{"id":41934,"date":"2026-05-07T10:45:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T14:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/?p=41934"},"modified":"2026-05-08T10:43:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:43:49","slug":"magazine-75-years-of-furman-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/magazine-75-years-of-furman-magazine\/","title":{"rendered":"75 Years of Furman Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Furman University has been South Carolina\u2019s university for\u00a0nearly as\u00a0long\u00a0as the United States of America has been recognized. While the country\u00a0celebrates 250 years and Furman marks 200 years, the university\u2019s alumni\u00a0magazine takes a moment to remember the start of the publication in\u00a01951 and the 75 years of near-continuous issues that cover the academic\u00a0accomplishments, celebrity visits, cultural\u00a0issues\u00a0and societal changes that\u00a0those decades have\u00a0seen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Frank Selvy \u201954<\/p><\/div>\n

1950s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Furman magazine was first published at the end of 1951 and\u00a0featured 20 pages of university news. This was considered the \u201cpost-war era\u201d at Furman\u00a0and the content focused\u00a0mainly on\u00a0the makeup of the student body and letters from\u00a0the president. From the start of the magazine until the end of 1960, six issues were\u00a0published each year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

November 1951\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

First issue of the Furman magazine featured 20\u00a0pages and its first editor, Erwin L McDonald.\u00a0Most all information would be considered internal\u00a0announcements by today\u2019s standards including\u00a0names of the incoming class and efforts to boost\u00a0enrollment and grow the curriculum at Furman,\u00a0topics that still resonate today<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

February 1953<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

A look back on Richard Furman\u2019s life\u00a0and legacy. Frank Selvy \u201954 leads the\u00a0Furman basketball team to the Southern\u00a0Conference tournament.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

July-August 1954 through\u00a0February 1955<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the span of six months, Furman\u00a0magazine sees two editors take over.\u00a0First was Dyar Massey and in February\u00a0it\u00a0was William Bagwell. These issues\u00a0cover the announcement of a new\u00a0campus and the Paladins coming to\u00a0terms with life after their star basketball\u00a0player Frank Selvy \u201954 graduates.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

April 1957<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Progress is made on construction of\u00a0the new campus at Furman\u2019s present\u00a0location and the five buildings that\u00a0kicked it off.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

August 1959\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine experiences its\u00a0first redesign.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, summer 1968<\/p><\/div>\n

1960s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Like the rest\u00a0of the country, the focus of Furman\u00a0magazine takes a major turn in the 1960s and\u00a0desegregation is a major topic.\u00a0Furman\u2019s first Black students are admitted\u00a0during this time, and new campus\u00a0buildings and dedications were a big part\u00a0of the early \u201960s. But unrest across the\u00a0United States dominated the narrative\u00a0from the mid-\u201960s and into the 1970s.\u00a0Frequency of published magazines also\u00a0dropped from six annually in the 1950s\u00a0to four per year for this entire decade.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

March 1960<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dedication of the Duke\u00a0Library is scheduled<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

January 1961\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine goes through its second\u00a0redesign to a style that was less formal,\u00a0but still more newsletter in appearance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1964<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

New editor Marguerite Hays \u201954\u00a0becomes the first female editor of\u00a0Furman magazine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Professor Charles Townes with a student, circa 1969.<\/p><\/div>\n

Fall 1964<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Charles Townes is awarded the Nobel\u00a0Prize in Physics for his work on the\u00a0creation of the maser and laser.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter 1966<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Articles on \u201cStudent Unrest and\u00a0the College Campus\u201d by\u00a0then-President\u00a0Gordon W. Blackwell and\u00a0demonstrations across the country\u00a0become regular features starting in 1966.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1966 to Summer 1967<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Possibly due to\u00a0the changing focus, the\u00a0magazine is\u00a0essentially redesigned\u00a0over\u00a0the next four issues from the summer of\u00a01966 to the summer of 1967.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1968\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Politics continues to dominate the\u00a0features with the story \u201cHas \u2018Politics\u2019\u00a0Become a Dirty Word?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1968\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

A redesign changes the look of the\u00a0magazine from a\u00a0newsletter\u00a0style\u00a0to something that resembles the\u00a0periodicals of the time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

