Old Newberry Male Academy – Newberry College

The Yorkville Enquirer reported on April 12, 1877 – “The Lutheran Synod met at Newberry and determined to permanently located their college at that place. “

1912 Harrington Street

City Directories and History: Known locally as the Old Newberry Male Academy constructed in circa 1870’s. The school had originally been organized in 1806 and continued until the establishment of public schools in 1891.

Private schools eventually were replaced with public institutions, including that of the Newberry Graded School. Courtesy of the Beard Collection – 2017

“First of all is, of course, the Newberry College, a Lutheran institution of thirty years’ standing. The present handsome College building was erected ten years ago and is located in the centre of an extensive campus, on a hill in the northern part of town and commanding a fine view of the place and surrounding country. The building cost $20,000 and is admirably arranged with spacious lecture and class rooms. The College is in a prosperous condition and there are now one hundred and twenty pupils

1905 Sanborn Map Diagram of the Graded School

in attendance. The faculty includes the Rev. G.W. Holland, president and professor of mental and moral science and English literature; Mr. O.B. Mayer, professor of physiology and hygiene; the Rev. A.G. Voigt, professor of modem languages and literature; the Rev. Junius B. Fox, professor of mathematics and natural science; and Mr. Thos. H. Dreher, professor and principal of the primary department. A school of technology has recently been added and is in charge of Prof. Schott.

Then there is the Newberry Male Academy, John P. Glasgow, principal, with excellent instructors and a large attendance. The Female Academy is ably presided over by Miss O.E. Garlington. This institution is liberally patronized, and the course of instruction is all that could be desired. There is also an excellent private school (primary) taught by Miss McIntosh. The colored schools are ample and some of them, notably the Hoge Institute, are largely attended.”

Reprinted from South Carolina in the 1880s: A Gazetteer by J.H. Moore, Sandlapper Publishing Company – 1989

In the midst of the Halcyon Grove once stood a long, low, cheap, wooden building, known as the Newberry Academy. It was about a half mile from the Court House, and just south of the Greenville and Columbia Rail Road, and east of the Higgins’ Ferry Road. The Newberry Academy was built by voluntary subscriptions and went into operation in 1800. Rev. John Foster and Rev. Charles Strong were amongst the earliest teachers. Chancellor Job Johnstone, F. B. Higgins, John Belton O’Neall and Drayton Nance received their Academic education. It is elsewhere state 1 in these Annals that a lottery was authorized to be held for the benefit of the Academy, at two different times. All is cheated property was vested in the Trustees.

This Academy was incorporated in 1834, having for Trustees Frederick Nance, John Belton O’Neall, Job Johnstone, Y. J. Harrington, James Fernandes, Thos. Pratt, W. Wilson, Barr Johnstone and F. B. Higgins.

Mr. Silas Johnstone is our authority for stating that the first Academy building stood opposite to where W. T. Tarrant’s residence now stands. It was a large two-story wooden house. The first floor was devoted to school purposes; the upper one was used by the Masons as a Masonic Hall. The first floor, according to the same authority, was also sometimes used as a Thespian Hall. The great religious revival of 1830 disorganized the society and caused its discontinuance; many of the Thespians becoming converted and joining the Church. Soon after this revival, and as one of the fruits of it, the Baptist Church was organized and the house of worship built.

The teachers succeeding Foster and Strong were Mr. McGuinnis, Rev. James W. Alexander, then Mr. Corbin. Col. Simeon Fair was a pupil of Mr. Alexander’s. Gen. Young Fair, once Minister to Berlin, was also a pupil at this Academy. In 1827 Mr. Parker taught here awhile; then followed Samuel Pressley, assisted by Solomon Pope, John Pressley and Jefferson Fair. In 1828 James Diver was Master. Henry Summer, afterwards a lawyer at Newberry, also taught here.

As pupils at various times at this Academy were Silas Johnstone, Dr. W. F. Pratt, Robert Pratt, Simeon Pratt, Robert and Andrew Jackson Maxwell, John and Henry Fernandes, George Alexander and C. D. Pope, James Henderson, Reuben and John Lyles J. and W. Caldwell, Robert and David Holman.

In 1834 the Male Academy was transferred to a building on the lot where now stands the Jail, and here Silas L. Heller taught during that year. George Parker succeeded him; and also Dr. D. Dobson.  After the transference of the Male Academy in 1834, another building was erected at Halcyon Grove, which was used as a Female School until 1839. The first teacher was Miss Boyd, sister to D. B. Boyd, President of the old Bank of Newberry. She was assisted by Mrs. Saxon as a music teacher. The Female Academy in 1839 was moved to a house on Dr. Thompson’s place on Pratt Street, and the building at Halcyon Grove was reconverted to the purposes of a Male School under the charge of Rev. Wiley, an Episcopal minister. Mr. Leonard Williams succeeded him, assisted by James M. Baxter. They were followed by James M. Crosson, Principal, and Major George James, Assistant. Then followed Joseph S. Reid; then Wm. Hood, who was the last of the dominoes, in this venerable institution. It seems to me that W. J. Duffie and Thomas Duckett also taught here, but I am not sure.

I fear that there are several inaccuracies in this sketch, but I have not the data at hand to enable me to do better. Amongst the many pupils of this School, besides those already named, I may be permitted to mention W. F. Nance, D. C. Suber (Little X) and Henry Suber, John C. McLemore, James D. Nance, W. D. Rutherford, R. C. Moffett, James Stewart and J. A. Rutherford, who have passed to the silent land. And there are many, many others gone.

After the removal of Newberry College to Walhalla in 1868 Capt. A. P. Pifer taught a successful male school in the Baptist Church annex until July, 1869. He was followed by Rev. J. B. Hillhouse for one year at his residence, the place now owned by John C. Wilson. In 1870 a lot on the corner of Harrington and Crenshaw streets was bought and a new Male Academy building was erected, and here the exercises of the school were begun in January, 1871, with James C. Hardin as teacher, with about one hundred pupils. The names of his successors that I now recall were Wm. M. Brooks, R. H. Clarkson, James P. Kinard, John P. Glasgow and Miss Willie Cozby. And that was the last of the separate existence of the Newberry Male Academy, as it ceased to live upon the establishment of the Graded Schools, and the house and lot were sold.

Newberry College – 1923 Sanborn Map Diagram

A brick building, long used as a Female Academy, near the Methodist Church, was built some years before the war, and some able teachers wielded the ferule within its walls, among whom may be mentioned Rev. Wm. Berly, Wm. Hood, Mrs. Susan Anderson, Capt. A. P. Pifer and Miss Octavia Garlington, who were the last.

(Information from: The Annals of Newberry Co., SC – O’Neall and Chapman, Aull and Houseal Publishers – 1892)

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NEWBERRY COLLEGE – WALHALLA, S.C.

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