23 Rare Furman University Photos Show College Life In The First Half Of The 1900s

Furman University was founded in 1826 by the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is the oldest private university in South Carolina. Its namesake, Richard Furman, was a clergyman in Charleston and considered the most important Baptist leader before the Civil War.

Originally called "Furman Academy and Theological Institution," the school was first located in Edgefield, SC. But Furman changed names two more times and moved three more times until it landed in what's called the "Old Furman" location in downtown Greenville in 1851. In the mid-to-late 1950s the university moved to its current location north of town. In a strategic move, Furman merged with Greenville Women's College in 1933. The University has a detailed interactive timeline you can refer to for more information.

Let's take a look at what life was like at Furman in the first half of the 1900s.

(Note: The photos in this article are from the Special Collections and Archives at Furman University, a virtual treasure trove of images depicting life at the university throughout the years. The collection is divided into the era from 1851-1958 - a collection referred to as "Furman Old Photos;" and 1950-1962 - a collection called "New Campus Photos." All of the images in this article are from the first collection dated 1851 - 1958. Dates and names are noted if they were available in the archive. Few, if any, distinctions were made in the archive notes between the Men's College and the Women's College.)

1. Women college students playing softball on a sunny afternoon.

2. A beauty pageant contestant (pre 1958) poses for the photographer.

3. Beauty pageant contestants on stage for a group photo. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

4. A cheerleader rallies the crowd at a Furman football game. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

5. Students sit on an earthen stadium at the 1946 Furman commencement.

6. Cross country team members talking at a meet. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

7. Football players huddle on the sidelines. (Unconfirmed date appears to be 1946.)

8. Furman's mascot is a knight on a horse. Until 1961, only Furman's basketball team was known as Paladins. Prior to that, the baseball team was called the "Hornets," and the football team was called the "Hurricanes." Here, the knight is getting into uniform. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

9. 1904-05 Furman University football team. (The year appears to be painted on the football in the center of the photo.)

10. Fraternity brothers at Sigma Alpha Epsilon posing for the camera during some activites outside their house.

11. Students gather on the steps of the library - Furman University. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

12. Orientation at Furman. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

13. The college dairy herd. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

14. Baptist Student Union cookie sale. (unknown year, pre-1958)

15. Albert Einstein visits campus. Here he is walking with a group of people on Furman's Men's campus, downtown Greenville, SC; included in the group is Dr. C. Frank Pittman, class of 1942-43.

16. Frank Selvy after a Furman game. Selvy scored 100 points in the Furman University vs Newberry College game on February 13, 1954. He was the 1st pick in round 1 of the NBA draft in 1954.

17. The 1925 Furman University football team. South Carolina's first intercollegiate football game was played on December 14, 1889 between Furman and Wofford.

18. A quarantine was mandated in 1906 for some students suspected of having Scarletina.

19. A Furman Track Team member, 1936.

20. Students pile into a train car - their destination is not noted in the archives. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

21. ROTC. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

22. Female students pose before swimming. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

23. A Furman student in mid-air after jumping from the diving board. (Year unknown, pre-1958.)

College life seemed pretty much the same then as it is now, except for the lack of some technology. Education, fellowship, and fun seemed to be at the heart of Furman in these photos.

What did you think of the photos? Did they resurrect any good memories from your own college experience?

Do you have any pictures or stories to share about life at Furman? We'd love to hear them. Please share in the comments section below.