On April 26, 2007, a moment in history took place here in Orangeburgh on the campus of South Carolina State University. At that time, the University played host for the first in a series of debates for president by the Democratic Party. This road to the presidency will culminate during the presidential elections in November 2008.

While this slew of activities are taking shape for nominating and election of our next president, there is no presidential debating about the fact that our great county of Orangeburgh has produced five known college presidents. Surely, this bit of historical data about former citizens soaring to the educational level of becoming a College President has nothing to do with the debate.

The significance of this accomplishment lies within the fact that a number of our citizens have gone on and reached the pinnacle of success in the field of education. These facts lends credence that Orangeburg is an education mecca for anyone who desires a better quality of life.

In all likelihood, very few counties within our state and the nation can lay claims to such an honor. With all that said, the rich heritage of Orangeburg has been reinforced by these historical facts. We are rich in the area of education and history has revealed this. Sometimes, we must be reminded of where we came from so as to advance the present generation which will enhance the existence for our future.

In the book, "Facts and Legends of Orangeburg County" by former County Superintendent of Education Miss Ellen Chaplin, she states that in 1798 an act was passed by the General Assembly for Orangeburgh District to establish a school system. This system was set up for the whites. As to the blacks, the only education they would receive came about as the results of a slave owner feeling pity. Following the Civil War, a free school system was established in 1868. Claflin University played a vital role in this birth of education for the blacks in our county and state.

Such institutions as Poplar Spring Academy (1818) Orangeburg Female Academy (1852), (Claflin University is currently located on that site) Claflin University (1869), South Carolina State University (1872), Sterling School (1883), Orangeburg Collegiate Institute, Orangeburg High, Wilkinson High, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Orangeburg Prep and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College have been instrumental in servicing the educational needs of people residing in Orangeburgh. With the concentration of education focusing on Orangeburgh, it must be mentioned that all the other cities and towns of our county received similar educational enhancements.

The following biographical sketches are of five former citizens who were born in Orangeburg and went on to become a president of a college or university. These accomplishments garnered by former citizens re-enforce the notion that elements are in place for the people of Orangeburgh to have the opportunity to excel to the highest of highs in life.

Walter Merritt Riggs was born at Orangeburg January 24, 1873 to Harpin and Emma J. (Gowan) Riggs. After completing secondary education, he enrolled in Alabama Polytechnic Institute in Auburn, Alabama and graduated in 1894. He taught at Alabama for a few years after graduation.

Riggs became the first football coach at Clemson in 1896. At that time, only two people on the Clemson campus had ever seen a football game. Riggs was one of them. On October 28, 1896, Riggs took the first Clemson football team to Furman and defeated them by the score of 14 to 6.

Walter Riggs became president of Clemson University on March 7, 1911. Before Riggs took the position, Clemson had seen at least four presidents in about two decades of its short life. He took hold of the trying problems with a firm, skillful hand and made it more useful by bringing it into closer touch with the people of South Carolina.

Walter Riggs died while attending a meeting in Washington, DC on January 22, 1924.

Henry R. Sims was born in 1893, the son of James C. Sims, owner of the Times and Democrat. His father taught him and his twin brother Hugo the newspaper business, from how to set type by hand to how to report news. The two brothers began their collegiate career at Wofford in 1909. Four years later, they returned back to the newspaper business here in Orangeburg.

Henry eventually gave up the newspaper business and followed the field of practicing law. In 1929, he entered politics serving as a Representative and later as Senator for Orangeburg until 1944. During his service to the people, he helped draft the Unemployment Act of 1936 and the Public Welfare Act of 1937. Very instrumental on education issues, he drew up bills providing for free school lunches and the addition of the 12th grade to the state's school system.

Sims left the state senate in 1944 and was named president of Winthrop University. He served until his retirement in 1959. President Sims died in February, 1966.

The next president from Orangeburgh was John Jarvis Seabrook who was born on April 12, 1899, to John B. and Amanda Seabrook. Not long after his birth, the family moved to Savannah, Georgia where he received his early schooling. In 1921, he enrolled in the College Department at Claflin University. He departed Claflin in 1923. Seabrook earned an LL.B degree from Howard University in 1926, a B.D. degree from Atlanta's Gammon Seminary and an A.B. degree at Clark University in 1930.

His thirst for education did not end with these multiple of degrees. In 1932, he was awarded an LL.M. degree from Boston University. From there, he moved on to accept the position of leadership at Park Avenue Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio. During that time, he entered into holy matrimony with Miss Opal McDonald.

Seabrook returned to Orangeburg to lead and guide Claflin University into a new era of education in 1945. He set out to steer Claflin to higher academic achievements by increasing the number of departments from four to seven. These improvements raised the number majors to twenty.

In the early 1950's Claflin began to slide into financial difficulty. As the Claflin board struggled to make necessary improvements, Seabrook submitted his resignation from the presidency of Claflin effective September, 1955. His next stop in education was president of Houston-Tillotsin College. Seabrook died on May 2, 1975.

Our fourth president was Benjamin F. Payton. He was born the son of Reverend Leroy R. and Sarah Payton in Orangeburg. Payton graduated from Wilkinson High School and furthered his education at South Carolina State University graduating in 1955; B.D. from Harvard University in 1958; M.A. from Columbia University in 1960; and the Ph.D. from Yale University in 1963.

By 1967, Payton leaped into the position as President of Benedict College. His tenure ended in 1972. From 1972-81, Payton was Program Officer, Education and Public Policy person with the Ford Foundation. Continuing to display his educational attributes, Payton took over the presidency of Tuskegee University the home of the famous Tuskegee Airmen.

Without a doubt, he has been an icon in the field of education and he continues to exhibit high standards in his leadership. Payton is married to Thelma Plane and they have two children. His mother Mrs. Sarah is stil living in Orangeburg.

The last person to become a college president was Leroy Davis who was born in Orangeburg on May 24, 1949. He was also a graduate from Wilkinson High School and later enrolled at South Carolina State University. He graduated from South Carolina State University in 1971 with a degree in Biology. Davis completed his M.S. degree in Microbiology at Purdue University in 1972 and his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in 1979.

Leroy Davis became the first president of South Carolina State University to be from Orangeburg in 1996. Throughout his tenure of commitment to the field of education, Davis has made numerous accolades and accomplishments including publications, workshops, community servivce and has served on various boards and commissions. Dr. Leroy Davis is married to Christine McGill Davis and they have two children.

Truly, I can say that these five educational icons have stamped their mark in our community as outstanding leaders. The position that they soared into as president is a non-dabatable issue that Orangeburgh should continue to display its role in administering outstanding academia for the people.

The foundation for our successes took shape in 1798 and was augmented in 1868. Over my many years of reviewing microfilm newspapers of Orangeburgh, I have seen numerous success stories of our county. The schools, businesses, farmers, churches and people have always shown a high level of competitiveness in all endeavors encountered. This type of attitude should expand and continue its growth among the people.

The mechanism by which this growth can take place lies within our people and the institutions that serves our educational needs; such as the public and private schools, South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, Southern Methodist and all of our libraries.

As our schools start up for another year, we must encourage everyone in this chain link to cultivate and bring fourth an outstanding crop of students who will perpetuate our educational heritage.

You must be logged in to comment.