User:Ukulelevillain/sandbox/Friendship College

Friendship College was a college in Rock Hill, South Carolina that was established in 1891. It focused on training ministers. One basketball player from the school, Harthorne Wingo, played in the NBA and was an NBA Finals champion. The school was closed permanently in 1981, and demolished after a fire.

Founding and early years
The school was founded in 1891 as Friendship Institute with money from black Sunday schools by Rev M. P. Hall, who would go on to be the president of the school. It originally taught elementary and high school students. In 1906 the school became a college, and the name was changed to Friendship Normal and Industrial College. By 1917-1918 it had grown to 466 day students and 120 night students, with 8.25 acres of land and 4 buildings. The school had classes in many subjects, including printing, manual training, and home economics, as well as literary studies. Classes for ministers were based on Barrow's Companion to the Bible and included a 3 year course where prospective ministers would learn about the Old Testament and Christian ethics.

Its name was changed to Friendship Junior College. A new president was chosen in 1933 by the name of James H. Gouldlock. In 1953 the average scholarship was worth $134.

By 1970, plans for expansion and to advance to being a senior college were made. In 1973 Gouldlock was replaced as the president. Its name was changed to Friendship College.

Closing and fire
In 1977, the school was cited as not up to fire code regulations. Spofford L. Evans, the president at the time, attempted to submit the school's administration building to the National Register of Historic Places but left before the process was complete, and the incoming president, Charles W. Petress, did not follow through, leaving it as "for all intents and purposes, not... nominated". Through a brick drive, costing 10 dollars per brick, the school attempted to raise the funds to renovate the deteriorating conditions of the campus. The school planned on sandblasting the bricks, enlarging the gymnasium, and bricking the mobile classrooms to make them more permanent. In a fundraising effort in May, Petress awarded James Brown an honorary degree. By December, the college's Comprehensive Employment and Training Act money was being questioned.

Friendship College was temporarily closed in 1981 and never reopened. Petress resigned, and said that he hoped that someone else would help. Petress was charged. It later was burned down and demolished. The only remaining parts of the building are the gate and a memorial to Reverend Hall. .

Attempts have been made to revive the college and its legacy. In 2011, funds were raised to build on the original grounds, but as of October 2021, nothing has been built.

Sports
Friendship College had teams in baseball, football, and basketball. In 1940, they joined the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. They lost 106-0 to Florida Normal in 1947, and 142-0 to Edward Waters in 1964.

Notable people
Harthorne Wingo - basketball player who played in the NBA and was an NBA Finals champion

Rev. John Robinson - president of the joint council of the Sandy River Baptist Association

Rev. Osbey Roddey - Rock Hill city councilman

James Brown - Awarded honorary degree

Joseph Smith - Singer, actor and dancer who was called "the Ben Vereen of the south"

Friendship Nine