Interviewer
Mildred Allen
Files
Date
7-22-1986
Loading...
Duration
18:18
Description
Sonny Green was interviewed at his office in Conway. Mildred Allen, Bill Edmonds, and Pat Parker met Mr. Green at 9:30 A.M. Mr. Green served on the Coastal Educational Foundation, Inc. and was a charter member. He also served as Chairman in 1957. He was the Chairman of the Building Committee for the first college building. He was a very active promoter from the beginning and served in many areas of the growth of Coastal Carolina College. - Mildred Holmes Allen Prince
Subject
Oral History--South Carolina;Coastal Carolina University--History;Horry County (S.C.)--History;Conway (S.C.);Green, Dove Walter, Jr., 1922-1998
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
Green, Dove Walter Jr. and Allen, Mildred, "Dove Walter Green, Jr., oral history interview" (1986). Coastal Founders Oral History Interviews. 9.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/founders/9
Comments
D.W. "Sonny" Green, Jr. is the lawyer who drafted the charter and the bylaws of the Coastal Educational Foundation. Mr. Green was elected to the Foundation and was asked along with 15 members to sign a $15K note from C&S Bank to provide the first budget. All 15 members signed the note. Mr. Green was the third chairman of the Foundation and worked on tax support and land. He spearheaded and drafted the 3 mill tax levy. The Horry County vote was 4 to 1 in favor, the cities of Myrtle Beach failed by 13 votes, Conway barely passed by as many votes. His draft had the Foundation handling the taxes which was unconstitutional. Mr. Green went to Columbia to talk with Gen. Merritt to allow the referendum vote to be taken and then pending the outcome, new legislation could be drafted to manage funds. So Merritt approved and, after the referendum passed, the Horry County Higher Education Commission was formed to manage the tax funds. Members of the Foundation would also be the commission members. When a county bond issue was needed, it required two separate entities. Mr. Green left them in the 1970s. He chaired the committee for the first building and the Atheneum Hall. He and Dick Singleton visited Edwards after reading about the Williams-Bryce donation of $1M to USC and funds to other entities. A year later a phone call asked what we could do with $250K of it for the building. The cost was estimated at $700K so more funds were needed. The Kimbels gave $100K for the gym. He recalls the Dick Singleton Roast where he accused Dick of putting his name on a building that should have been Green's. Eldred Prince recommended Dick as the first Coastal director. Mr. Green talked with Tom Jones, USC President, about that, to which Jones said he would have to vet him. Mr. Green reminded Jones that Singleton had been serving on Jones's Board for several years and felt he should have enough info on him. Mr. Green thinks Singleton was the most important person for the College at the right time. Funded in part by the Horry County Higher Education Commission.