Without a Home
On November 28, 1940, The Tiger noted how the university was struggling with the 1941 budget and how the administration was unsure as to where the Thomas Clemson statue would go.
"Summer of fundraising"
Amid the mayhem of trying to determine a statue's location, the college was also still trying to fundraise to pay Davidson. As the image shows, different student organizations contributed to what they could for the construction of the statue.
"No ceremony for Thomas Clemson"
There is no evidence that there was a ceremony for the unveiling of the Thomas Clemson statue. As this letter from the Blue Key President Edgar Ross to J.C. Littlejohn shows, Davidson presented the university's statue on March 22, 1941. As Ross wrote, the university created a payment plan to pay Davidson for the statue. Realizing that the university was in dire straits financially, Davidson likely went ahead and presented the statue to the university.
"Payment Plan"
The statue finally has a home. After almost five years of debate, the statue now rests on Clemson University property (i.e., in front of Tilman Hall). But, as this letter by Davidson to J.C. Littlejohn shows, the college still had not paid him for the statue. According to this letter, the university had to set up a monthly payment plan to pay Davidson off.
"Abe Davidson's payment sheet"
As the pink note shows, the university paid Davidson off on December 1, 1941. Almost five years after he made the plaster casting of the statue.
