Military Traditions from 1889
Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina
- School was founded in 1889 as an agricultural college
- Land was donated by Thomas G. Clemson from the Fort Hill Plantation for the purpose of educating farmers and mechanics of South Carolina
“Fall In”
- Board of Trustees decided that Clemson would use a system of military discipline modeled after Mississippi State as most land-grant colleges of the time.
- Students were required to wear uniforms that they had to buy.
- The first all-male class arrived on July 5,1893.
- Board of Trustees asked the War Department for the detail of an officer to act as Commandant, responsible for life of cadets outside of the classroom.
- Lt. T.Q. Donaldson, a graduate of West Point, of the 7th Cavalry, was first Commandant to Cadets.
Hazing
- From the beginning, hazing was not officially allowed at Clemson, although more harmless forms were not punished.
- Sophomores were principle dispensers of hazing.
- Hazing continued after the school was no longer officially a military school in the form of making freshmen males wear "Rat" caps when not in uniform.
Cadets in Wartime
- In 1917, the entire senior class sent President Woodrow Wilson a telegram, volunteering its services to the United States' World War I effort.
- During World War II, Clemson supplied more Army officers than any other institution except West Point and Texas A&M.
- Clemson also had the largest infantry ROTC in the country.
End of Clemson as a Military College
- After World War II, returning veterans had enough of the military and were excused from drill and other forms of military life on campus.
- Entering students knew that they would be drafted soon and did not want to be involved with the military during and after college.
- In 1955, the Corps of Cadets was officially abolished and the student body became civilian. ROTC was compulsory for the freshman and sophomore years until 1969-70, when it became all voluntary.