College educator’s early career days were in Oconee

The longest serving technical college president in South Carolina will be remembered in a service this weekend at Walhalla.  Tom Barton died at the start of the pandemic in March, and his family, until now, has delayed the farewell service.  Barton started served as the first president of Greenville Technical College in 1962 and held the job for 47 years until he retired in 2008.  In earlier years, Barton was superintendent of the former Salem schools in Oconee County.  His youngest daughter, Melita Graham of Greenville, says Saturday’s service for her father in Walhalla will be small and private. Besides a distinguished career in education, Barton was one of the more well-known alumni from the football teams coach by Clemson’s late Frank Howard.  And, according to the stories handed down from his time, as a quick and agile defensive player, came the nickname bestowed on Barton by his coach—the name of “Black Cat” Barton.  Daughter Graham says it’s a name that stuck with her father throughout his adult years.