average scholarship was worth $134.[11]
By 1970, plans for expansion and to advance to being a senior college were made.[12] In 1973 Gouldlock was replaced as the president. Its name was changed to Friendship College.
Friendship Nine
editClosing and fire
editIn 1977, the school was cited as not up to fire code regulations. Spofford L. Evans, the president at the time, attempted to submit the school's administration building to the National Register of Historic Places but left before the process was complete, and the incoming president, Charles W. Petress, did not follow through, leaving it as "for all intents and purposes, not... nominated".[13] Through a brick drive, costing 10 dollars per brick, the school attempted to raise the funds to renovate the deteriorating conditions of the campus. The school planned on sandblasting the bricks, enlarging the gymnasium, and bricking the mobile classrooms to make them more permanent.[14] In a fundraising effort in May, Petress awarded James Brown an honorary degree.[15] By December, the college's Comprehensive Employment and Training Act money was being questioned.[16]
Friendship College was temporarily closed in 1981[17][18] and never reopened. Petress resigned, and said that he hoped that someone else would help. Petress was charged. It later was burned down and demolished. The only remaining parts of the building are the gate and a memorial to Reverend Hall.[19].
Attempts have been made to revive the college and its legacy. In 2011, funds were raised to build on the original grounds, but as of October 2021, nothing has been built.[20]
Sports
editFriendship College had teams in baseball, football, and basketball. In 1940, they joined the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.[5] They lost 106-0 to Florida Normal in 1947, and 142-0 to Edward Waters in 1964.[4]
Notable people
editHarthorne Wingo - basketball player who played in the NBA and was an NBA Finals champion[6]
Rev. John Robinson - president of the joint council of the Sandy River Baptist Association
Rev. Osbey Roddey - Rock Hill city councilman[20]
James Brown - Awarded honorary degree[15]
Joseph Smith - Singer, actor and dancer who was called "the Ben Vereen of the south"[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Earley, Pete (1981-12-16). "Friendship College Closing Its Doors Friday". Washington Post.
- ^ a b "Friendship College". Archived from the original on March 12, 2011.
Founded in 1891 by Dr. Masel Phillip Hall, Friendship Normal and Industrial Institute served as a place for young African-American to be educated so that they could move forward in society as ministers and educators.
- ^ a b Hartsthorn, William Nelson (1919). Penniman, George W. (ed.). Era of progress and promise, 1863-1910 : the religious, moral, and educational development of the American Negro since his emancipation. Priscilla Pub. Co. OCLC 5343815.
- ^ a b c "America's Lost Colleges". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b "EAIC Increases Membership to 6; Seeks New Teams". The Afro-American. Winston-Salem N.C. December 28, 1940. p. 19. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b "NBA & ABA Players Who Attended Friendship Junior College". Basketball-Reference.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2016-09-07.
- ^ a b Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly. Vol. Volume 3. South Carolina. 1913. p. 397.
{{cite book}}:|volume=has extra text (help) - ^ Aheron, Piper Peters; Copeland, Elaine Johnson; McCullough, Cheryl J. (2004). Clinton Junior College (Paperback). Arcadia Pub. p. 29. ISBN 9780738517292. OCLC 58431481. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Caldwell, Arthur Bunyan, ed. (1919). History Of The American Negro (South Carolina ed.). A. B. Caldwell Publishing. p. 185. OCLC 1013372826. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Daniel, William Andrew (1925). The Education of Negro Ministers. George H. Doran Company. p. 131. OCLC 640056829.
- ^ Mattingly, Richard Curtis. Financial Aid for College Students: Graduate (1957 ed.). U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Education. p. 178. OCLC 3246980. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Friendship has place for high risk student". The Afro American. Rock Hill, S.C. April 18, 1970. p. 98. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Rock Hill, Johnston St Extension and Renewal. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 1978. pp. 57–58.
- ^ "Friendship Onward And Upward". The Afro American. Jan 13, 1979. p. 7. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ a b "He's now 'Dr. Brown'". Washington Afro-American. May 22, 1979. pp. 1, 7. ISSN 0276-6523.
- ^ "Federal Money Received By College Questioned". Spartanburg Herald. Rock Hill. December 21, 1979. p. A7. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Friendship College Closes For Semester To Regroup". Jet. Vol. 61. Johnson Publishing Company. January 21, 1982. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Friendship College". Olde English District. Olde English District. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ a b Dys, Andrew (July 16, 2011). "Rock Hill's Friendship College to build new life center". The Herald. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Upchurch, Frances (Jun 12, 1979). "'Ben Vereen Of The South' Aiming For The Top". The Spartanburg Herald. Gaffney. p. C11. Retrieved 21 September 2021.