Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College
|
|
The Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College is a historic log cabin.
|
|
 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 298 S. Poplar Street, Seneca, South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Built | 1937 |
| Architectural style | Log cabin |
| MPS | Faith Cabin Libraries in South Carolina 1932-ca.1960 MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000942 |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 2012 |
The Faith Cabin Library at Seneca Junior College is a historic log cabin in Seneca, South Carolina. It was built as a library for African American students during a time when they were not allowed to use most public libraries.
This special building was part of a larger project called the Faith Cabin Library program. Because of its importance, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 2012. This means it is officially recognized as a valuable part of American history.
Contents
The Story of Faith Cabin Libraries
In the early 1900s, life in the rural South was very different. Unfair laws known as segregation laws kept Black and white people separate. This meant that in many places, African Americans were not allowed to use the same schools, parks, or libraries as white people. As a result, most rural African American communities had no libraries at all.
An Idea from Two Friends
The Faith Cabin Library program was started by two childhood friends: Willie Lee Buffington, who was white, and Euriah Simpkins, who was an African American teacher. They wanted to provide books for communities that had none. They began by writing letters to churches, asking for book donations.
Their idea worked! A church in New York sent them about 1,000 books. With so many books, the community in Saluda, South Carolina, built the very first library building. A local woman said, "We didn't have money, all we had was faith." That's how the libraries got their name: Faith Cabin Libraries.
Spreading the Idea
Willie Lee Buffington went on to college and became a teacher at colleges that historically served Black students, like Benedict College and Paine College. He helped expand the library program, and soon there were about 30 Faith Cabin Libraries in South Carolina and 70 in Georgia.
Today, only a few of these special library buildings still exist in South Carolina. The library at Seneca Junior College is one of them.
The Seneca Junior College Library
This log cabin library was built in 1937 on the campus of Seneca Junior College. It was given a special name within the library system: the Oberlin Unit. This was to honor students from Oberlin College in Ohio who had donated books.
Sadly, the library was only open for about two years. The college had to close because of the Great Depression, a time when many people across the country lost their jobs and money.
What the Building Looks Like
The library is a T-shaped log cabin that sits on a stone foundation. It has a metal roof and a stone chimney on one side. The building has several windows to let in light for reading.
The other buildings of Seneca Junior College are no longer standing. A newer community center was built nearby in 1978, but the historic log cabin library is the only original structure left from the college.
