(left to right) Grace Lucile Hill, Leo Hill, and Eleanor Logan

Erskine Friends Of The Arts Outlines Vision For The Future

The Erskine College Friends of the Arts met Monday prior to the performance of the ballet "Coppelia," and the group heard from its new leadership about plans for the future, which could include a weeklong spring arts festival in Due West.

Erskine President Dr. John Carson welcomed the group to campus and said that a Friends of the Arts Executive Committee, a group of volunteer leaders, had been formed, with 1966 Erskine graduate Mac Frampton serving as chairman.

Frampton spoke to the group about his vision for the arts at Erskine, including a spring arts festival that would bring two to three major outdoor events to the campus each year.

"It would be a wonderful arts celebration for this community, and would attract others to come here and see what Erskine and Due West has to offer," Frampton said.

Frampton, who is a performing pianist, said he would also like to see a high-caliber piano competition associated with the event.

Frampton also said that South Carolina needs a state hall of fame for the arts, and he can’t think of a better place than Due West to house it.

"This is an ideal setting," Frampton said. "We should get the ball rolling on this before somebody else does."

According to Frampton, however, the main emphasis for the group now is to support a renovation and expansion project for Memorial Hall, Erskine’s music facility, that is in the planning stages.

Frampton said a campaign will begin soon to raise several million dollars for the project.

"A lot of wonderful things can happen here," he said.

Erskine Dean Dr. Don Weatherman passed out preliminary architectural designs for the Memorial Hall project, and called it "the most important thing we can do for the academic department at Erskine."

He said, "Memorial Hall is still a wonderful performance space but we need more room to teach. All of our music programs are growing, and this is a splendid plan worthy of our outstanding music faculty and students."

Memorial Hall, located on the Circle at Erskine, was built in 1912. The renovation plans call for an addition to the current structure that would include space for music lessons, practice rooms, and classrooms.

Music Department Chair Matt Manwarren was recognized by Carson at the meeting, and the Erskine president said that Manwarren would be inducted into the Harriet Pressly Smith Caldwell Endowed Professorship in Music at Erskine later this year.

(left to right) Margaret Blakely and the Rev. Dr. John T. West