History of South Carolina by Yates Snowden - Volume II - Published by The Lewis Publishing Company - Chicago & New York

pp 1053-1054

Educational Development

During Governor Heyward's administration there was substantial development of educational institutions. In 1904, the Methodist College, which had been founded and conducted by Dr. Samuel Lander, at Williamston, Anderson County, since 1872, and which bore his name was moved to Greenwood. The new location was farther toward the southeast and the center of the State. The old cornerstone from the Williamston building was relaid by Dr. Lander in the Greenwood building. A good work accomplished, the founder of Lander College rested from his labors July 14, 1904. The institution which he established, for thirty years offered several unique features in the education of women. Briefly, they were: (1) The organization of new classes every session of twenty weeks, instead of once a year. (2) Instead of prizes for excellence, deductions from regular tuition fees were allowed. (3) The "One Study Plan," by which the session was subdivided into four sections of five weeks each, and some particular branch was made the major study and some associate branch the minor study. (4) The graduation of the student eight times during the year as soon as she had completed the round of studies. (5) Private graduation with no public exhibition; but the students subjected to rigid examinations. In June, 1907, the trustees of Lander College discontinued this system with its radical departures from the schemes of education which generally prevailed in standard American institutions of higher education.