if you leave."
That's what they said back in 1955 in my college freshman year, when I decided to leave Furman University and transfer to the University of North Carolina.
How the Hell did I ever get to Furman, a small Baptist college in Greenville, South Carolina, anyway?
Well, my old boss at WGIV, Francis Fitzgerald, for whom I had enormous respect, graduated from there and he recommended it very highly.
The first few days went fairly smoothly...I loved my history class...the professor taught with the same ironic sense of humor that one of my favorite Central teachers, Ed Saunders, had. Ed had graduated from Furman and was probably influenced by that same teacher.
Frankly, most of the kids there were from small schools in South Carolina, and I was spoiled by the comparative sophistication of the Charlotte Central high kids.
Furman and I were definitely a mismatch.
I transferred to UNC the next semester, where I was much happier.
What made me think about those old days was the fact that I found my old Furman "Beanie" that freshmen were required to wear. That way upper classmen could identify a "freshie" easily and torment him...make him carry his books, etc.....
Furman was still in the 1930s as far as I was concerned, so I transferred as soon as I could.
I have no regrets about that!
Well.....maybe one...…..
memories of some those South Carolina girls at Furman....still today make me want to stand up and
give out with a good old "Rebel Yell!"
Ed
