By SAMMY WAY
Item researcher / archivist
sway@theitem.com

The authors of Reflections have selected Morris College as this week's feature article. Morris has been a part of the Sumter community for over a century and has produced hundreds of young scholars who have helped make our city a better place to live. Please join us as we look at the extraordinary history of this institution whose motto has remained, “preparing the student of today for the challenge of tomorrow.”

We would like to thank the late Cassie Nicholes and NiCole Williams from the Morris College Department of Public Relations for assistance in preparing this story. The data they provided, the photographs, and attention to detail, proved to an invaluable aid to the completion of this research.

In 1877, the Baptist Educational, Missionary, and Sunday School Convention of South Carolina met to consider the construction of institutes to educate African-American young people. The president of this organization stressed that any school constructed must have “Negro ownership and control.” The two sites under consideration were located in Anderson and Sumter. Negotiations between the committee and Anderson's trustees were broken off on Jan. 23, 1907. The citizens of Sumter and The Wateree Association immediately offered land at 100 West College Street to build a high school and state college.



In 1908, The Negro Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina founded Morris College in Sumter. In an era when free schools and educational opportunities were scarce for black children, Morris offered three levels of training at the elementary, high school and college levels.

The primary purposes of the school's construction was to provide a Christian education and help prepare young African-American men and women to lead useful lives and make them followers of Christ. Morris College required its students to attend mandatory prayer services and attend Sunday school. The school has long enjoyed the support of black churches and fraternal organizations located throughout the state.



Dr. E. M. Brawley became the school's first president, and he helped to organize the curriculum which created a liberal arts program and helped ensure a “normal” training program for the certification teachers. The college also offered a theological course for those students planning to enter the ministry.

In 1912 Dr. John J. Starks assumed leadership of the college. It was during his tenure that courses were added allowing students to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also assisted the school in removing an $11,000 debt it had acquired. Dr. Starks would guide Morris in the acquisition of an additional 40 acres of land and would oversee the construction of six new instructional facilities

Dr. I. D. Pinson would become president of Morris College in 1930. It was during his tenure that Morris would form a compact with Benedict College that placed it in the Junior College classification. Morris would eventually restore its Junior and Senior colleges and ended the compact made with Benedict.

In 1939 Pinson died accidentally and was succeeded by Dr. J.P. Garrick, who was both a scholar and religious leader; he would oversee the construction of the Pinson Memorial Library. Garrick remained in office until 1946 and during this time he led the effort to have two federally funded buildings constructed on campus. It was through his efforts that the enrollment of Morris experienced unprecedented growth. He was later named president emeritus after his resignation in 1946.

In 1946 Dr. H.H. Butler took the office of president and his term was cut short due to his untimely death in 1948. His tenure as president was brief; however, Butler was able to see to the completion of the Pinson Library and two other buildings prior to his death in1948. Dr. J.W. Boykin served as interim president until the Reverend O'Dell Richardson Reuben was named the next president of the college.



Prior to his arrival at Morris Reuben was teaching theology and held pastorates in Allendale and Ware Shoals. He was educated at Benedict and Oberlin colleges where he received his divinity degree. It was during Reuben's administration that Morris College experienced rapid growth with the addition of several new facilities to the physical plant. The Butler Education Building, the Garrick-Boykin Gymnasium, the Mable K. Howard Building, the Student Center, an athletic stadium, The Wilson Booker Science Hall, The Dobbins-Keith-Whitener Hall, Daniels Hall (a dining hall-dormitory) and four cottages were added to the Morris Campus.

During Reuben's administration an endowment of more than a quarter million dollars was raised, and the college curriculum was expanded to meet the needs of a growing student body. Reuben died in 1970 and was followed by Dr. Henry E. Hardin and Dr. Jesse W. Taylor who served short tenures as president. In 1974 the current president, Dr. Luns C. Richardson, took office ,and Morris has since experienced continued growth.

Richardson brought about a “golden age” to Morris and was successful in eliminating many of the college's monetary concerns. He was able to expand the endowment and focused his efforts on getting Morris College accredited. He was able to increase enrollment and he also supervised the construction of a million dollar Resource Learning Center. It was during his administration that several new academic programs were added, including accounting, computer information, science management and office administration.

In 1978 Morris had one of the largest business administration programs in the area. Richardson was also successful in adding the Division of Business Administration, Broadcast Media, Journalism, Criminal Justice, Health Science Recreation Administration, Sociology, Theology and a School of Divinity to the Morris curriculum. The School of Religion was later dissolved and a program of Pastoral Ministry was instituted. In 1985 the school obtained a ROTC unit, and the Division of General Studies was also formed.



Since its inception over 100 years ago Morris College has continued to grow and expand its curriculum. It has received strong support from many Baptist organizations, its alumni and the many friends of education it has acquired within the Sumter community. The Morris College of today continues to provide its students those skills necessary for entry into medical occupations, law, theology and other areas related to graduate study. The primary mission of Morris continues to focus on the religious welfare of its student body. There are numerous organizations on campus that promote a spiritual atmosphere. The school continues to remain concerned with the development of its student body in the areas of moral, spiritual and academic development.

Email Sammy Way @ Reflections Feedback or give him a call at 803-774-1294.