Remembering the Days: A USC Podcast

The grass whisperer, Sarge Frye

Sarge Frye knew how to make grass grow, and for five decades he made sure the University of South Carolina's athletic fields were green and trimmed. But much more than that, Sarge had a heart for people and connected with everyone he met. It's why his name continues to be synonymous with Gamecock sports. 

Man for all seasons: President Tom Jones

The third-longest serving president in the history of the university, Tom Jones led Carolina during a period of unprecedented growth, both in student enrollment and campus expansion. And he did it during a tumultuous era of Vietnam War protests and a rapidly changing society. 

Sweet friends: Arpad Darazs and the Concert Choir

Nearly 60 years ago, a Hungarian-born choral conductor named Arpad Darazs launched the University of South Carolina's  Concert Choir, which quickly earned a reputation for its musical prowess. Darazs is long gone but the Concert Choir remains the university's premier choral group, and Darazs' former students remain stalwart fans.

Homesick, lovesick and out of money: student letters from yesteryear

No one writes letters much anymore, but back in the day, University of South Carolina students wrote letters to home as frequently as today's students send texts on their phones. Technology changes, but one thing remains constant: college students always need more money.

Once and future treasure: the South Caroliniana Library

Built in 1840 as the nation's first freestanding collegiate library, the South Caroliniana Library is now the repository for a vast collection of materials that capture the culture and history of the Palmetto State. Massive renovations at the library promise to return the venerable building to its early glory and make it a more comfortable place for patrons to visit and use. 

Small-town girl makes big-time history

When Jotaka Eaddy arrived at the university from her rural dirt-road home in the Pee Dee, she quickly joined several organizations, including Student Government. By her junior year, the small-town girl was making a big splash — and making history. 

#UofSCLove: A Valentine’s Day edition of campus love

Cupid's arrows find their mark in this special Valentine's Day episode about eight couples who fell in love on the University of South Carolina campus. 

The lecture hall that never was

Intended as a large lecture hall when it was built in 1855, the building we now know as Longstreet Theater never lived up to its intended purpose. Poor acoustics turned it into an echo chamber that was ill-suited for almost any academic purpose. But an engineering miracle in the 1970s transformed the building into a premier stage for live theater.

The Great Biscuit Rebellion

For much of the first half of the 19th century, students at South Carolina College were not pleased with the quality of food served on campus. In 1852, the wormy biscuits and rancid meat were too much to stomach, so the students issued an ultimatum — that ultimately gave them a case of indigestion.

JFK once slept here: Famous visitors on campus

JFK once had a bad night's rest in the President's House, and Burt Bacharach tickled the ivories there. Pope John Paul II addressed a crowd of thousands packed onto the Horseshoe. This trip down memory lane has us remembering some of the famous visitors who've come to campus over the years.