“S” is for Spartanburg Methodist College

“S” is for Spartanburg Methodist College. The college traces its origins to the Textile Industrial Institute (TII), founded in 1911 by David English Camak then pastor of Duncan Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South in the Spartan Mill Village. Concerned with the plight of southern cotton textile workers Camak determined to devote his life to ministry among mill workers. He persuaded the president of Spartan Mill to provide space near the church for an elementary and secondary school. In 1927 TII began to offer the first two years of college level work, preparing students for transfer to four year institutions or for immediate employment. Because of the increasing availability of public schools to the families of textile workers, TII dropped high school courses in 1940. In 1942 the institution became Spartanburg Junior College until 1974 when it became Spartanburg Methodist College.