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Town of Calhoun, South Carolina Oral History Collection

KellerW Cassette 2, Side 1

Media

Part of Interview: Keller, William B. "Judge"

Title

KellerW Cassette 2, Side 1

Source

William B. "Judge" Keller Interview

Date

1988-08-15

Description

Cassette 2

Side 1

00:07: Keller's store moved to its present location in 1918. The brick building was built in 1936 on the very same spot.

1:45: How both men came to be known as "Judge"--The students called Isaac Keller "Judge." This stems from an incident where a student complained to the Commandant that his cadet uniform didn't fit properly. The Commandant could find no wrong with the fit, and proclaimed that he should go down to Keller's and let him be the judge. The name stuck, and later William B. Keller inherited it the nickname from his father.

6:35: Mr. Keller finished Clemson with a degree in Chemistry in 1933. He got a job with Clemson testing soil samples at the soil lab. He then worked with the Chemistry Department at the Experiment Station until World War II started. After the war in 1946, he took over the everyday operation of the business. His father Isaac died in 1954.

9:53: The brick store is just over 50 years old in 1988. Mr. Keller describes how the store has always looked on the inside. The ceiling has a stamped metal pattern. The floors are wooden with what he refers to as a rip-saw pine pattern. There have always been display counters and show cases. These were purchased at a show case factory in Statesboro, NC. The carpentry work was done by a Mr. Brown of Pendleton, SC who was in some way associated with the college. The establishment has never used a cash register. Mr. Keller never used a credit system at the store, though his father Isaac did.

14:07: Mr. Keller "officially" retired in 1977, though he still often could be found working in the store. His son Isaac Keller II took over operation in 1977.

17:07: Megginson encourages Mr. Keller to describe the military atmosphere of Clemson College. Cadets had to wear their uniforms at all times. Drills were held three times per week. Chapel services were held on Tuesday's and Thursday's. Life was very regimented. Casual cloths could be worn in the barracks. Mr. Keller himself was a "day cadet," meaning that he lived at home. Reveille was played every morning and Taps was played at night. Cadets had to be in their rooms at 7:30pm to study until 11:00pm when lights out was called. In the mornings the cadets would march to breakfast at the central dining hall located in the no. 1 barracks. Harcomb and Schilleter were two men in charge of operations at the dining hall.

20:25: By the time Keller was a senior, there were enough "day students" to fill an entire company.

21:20: Cadets had to have a permit from the Commandants office in order to leave campus for the weekend.

22:40: The Commandants that Keller can remember are Colonel Munson, and "Whiskey" John West. The Commandants were not popular among the cadets because of the strict control that they enforced.

25:30: There were social activities such as dances held at the dining hall. The hall would be elaborately decorated for these events.

26:24: The first movie house was at the YMCA. These were silent films in Mr. Keller's youth. He states that a lady would play the piano to accompany the films. Tickets were perhaps $0.10 to $0.15. Mr. Keller believes the current location of the movie theater was built some time after World War II. He remembers Holtzendorff and "Shorty" Schilleter as being very popular individuals.

30:17: Audio ends.

Rights

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.