Sixty Years of History

Nursing cape

This cape belonged to a practicing nurse at Spartanburg General Hospital. The facility initials are sewn into the garment. Between the 1950s and 1970s, capes were commonly worn in the wintertime over the nursing uniform. Both it and the nursing school uniform were donated by the School of Nursing, now known as the College of Nursing

Nursing school uniform

These student nurse uniforms from the early 1970s, detailed with a School of Nursing insignia, were worn when students were completing clinicals in a hospital setting. A modern equivalent would be the scrub shirts worn by nursing students today after they complete their first two years.  

Spartans Baseball Jersey

This vintage baseball jersey is believed to be from the 1990s. Though it has yet to receive an official date from Archives, it is categorized as 2004 or earlier, when the university was known as USC Spartanburg. The university’s baseball program started in 1986 under Athletic Director Gene DiFilippo, who established a baseball field (then known as Rifle Field) on campus and hired the first head coach, John Daurity.

Groundbreaking shovel

This shovel was used during the January 1972 groundbreaking for Physical Education and Nursing Facilities, the second building on campus. When the building opened in May 1973, it was officially dedicated as the G.B. Hodge Center. It not only provided new space for nursing classrooms and labs, but also for general classrooms, faculty offices, a bookstore, and the newest and largest gymnasium in the area at the time. Prior to the opening of “the Hodge,” classes had been held in the Administration Building.

Thomas Moore Craig Silver Tea Set

This silver-plated tea service belonged to Andrew Charles Moore and his wife, Vivian May Moore. Moore was acting president of USC in 1908-09 and 1913-14. He was the first honor graduate of South Carolina College in 1887 and served as Spartanburg superintendent of schools, as professor of biology at the University of Chicago, and as the chair of the biology department at his alma mater, the renamed University of South Carolina. When Charles W. Elliott, the recently retired president of Harvard, visited USC to deliver a speech in 1909, the Moores hosted him and used this tea service.

Shape note hymnal

Also from the Thomas Moore Craig collection is this shape note hymn book, “The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion,” first published in 1835. Shape notes are symbols that were used during the 19^th century to aid singers unable to read formal sheet music. Each shape indicated a note on the musical scale.

Basketball Ticket Stubs

These ticket stubs were donated by Joe Bowman, the university’s first athletic director and third basketball coach, who led the team for the 1969-70 season.

During this era, the university’s mascot was the “Fighting Bantams.” When the campus was established in 1967, the regional USC campuses all had mascots that had some relation to the Gamecocks. In 1972, the mascot changed to Rifles, inspired by the militia that fought in the Battle of Cowpens in the Revolutionary War.

Basketball game venues were Evans Junior High or another junior high school until the G.B. Hodge Center opened in May 1973.

Rifles chair

This USCS chair, also circa 2004 or earlier, is from the basketball team’s players’ bench. A fun fact: When the chair was donated, it came with a few pieces of gum underneath. (Yes, it was cleaned).