August 1969<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

During the \u201cSummer of Love,\u201d the\u00a0effect of civil unrest on college campuses\u00a0and how\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0directly\u00a0affecting\u00a0Furman\u00a0University was top-of-mind for readers.\u00a0The piece \u201cA \u2018Radical\u2019 Way of Thinking\u201d\u00a0quotes Jack\u00a0Sullivan\u00a0\u201969\u00a0saying \u201cThis\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0anti-Americanism. I see it as an\u00a0affirmation of what the country genuinely\u00a0stands for in its rhetoric \u2013 but does not\u00a0practice.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter 1969\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Willard Pate, professor of English, begins\u00a0writing\u00a0articles for the magazine, first\u00a0about\u00a0William Faulkner. Her impact\u00a0on Furman over 60 years here was\u00a0monumental and can be seen on page 18\u00a0and in her obituary on page 56.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, summer 1976<\/p><\/div>\n

1970s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Politics continues to be the\u00a0topic of the moment in the early\u00a01970s, but as the university\u2019s\u00a0150th anniversary came closer\u00a0in 1976, the stories focused on\u00a0internal academics and external\u00a0accomplishments. Features\u00a0about research, curriculum and\u00a0the growing classroom needs\u00a0at Furman are most highlighted\u00a0during this time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1970<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe Constitution on the Campus\u201d\u00a0and what student rights look like in\u00a0demonstration is explored by Judge\u00a0Clement Haynsworth. It was a common\u00a0theme of the late \u201960s and early \u201970s\u00a0during the Vietnam conflict.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1972\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine produces an \u201carts\u201d\u00a0issue dedicated to the fine arts\u00a0curriculum and the students, faculty and\u00a0alumni who came through those classes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1974<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Examining \u201cStatus of Women at\u00a0Furman\u201d by Hazel W. Harris. The\u00a0university showed changing attitudes\u00a0toward jobs previously filled only by\u00a0males. Females were hired to fill the\u00a0position of janitor, a higher paying\u00a0position than a maid\u2019s job and women\u00a0could work in men\u2019s dormitories.\u00a0Furman administrators also\u00a0initiated\u00a0ways to\u00a0identify\u00a0and correct policies\u00a0and practices that discriminate\u00a0against women.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1976\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine sees a redesign\u00a0after eight years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Fall, 1989<\/p><\/div>\n

1980s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

By the\u00a0mid-1980s, Furman University had\u00a0been at its current home for\u00a0nearly\u00a030\u00a0years, and the stories followed the\u00a0progress of\u00a0the space\u00a0and the students.\u00a0Original structures were taken down\u00a0and replaced with larger facilities to\u00a0accommodate the growth in student\u00a0population and university popularity.\u00a0And the connection between Greenville\u00a0and Furman was front and\u00a0center\u00a0to\u00a0that\u00a0conversation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1980<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cA Fond Farewell to Sirrine Stadium\u201d\u00a0and the dawn of a new era in Athletics.\u00a0The facility is\u00a0demolished, but\u00a0remembered as playing an integral\u00a0role in the development of collegiate\u00a0football\u00a0in South Carolina.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1984<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine highlights the resurging\u00a0Greenville downtown and how Furman and\u00a0the community\u00a0work\u00a0together in that effort.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1987\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman magazine sees a\u00a0much-needed\u00a0redesign after more than a decade.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter 1988<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Betsy King rises in the ranks of the LPGA\u00a0and is one of the top players on the tour.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 1989\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman marks the\u00a020-year\u00a0anniversary of\u00a0the Study Away program and its immense\u00a0popularity and growth. \u201cIn just 20 years\u00a0Frank Bonner and a group of Furman\u00a0professors have\u00a0established\u00a0a foreign\u00a0study program that has enriched the lives\u00a0of hundreds of students.\u201d See a photo retrospective on Study Away at Furman on\u00a0pages 46-47.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Fall 1995<\/p><\/div>\n

1990s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The 1990s were leaner than\u00a0previous\u00a0decades for\u00a0Furman magazine as only about one issue each year was published until 1999\u00a0when it grew to three issues that year. It was also a decade of change for\u00a0Furman after it left the Southern Baptist Alliance in 1992 and celebrated the\u00a0hiring of a new president in 1994.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer 1993<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Students become the focus of larger stories\u00a0in Furman magazine \u2013 including in the\u00a0profile feature \u201cFurman Students Today\u2026Who Are They?\u201d \u2013 as the university grows\u00a0its audience, prospective student\u00a0pool\u00a0and\u00a0recruitment efforts. The most popular\u00a0majors\u00a0include:\u00a0economics and business\u00a0administration, biology, education, political\u00a0science, psychology, English, music,\u00a0history\u00a0and chemistry.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 1994<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

