[4] The move drew opposition from state government officials, notably George Tillman, who saw Clemson's place as a vocational training institute, rather than a fully-fledged college.

[5] Craighead oversaw the continued development of the college and its services: a laundry, mess hall, infirmary, library, and student literary societies were all established in his first year.

[8] The Experiment Station, under Clemson's purview, also received increased funding to expand programs and literature for the state's farmers.

Despite the extension program expansion, declining enrollment left Craighead's performance vulnerable to criticism, again led by George Tillman.

Tillman charged that too much focus was being put onto liberal arts and military training, at the expense of the school's mission of agricultural and mechanical education.