College of Charleston Voices

Book excerpt: In 1770, the founders of the College of Charleston realized their dream of establishing an institution built upon the goal of instructing young minds with a traditional liberal arts education. As the oldest institution of higher learning in South Carolina, the College of Charleston has played an integral role in the development of a variety of young men and women from the Palmetto State and beyond. Numbering in the hundreds of thousands, this group of studentscurrent and formerhas enjoyed a unique college experience that they have chronicled and shared in letters to family and friends, diaries, student newspapers, journals and, more recently, e-mails. These personal accounts reveal the effect that the College of Charleston has had on its students for generations, and the ways in which those students have shaped the colleges long history. This engaging book features a collection of correspondences written by College of Charleston students, from the schools earliest years to the present day. Individually, these writings offer a candid glimpse into students daily lives during several periods throughout the colleges history. Considered together, the thoughts, concerns and opinions found within paint a fascinating picture of the past at the College of Charleston.