“CONVERSE COLLEGE
FOUNDED BY CITIZENS
OF SPARTANBURG IN 1889
For the liberal education of women.
Named for Dexter Edward Converse
pioneer textile manufacturer.
Opened in 1890 on this site,
the grounds of which have been
used for educational purposes
Since 1849.”
Founded in 1889 by 13 men, including Dexter Converse, Converse College opened on October 1st, 1890. It was staffed by 16 faculty members and 168 students were enrolled.
In the early 1900s, Converse was one of the leading colleges for women in the south. Alumnae include a Pulitzer winner, a Texas Supreme Court Justice, a civil rights attorney, Broadway performers, and the first female Circuit Court Judge in South Carolina.
Converse sits on 70 acres at the intersection of East Main Street and St. John Street, on Spartanburg’s east side. It’s eight main buildings were built between 1891 and 1915, and include Wilson Hall, Pell Hall, Twichell Auditorium (if you have never seen/heard a pipe organ, this is a must!), Carnegie Library, Cleveland House, Judd Science Library, Dexter Hall, and Towne House.
The Converse College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
In 1890, full tuition was $110 to $120, depending on courses. Included in the tuition was board, lights, fuel, servant’s attendance, furnished room, and instruction in singing, gymnastics, and freehand drawing. By comparison, today’s annual tuition is $28,000, $1,000 in fees, $9,000 room and board (no servants), and $1,200 for books and supplies.
Fun factoid: Converse was built on the site of St. John’s College, which is where St. John Street gets its name!