Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina. Office of the Commandant.

Military Science was established as an integral part of the academic curriculum of Clemson University beginning in 1893 with the institution's first fulltime academic year of operation. The following extracts from the "Regulations for the Government of Cadets" explain the organization and mode of government of the corps.

"1. The President of the College shall have the general command and government of the institution, watching over its administration, discipline and instruction."

"2. The Commandant of Cadets, under the President of the College, has immediate command and control of the Corps of Cadets in all that pertains to its organization, drill, military police, discipline and administration. He is charged with the instruction of the cadets in the theoretical military course and in all practical military exercises. He will prescribe the order in which the furniture, bedding, books, clothing, equipments, etc., shall be arranged throughout the barracks, and shall, in person, make a minute and thorough inspection of the rooms, furniture, arms and accoutrements, etc., of the cadets at least once each week, and make a report hereon to the President."

Under the provisions of the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, the War Department established at Clemson College an infantry unit of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Commandants were T.Q. Donaldson, Jr., 1894-1896; Ezra Bond Fuller, 1896-1898; A.G. Shanklin, Acting Commandant, 1898-1901; Edgar Alexander Sirmanyer, 1902-1904; Charles Donald Clay, 1904-1907; Joseph C. Minus, 1907-1909; Andrew Bramlett, Acting Commandant, 1909; Marcus Butler Stokes, 1909-1912; Joseph Michael Cummins; Ralph Allen Jones, 1916-1917; Henry F. McFeeley, 1917-1919; Joseph Michael Cummins, 1919-1921; Madison Pearson, 1921-1924; Otis Robert Cole, 1924-1928; Fred L. Munson, 1928-1932; R. John West, 1932-1936; T.S. Moorman, 1936; Charles Warren Weeks, 1936-1939; Herbert Marshall Pool, 1939-1943; William Alexander Cunningham, 1943-1946; Albert Jerome Thackston, Jr., Acting Commandant, May 1, 1946; Albert Jerome Thackston, Jr., Sept. 1946-June 30, 1948; W.S. Morris, 1948; Forrest Eugene Cookson, Sept. 1949-Feb. 1954; Richard Joseph Werner, Mar. 1954-Jan. 18, 1955; Lloyd H. Tull, Feb. 5, 1955. In 1955, the trustees of Clemson College took steps toward becoming a full university resulting in the Corps of Cadets being abolished. The ROTC basic program remained mandatory for only freshmen and sophomore males until 1969. For those students who matriculated initially at Clemson after the spring semester 1970, ROTC was no longer a requirement for graduation.

From the description of Office of the Commandant, bulletins, memorandums, orders, 1927-1952. (Clemson University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 213449251