Military History

Military service has been a part of Furman almost from the beginning. After the founding of the school in 1826, the faculty finally approved the formation of a military company led by military trained faculty for students above the age of 16 with parental permission in March of 1856. We know that students served in the Civil War, both World Wars, and the different conflicts that have led to our current war in Iraq. (Picture: John Plyler, WWI)

Summer Camp

As a child, summer break is a time for fun and play. But for Furman ROTC students it has been a time to train and learn new skills. These pictures might as well be from this past summer, as this tradition has changed so little over the years.

Military Women

Times change... In this photo from the 1950s three couples are enjoying the annual military ball. At that time these ball pictures are the only images with females, as the ROTC program was really a boys only group. Now the program has a number of women serving, and not merely women attending the ball.

Yummy!

Better than the P-Den? Before Furman students frequented Chick-fil-a or waiting in line for a wrap,
they could pop in to the Canteen for a bite.

Parades?

Until the early '80s Furman football was played at Sirrine Stadium downtown. This gave student access to all of downtown for their parade route. This photo shows the Sigma Alpha Epsilon float for a 1950's homecoming game against Florida.

But with the move of football to the new campus, the students lost space for a full parade. Which leads to today's reinterpretation of the parade. Instead of the floats moving by the stationary crowd, now the crowd moves by the stationary floats.

Majorettes

While homecoming continues to be a major event at Furman some parts of it have changed. For one, the marching band is no longer lead by a child majorette. This photo, which appeared in the 1954 yearbook, is of an unknown Furman majorette. If you know anything about her, please fill Special Collections in on her name and history.