The Farm was a part of Winthrop from 1895 to 1957. Designed to supply food for the College, it also provided an observational classroom for students, and interaction with the community through surplus sales. A brief history of the farm will be presented and a panel will discuss the farm\u27s impact on the Winthrop and Rock Hill communities

Ford, Polly

Hardin, Walter

White, Gina P.

English

Winthrop University

The Winthrop College Farm: Nutrition, Nourishment, and Knowledge History of the Farm and Panel Discussion on impact on Winthrop and the Surrounding Community  The Farm was a part of Winthrop from the school’s move from Columbia to Rock Hill in 1895. The 144 acres belonged to Winthrop, was less than a mile from the school and was designed to supply vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pork, beef, and other victuals in order to “cheapen the cost of board to the pupils and to add to their comfort and health.” Additionally, the Farm provided an observational classroom for Winthrop students to gain knowledge in a variety of subjects including Domestic Science and the biological sciences. Rock Hill and the surrounding community reaped benefits from the Farm through purchasing surplus including butter, eggs, vegetables and the famous Winthrop ice cream produced at the Farm’s creamery.  All food producing activities at the Farm had ceased by 1957. The College found a new use for the Farm creating a recreational area in the late 1950s and later adding the athletic components seen today. For over 60 years, the Farm was a vital part of the College and the community; providing nutrition, nourishment, and knowledge.  Gina Price White, Director of Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop will give a brief history of the Winthrop Farm including photographs and film clips. A 1983 Winthrop graduate, she worked as local history archivist at the Chester Co. Library before returning to Winthrop as Asst. Archivist in 1986, becoming Director in 2003.    The Panel, made up of alumni, and retired staff and faculty, will discuss the history and impact of the Farm on the Winthrop and Rock Hill communities. Gina White will moderate the 3-5 member panel.   Panel members (thus far)   Dr. Polly Ford, retired Winthrop Physical Education professor, grew up a couple of blocks from Winthrop’s campus and attended Winthrop Training School, kindergarten through high school, graduating in 1944. She graduated from Winthrop in 1948. After earning her Master’s degree from the University of Illinois and PhD from the University of Iowa, she returned to Winthrop as a Professor of Physical Education in 1960 becoming chair of the department in 1962. She retired from Winthrop in 1984 and was a Winthrop Board of Trustee member 2003-2006.    Walter Hardin, retired Winthrop Assoc. V. Pres. of Facilities Management was raised two blocks from the Winthrop campus. He attended Macfeat Nursery School and Winthrop Training School until 1968, when it closed. His grandfather was Dr. Walter B. Roberts, Music Dept. chair 1925-1958. After graduating from college, Walter joined his family’s business building truck bodies doing sales, drafting, supervising, designing, personnel, etc. He decided he needed to find another line of work, sold the business, and looked for another job immediately thinking of “the other family business” Winthrop. He joined Winthrop as Asst. Dir. of the Physical Plant in March 1987, was promoted to Director in April 1988, and Assoc. V. P. in 1999. Walter is a wealth of information concerning Winthrop and Rock Hill history. 

The Winthrop College Farm: Nutrition, Nourishment, and Knowledge

https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1072&context=interdisciplinary_conference

The Winthrop College Farm: Nutrition, Nourishment, and Knowledge

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