2008 Woodie Awards
Livin' at the 'Mont
J.S. Green: The college and the man
by Tim Suda
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Features
When Piedmont College was first established in 1897, it was called the J.S. Green Collegiate Institute. The first class to graduate was in 1899 with 11 graduates. When the school was first created, it wasn't just a college. It taught grades one through 12 of grammar school and freshman through junior years of college.
In 1901, the college was split into different entities: the institution and the academy. Later in 1901, Charles C. Spence, the first president of the college, petitioned the American Missionary Association, a Congregationalist group, to financially adopt the college. The association sent Reverend Dr. Frank E. Jenkins, who was also the fourth president of the college, as a representative of the Congregationalist church to scope out the college.
On March 7, 1902, Spence gave the deed to the college to the Congregationalist church. As a part of the new bylaws established by the trustees, the name of the college was changed to reflect the area in which the college was situated. This was when the college became known as Piedmont College. An interesting fact is that another rule set by the church was that 25 percent of the trustees must be Congregationalists. However, J. S. Green, the man the college was named after, was a Methodist.
After the college was renamed, many people felt that Green should leave behind a legacy. Therefore, the J.S. Green Literary and Debating society was named in his honour. The society lasted until 1970 when it was disbanded. Also, the academy was named the Jesse S. Green Institute until the late 1910s, when it was renamed Piedmont Academy.
J.S. Green stands for Jesse S. Green, who was a judge. In the early 1890s, he came to Demorest to be the president of Demorest Bank. Green and his wife, Mary J. Green, moved to Georgia from Ohio. Green saw the college as having potential to be a place for educating Northeast Georgia students.
Green bought a house and multiple lots of land from Demorest Home, Mining and Improvement Company and donated it to the school. Thus, he became the college's first benefactor. The building that he donated became the first female dorm. The dorm, which was named for his wife,was called the Mary J. Green Hall.
In 1901, the college was split into different entities: the institution and the academy. Later in 1901, Charles C. Spence, the first president of the college, petitioned the American Missionary Association, a Congregationalist group, to financially adopt the college. The association sent Reverend Dr. Frank E. Jenkins, who was also the fourth president of the college, as a representative of the Congregationalist church to scope out the college.
On March 7, 1902, Spence gave the deed to the college to the Congregationalist church. As a part of the new bylaws established by the trustees, the name of the college was changed to reflect the area in which the college was situated. This was when the college became known as Piedmont College. An interesting fact is that another rule set by the church was that 25 percent of the trustees must be Congregationalists. However, J. S. Green, the man the college was named after, was a Methodist.
After the college was renamed, many people felt that Green should leave behind a legacy. Therefore, the J.S. Green Literary and Debating society was named in his honour. The society lasted until 1970 when it was disbanded. Also, the academy was named the Jesse S. Green Institute until the late 1910s, when it was renamed Piedmont Academy.
J.S. Green stands for Jesse S. Green, who was a judge. In the early 1890s, he came to Demorest to be the president of Demorest Bank. Green and his wife, Mary J. Green, moved to Georgia from Ohio. Green saw the college as having potential to be a place for educating Northeast Georgia students.
Green bought a house and multiple lots of land from Demorest Home, Mining and Improvement Company and donated it to the school. Thus, he became the college's first benefactor. The building that he donated became the first female dorm. The dorm, which was named for his wife,was called the Mary J. Green Hall.
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