DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS			Joyce Guyette
ERSKINE COLLEGE					Telephone: 864-379-8858
DUE WEST, SC					June 29, 1997
SUBJECT:

for immediate release

DUE WEST, SC - Erskine College took another step toward realizing the dream of a new science building for the 158-year-old institution with a groundbreaking ceremony held today on the Bonner Street site selected for the planned "Center for Science and Values."

The fund-raising campaign for the $7 million building has reached the goal of construction cost minus $650,000 during the advanced gifts phase. More than $826,000 has also been raised toward a $3 million endowment for the upkeep of the building.

Construction is slated to begin next month, with completion scheduled for July 1998, according to Robert L. Moultrie, president of Facility Group in Atlanta, in charge of the project.

Presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony was Dr. James P. Pressly, Science Building Campaign Co-Chairman. Dr. W. Chapman Lauderdale, a member of the Science Building Steering Committee, delivered the invocation, which concluded with the Lord's Prayer.

Dr. James W. Strobel, President of Erskine College and Seminary, welcomed those attending and John T. Moore, outgoing chairman of the Erskine College Board of Trustees, gave a brief history of the science building project.

Moore acknowledged the contributions of Mr. Wiley Blanton and former Alumni Director Mrs. Winnie Phillips, whom he described as having helped lay the foundation for the project through their leadership and commitment. He also recognized Sherry Smith, who formerly coordinated the campaign, but left before its completion. "Somebody has to put the train on the track," said Moore.

Moore recalled how President Strobel and William Patrick of Greenwood, a Steering Committee member, took Robert Moultrie to see the film "Field of Dreams" and bought him a giant-sized "Jolt Cola," joking that after consuming that amount of caffeine, "You don't sleep for days." After this experience, said Moore, Moultrie just kept saying of the proposed science facility, "Build it, they'll come ... Build it, they'll come."

On a more serious note, Moore remembered the late science faculty member Dr. E.L. Reid, who was at Erskine for 62 years, influencing countless students during his time at the college. Expressing gratitude for the excellence of the Erskine faculty, Moore cited "a continuing tradition of quality education and loving Christian people to train our youth."

Robert L. Moultrie, Capital Campaign Chairman, spoke of the commitment required to see through such a large undertaking. "If you believe in something, you need to put yourself into it," he said. He gave special recognition to Donya Green and Ron Sineway of the staff at Facility Group. Green agreed to chair a Marketing Committee for Erskine and Sineway is in charge of architecture for the new facility. He also recognized those who will be in charge at the building site.

Moultrie stressed the importance of "values," expressed in the name given to the new science building, "Center for Science and Values." The Erskine science faculty, he said, has "always taught not just science but values as well."

Campaign Co-Chairman Dr. James P. Ashburn said that this special groundbreaking day was "the result of a lot of hard work" and asked for prayer as construction on the building begins and fund-raising continues.

Ashburn acknowledged the importance of the unrestricted gift by the late Mrs. H.M. Daniel of Greenville to the college, which gave tremendous impetus to the science building plans as well as other worthwhile projects on the campus.

On behalf of Robert Moultrie, Ashburn presented a commemorative shovel inscribed with the date of the groundbreaking ceremony to Erskine College Vice President and Dean of the College Dr. James Gettys, Professor of Biology Dr. Jan Haldeman, Professor of Chemistry Dr. Howard Thomas, and Student Government Association President Chris Perrin.

Dr. Gettys recognized Mrs. Beth Sloan Clarke, daughter of longtime Professor of Chemistry and Dean of the College Dr. E.A. Sloan, and Dr. G. Gordon Parkinson, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Physics, in the audience and acknowledged the contributions of Mrs. Clarke's father and Dr. Parkinson.

Dr. Pressly, speaking about future plans, described the next two phases of the Science Building Campaign, the solicitation of alumni who were science majors, headed by Dr. Mabel Purkerson and Dr. Jane B. Jennings, and the general phase, in which the remainder of the needed funds will be sought.

Student Government Association President Chris Perrin thanked the Board of Trustees and outgoing chairman John Moore for all their efforts and praised what he called the "bold decision" they took in planning for the new science facility. The audience laughed appreciatively when Perrin thanked "those who have given and those who don't yet know they'll be giving." He further challenged Erskine to continue bringing in "the best students, the students who will make the difference at Erskine."

The actual groundbreaking was accomplished easily with shovels shared by President James Strobel, Campaign Co-Chairmen Pressly and Ashburn, Robert Moultrie, and John Moore. "If this is what it takes to build a new science facility," said Strobel,"then we're on our way!"

President Strobel asked the campaign staff to come forward, introducing director Lee W. Logan, who is also a Vice President at Erskine, coordinator John D. Saffold, and secretary Kathy Banks.

Logan, asked by Strobel to say a few words, said it was gratifying to see so many who "care about students, care about faculty, and care about what happens on the campus."

He noted that when he and others at Erskine need encouragement, "There are two ways to get our batteries chargedÑone is to go out on the campus and be with the students ... The other is to go to a Living Endowment meeting or an Alumni Chapter meeting ... Your smiles encourage us."

Closing with a benediction, Dr. Lauderdale prayed for the wisdom which begins with the fear of the Lord and asked protection and safety for those involved in the construction of the new building. A reception on the grounds followed the ceremony.

A CD-Rom presentation about Erskine's campaign for the Center for Science and Values is now available. If you have a CD-Rom Drive and would like a copy of the CD, please e-mail Jason Peevy at peevy@erskine.edu or call him at 864-379-8790.