Interviewer
Mildred Allen
Files
Date
8-12-1986
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Duration
36:31
Description
Mildred Allen, David and Pat Parker, Bill Edmonds, and Mack Sarvis went to Columbia for an interview with Bill Casper. Mr. Casper drove from Aiken to meet for the interview, which was held in the administration building of the University of South Carolina. Mr. Casper was associated with the college as a business teacher and recruiter from the beginning of the college in the Fall of 1954. He then served as Director for 3 years prior to becoming Director of the Aiken Regional Campus of the U.S.C. He gave full details of how he was involved and the ups and downs of the first few years of the college's operation. - Mildred Holmes Allen Prince
Subject
Oral History--South Carolina;Coastal Carolina University--History;Horry County (S.C.)--History;Columbia (S.C.);Casper, William Cecil, 1927-2006
Rights
Copyright © Coastal Carolina University. For more information contact University Archives and Special Collections at Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC 29526.
Extent
Additional files include a transcript (8.5x11in)
Recommended Citation
Casper, William Cecil and Allen, Mildred, "William C. Casper, oral history interview" (1986). Coastal Founders Oral History Interviews. 5.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/founders/5
Comments
Mildred Allen interviews Bill Casper about his start at Coastal. He was in school at Chapel Hill when Woodhouse asked him to go to Coastal to establish a branch of the College of Charleston. He said no because he just got a job at American Chemical Company (ACC). Woodhouse was persistent and Casper did not want to remain at ACC. So he came and enjoyed his time here. The contract with College of Charleston term stated three years but not more than four years of sponsorship. After three years they left us and the Woodhouses left then for Margaret's job in Alabama. Then Dr. Rogers, Maryanne Dusenberry and Casper were the only administrators in the high school location. In the Summer of 1958 George Rogers vacationed in Sullivan's Island and had lost an eye. He returned depressed, but Casper felt we should continue the college despite losing our accreditation which was so important for veterans. Working with the US Veterans Affairs, they reinstated the credits for veterans to continue school. They hired Catherine Lewis. Casper visited SACS with Dr. Grice to get advice. Either Coastal would join USC or USC would create a campus in this area. The Florence branch opened in 1958. Bill Casper enjoyed teaching and recruited students during the summer as requested by Dr. Grice. He visited high schools for lists of graduate contacts. He mailed and visited students in their homes, or in tobacco fields. Affiliation with USC enabled better faculty recruitment and sharing with Francis Marion. He was the Director of the USC - Coastal Carolina campus. Working with Principal McCown (and Superintendent Coble) in the high school was superb with college classes from 3pm - 10pm. But we needed our own campus for college identity. Fundraising started in 1960 and met $17,000 over the goal of $300,000 by Christmas. The 1958 tax millage approved 4 to 1 margin was a major help. Almost 147 acres given by International Paper and about 40 acres from a timber company and the Dusenberry farm that came with a 10 acre tobacco allotment. First building was Harold Little architect and some visiting UNC-Wilmington to see the Georgian architecture that was distinctive. It was challenging hard work but stimulating to everyone involved, the Woodhouses, George Rogers, Margaret Holliday and others. He compliments Mildred with her efforts in fundraising. He also took a basketball team to Beaufort and coached them as a first time experience. Mildred recalls that bus wrecked and almost lost two of the athletes. Funded in part by the Horry County Higher Education Commission.
On the audio-only (WAV) file in this collection, the last six minutes of the interview did not record due to a tape issue at the time of recording.