Americans have been remembering some major anniversaries this year. The 50th anniversaries of the landing on the moon and Woodstock. The 75th anniversary of D-Day. The 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the start of Prohibition.

Wofford also celebrates several milestone anniversaries during 2019.

  • On July 12, 1859, 160 years ago this summer, a group of alumni founded the Wofford College Alumni Association. The college was 5 years old and had 18 alumni. Charles Petty, Class of 1857, served as the first president of the alumni association.
  • 150 years ago, in the winter of 1869, a group of students led by William A. Rogers organized a chapter of Kappa Alpha, becoming the first Greek-letter organization on campus. The Delta chapter of KA is still active on campus today.
  • In January 1889, 130 years ago, students from the two literary societies formed the first student publication, The Wofford College Journal, which for many years served as the only student publication. It’s still published today as a section of the Bohemian.
  • In December 1889, Wofford played Furman in the first intercollegiate football game in South Carolina. The Wofford team emerged victorious, winning by a score of 5-1. The first college football game ever played was 150 years ago, on Nov. 6, 1869, between the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and Rutgers College. Rutgers won the game 6-4.
  • 100 years ago this December, an ROTC unit was established at Wofford. A Student Army Training Corps had been established during World War I, and the war proved the need for a corps of reserve officers. Wofford has one of the oldest ROTC units in the country. Watch for an exhibit in the Sandor Teszler Library in the spring on the history of ROTC at Wofford.
  • The Whitefoord Smith Library, in what is now the Daniel Building, moved into a newly constructed building across the street 50 years ago. Two years later, the library was named in honor of Sandor Teszler. This summer the Sandor Teszler Library underwent a major renovation, just in time for an exhibit this fall celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Also, the Burwell Building and Marsh Residence Hall opened. It might be that 50 years of alumni who lived in Marsh Hall and ate in Burwell might approach that anniversary with a mix of emotions!

By Phillip Stone ’94, archivist