New President David E.\u00a0Shi \u201973 is welcomed along\u00a0with a cover story on new\u00a0Furman first lady Susan\u00a0Shi \u201971 M\u201973. David Shi is\u00a0quoted, \u201cWhen I imagine\u00a0the ideal college, I see\u00a0Furman \u2013 a community of\u00a0bright people and elegant\u00a0structures nestled within a\u00a0pastoral\u00a0setting, yet\u00a0deeply\u00a0involved in the larger world.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 1997<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Guitar maker Stephen McSwain \u201991\u00a0is featured for the handmade\u00a0guitars that he created for the\u00a0likes of Steve Vai, Alice in Chains,\u00a0Aerosmith and more.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

May 1999\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

New editor Jim Stewart ushers in\u00a0another redesign of the magazine\u00a0after more than 10 years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Spring 2002<\/p><\/div>\n

2000s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is a return to consistency for\u00a0Furman magazine as four issues\u00a0were published each year during the\u00a0early 2000s. It was\u00a0a start\u00a0of a new\u00a0millennium and one that saw changes\u00a0in leadership in the country and the\u00a0tragedy of September 11, 2001.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 2002<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Madeleine Albright visits campus and\u00a0features about a post-9\/11 world are\u00a0brought to campus and the globe.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 2006\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Another redesign makes Furman\u00a0magazine more modern and appealing\u00a0to the changing alumni demographic.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter 2007<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman begins the process of\u00a0improving the quality and impact\u00a0of the now-famous Furman Lake.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Summer, 2008<\/p><\/div>\n

Summer 2008\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

President George W.\u00a0Bush gives May 2008\u00a0Commencement speech.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 2009\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman reflects on the \u201cGolden\u201d\u00a050th anniversary of the campus\u2019\u00a0move\u00a0from downtown Greenville\u00a0to its current location.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2010s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Major shifts are happening\u00a0across campus starting with Furman\u2019s first female\u00a0president Elizabeth Davis, who leads the university\u00a0into a new age. By the Fall 2014 issue, Furman\u00a0magazine has been redesigned and goes to two\u00a0issues per year. The content focuses on major\u00a0initiatives under Davis including sustainability,\u00a0civic\u00a0engagement\u00a0and major fundraising campaigns.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2010<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, comes to Furman\u00a0to attend the annual\u00a0Gallabrae\u00a0Scottish Games\u00a0held at Furman University since 2006.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Fall 2014<\/p><\/div>\n

Fall 2014\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The magazine gets its most recent redesign alongside\u00a0a story welcoming in Furman\u2019s first female president,\u00a0Elizabeth Davis.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 2015<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Stories highlight evolving campus\u00a0initiatives including sustainability,\u00a0civic engagement and curriculum\u00a0innovation marking the changing\u00a0mission of Furman University.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 2016<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman University introduces\u00a0The Furman Advantage, an\u00a0extraordinary experience of\u00a0academic excellence, close faculty\u00a0mentorship and life-changing\u00a0opportunities that empower\u00a0students\u00a0to thrive.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0an integral\u00a0part of the Furman experience to\u00a0this day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 2017<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The total solar eclipse comes to\u00a0Furman and brings about one of\u00a0the most iconic and award-winning\u00a0photos\u00a0of Furman Lake.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Furman Magazine, Spring 2023<\/p><\/div>\n

2020s\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Only six years into the 2020s and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been an eventful\u00a0decade to say the least. It started with a\u00a0pandemic\u00a0the likes of which\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0seen in 100 years. We started our most ambitious fundraising campaign ever. We got\u00a0through devastating hurricanes and winter storms. And through it all, Furman found\u00a0ways to celebrate triumphs and enjoy what it means to be a Paladin.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 2020<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

For the first time since 1996, there was no\u00a0issue of Furman magazine printed due to the\u00a0COVID-19 pandemic. The issue was, however,\u00a0published online, introducing the first-ever\u00a0digital issue of the magazine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 2022<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Reports on the\u00a0Clearly\u00a0Furman campaign and\u00a0how major gifts would shape future facilities\u00a0<\/span> and programs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fall 2023\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Furman celebrates a major upset of Virginia in\u00a0the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament and\u00a0the continuation of major progress and making\u00a0the Furman Paladins\u00a0a household\u00a0name.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring 2026<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Through 200 years of Furman University and\u00a075 years of the magazine, the first\u00a0commemorative issue is released highlighting\u00a0many of the wonderful, impactful,\u00a0amazing\u00a0and\u00a0hilarious things that have made Furman awesome.\u00a0You should read it cover to cover.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Furman University’s history reaches as far back as the early 1800s, but the Furman magazine has been delving into the happenings on campus and among alumni for 75 years and counting. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":389,"featured_media":42288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,3404,3529,1963,42,3526],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-bicentennial","category-features-spring-2026","category-furman-magazine","category-history","category-spring-2026"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41934"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42328,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41934\/revisions\/42328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}