Date
12-19-2024
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
Chair
Mary Ogden
Keywords
Southern Military Tradition, Southern Military Schools, National Reconciliation, Southern Progressivism, World War I in South Carolina
Disciplines
History
Recommended Citation
Davis, Jesse, "Progress & Reconciliation: The Legacy of the Southern Military Tradition at the Carlisle School (1892 - 1930)" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6409.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6409
Abstract
This dissertation examines the evolution of southern progressivism and national reconciliation from 1892 to 1930 through the lens of the Carlisle Military School in Bamberg, South Carolina. By analyzing archival documents related to the school's history and local newspapers from Bamberg County, this research reveals how southern progressivism influenced changes in the school's mission and the actions of its leadership leading up to World War I. The study highlights how South Carolina and Bamberg County played pivotal roles in advancing national reconciliation through programs and evolving missions at the Carlisle Military School. The years surrounding World War I acted as a catalyst for transformation, shifting the military tradition of South Carolina and the Carlisle Military School from a regional focus to a national framework. In 1917, Carlisle emerged as a tool of reconciliation, adapting its deep southern military traditions to uniquely national ideals. Changes at the Carlisle Military School continued into the 1920s, aligning its traditions with national values while preserving the integrity of the southern military ethos. The school's consistent support of the southern military tradition exemplifies a crucial aspect of southern progressivism: the reconciliation of tradition and progress amidst regional integration into the nation.
