Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-23
CoMMUNICATED.
THE UNIVERSITY.
NO, /.

alarm in the minds of its Macy friends.
We cannot readily believe that there has
been falling off III the quality Of the in
struction given them, or any injurious
change in the character of it's discipline
The same Professors have charge of its in
terests now, who in former years raised this
Institution to the foremost rank among the
Colleges of the country; and no one has
charged that they have become less COM
petent or less faithful to, their duties /; and
surely their firm standing at their posts at
the cost OF no slight endurance and self-sa-
crifce ; their resolute purpose to guard the
| high trust which the State had put in their
hands, and keep it in safety through the
perils of the war, and through the fewer
perils and no slighter hardships of the
years that have followed, ought to win for
| them the respect and confidence of all our
people. That, however, the Institution
has not advanced in prosperity as its friends
have wished, is only too we'll known. On
the contrary, strange as it may seem, it has
become rather a popular thing to decry
and denounce it. Ten years ago North
Carolina was proud of her University ;
within very few years, mainly since the
war, there has come forth a sort CT hue and
cry against it, which, if unchecked, must
speedily destroy it. Those who know the
facts, are aware that this cutlery is a kind
of panic, the grounds Of which very few Of
those who repeat it have any knowledge of;
and yet for that very reason its influence is
harder to resist, and its wider spread more
difficult to prevent Many, no doubt, of
the suspicious that are uttered against it
are very gross e1aggerations many are ut
terly unreasonable, and should have no
weight while not a few, probably, are SIM
ply false. When our people come, as some
day they will come, to think of tnis matter
without prejudice or passion, they will, it
is likely, smile at their own credulity, I'M
less indeed they shall have occasion to re-
greet that their too easy faith and readiness
to hear of evil then shall have brought to
ruin-as it has certainly already deeply i'm
periied-a great public interest which has
been dear to the hearts of many, and which
has most close and profound connections
with the best welfare of us all.
But do not intend to discuss the causes,
real or alleged only, of q state of things
which every true patriot, as well as every
lover of learning, ought most seriously to
deplore. [ would rather offer some sugges-
tions which may serve to remedy this evil,
b ~ olu
a genuine culture among us. 1t seems to
me that Of all times ROW is Tie time to con-
slider and decide the question what the
University of North Carolina ought to be.
What sort of University ought to be in
North Carolina ? Among the manifold
questions that now agitate the public mind
is there one more momentous than this :?
This is al era Of change and reconstruct
ton. We have out-grown the garment
that once sat easily upon u.s. New notions
have started up, and demand recognition,
and wants unknown to our fathers have
disclosed themselves OF late. We are even
now called upon to alter the fundamental
principles of the polity under which we
surrender the prosperity of the coming gen
Grafton to the doubtful working of untried
methods, and which to many are unwel-
come. Our souls are disquieted perpetu-
ally with thoughts-they may be of hope,
or of dread, any way not unmingled with
alarm-of changes whose issue we can only
doubtfully anticipate, and which, at best,
are hardly short Of revolution. Such
thoughts have filled up our whole field of
vision, and have unhappily shut out of
sight almost entirely the no less important
subject, and no less calling for our pro-
found consideration, of the education of
our people. This latter topic has been con-
considered of less pressing moment, and so
has been put off till the overhanging storm
has passed. And, perhaps for this reason,
also, men have shown themselves cold and
Indifferent when the claims of the Univer-
sity have been urged upon them.
And yet, no thoughtful man can doubt
that the question, what sort of education is
to be provided for the generation yet to
come in North Carolina, is at least of equal
importance with that which touches the ex-
tent of the right of voting. Nor can one
justly esteem it of less Immediate conse-
quence, for no other subject of general in
terest to our people is in condition of SO
utter disorganization as is that of general
education. There is no longer system of
Common Schools, and the various academies
and colleges in the State have no fixed re-
lation to each other, Or to the common end
which they ought all to serve, and there is
no where a common OF central power that
should control and practically methodize
them all. Of course all is now in confusion.
In confusion it is like to remain until the
State shall adopt and enforce some system,
that shall embrace all methods of instruc-
ton, and provide for all the educational
wants of the people. In such a system
plainly, the University ought to be that
central, regulative power, virtually though
not formally guiding, controlling, fashion
ing all the rest. Such will be hereafter,
IL Al y