Learn about South Carolina. You may be surprised at what you'll find!
In addition to the topics below, you can also delve into South Carolina's history by visiting the Social Studies section.
Public schools observe John C. Calhoun's birthday, March 18, as South Carolina Day.
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Several generations of the St. Helena community attended the historic Penn School, established as one of the first schools for freed slaves. In the 1950s and 1960s, the site served as a safe retreat...
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Live oaks with broad, lumbering branches and beards of Spanish moss are a common sight in South Carolina’s coastal area. The tree’s resistance to wind and sea spray buffer the coast from seasonal...
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Is topiary an attempt to control nature or a form of expression using a nature-based medium? The word topiary is derived from the Greek root word, topias, meaning ornamental garden. An account by...
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A visit to the woodbarn of Tim Green, an artist who carves bowls.
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The Accessibility Project is an effort to reintroduce people to downtown Sumter by giving them a chance to experience art in public places. Many of the public art works are considered site-specific...
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Most common topiary plants are evergreen and have small, dense leaves and branches; such as boxwood, yew and holly bushes. But Pearl says, "Anything that can be pruned can be shaped," which explains...
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The key to creating topiary is pruning. Pruning is the process of cutting off leaves and branches to encourage new growth and shape old growth. During the growing season, pruning is a daily affair in...
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Many students had never explored Sumter's downtown area before participating in the Mosaic Garden project. Even fewer had heard the terms site-specific, topiary, and public art. The project...
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Tim Greene demonstrates the process of carving a bowl.
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A typical Phil Greene canoe is a Spotlight of exotic and indigenous woods that were cut, sanded, carved and refined for six months or more. The canoes combine sculptural details with practical design...
