The University of South Carolina came first.
The Palmetto State established South Carolina College — the precursor to the University of South Carolina — on Dec. 19, 1801, as part of an effort to unite South Carolinians in the wake of the American Revolution. South Carolina's leaders saw the new college as a way to promote "the good order and harmony" of the state.
The founding of South Carolina College was also a part of the Southern public college movement spurred by Thomas Jefferson. Within 20 years of one another, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia established state-supported colleges.
When University of Southern California first opened its doors to 53 students and 10 teachers in 1880, the “city” still lacked paved streets, electric lights, telephones and a reliable fire alarm system. Today, USC is home to more than 44,000 students and over 4,800 full-time faculty, and is located in the heart of one of the biggest metropolises in the world.
In latest buzz, Los Angeles police said they found no evidence of a shooting on the USC campus Monday after reports of gunfire prompted a lockdown and a substantial LAPD response. “No danger to community,” the Los Angeles Police Department said on Twitter after completing a search of campus buildings.
Public safety officials said evacuations were prompted by a false report that came in shortly after noon. John Thomas, head of USC’s Department of Public Safety, said in an emailed statement, “It was reported a faculty member during class falsely told her students there was an active shooter in the building.” Read more at Los Angeles Times.