The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-08-21
For the Standard.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH-CAROLINA.

For the Standard
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH-CAROLINA.
It would seem that the old regime can not
hold any thing together. They have had the
control and benefit of almost everything,
and on all sides, they are tumbling to pieces
before the progressive spirit of the age. The
University is in trouble, isit2 Of course it
is, and never would have been otherwise. if
ithad been compelled to live upon its own
merits. 1t has been held up by the force of
the State, and by . prescriptivc public opin-
lon. 1t IS common now in many sections to
hear itdecried and called fossiliferoua. There
has not been time in the last fifteen years
that it could have stood by merit. The
course of study actually pursued has never
been extensive, and the mode of instruction
belongs to the antique The Faculty are
scholars and gentlemen, but Chapel Hill has
felt SO secure and SO elevated in the enormous
presumption its friends have thrown around
it, that the whole affair is behind the age. Its
excellence has been created by statute and
appropriation, and its fame has rested large
ly upon printers ink and Presidential visits.
But it should be saved, not ruined It is not
hopeless. 1t belongs to the State, hence, we
may all speak and give our opinions pub
licly.
6 Let it be reorganized, vitalized, rescued
from its difficulties and built up.
1. Let that old Executive Committee re-
tire. They did very well in their day, but
that is past. They could persuade Jefferson
Davis to exempt their students, but they can
not induce the spirit of these times to en-
dorse their policy.
2. 1t is presumed Gov. Swain will retire.
Let him do so with honor differ from him
in many things, hut he deserves well of his
age. Elect scholar and suitable man for
President; not a politician, for they have
ruled and ruined us generally; political pop
ularity adds nothing to q College, but inevi
tably harms it in the end; not . military
man, fol that in every way is absurd, and
already its folly is appearing conspicuously
at Lexington, Va. not q Minister Of the Cos
pei, they neither suit such position nor does
such position suit them; there is not case in
America where such appointments have not
been injurious. Now the above three char
acters are the very ones the Trustees are urg-
ing, and hence, in spite of all reason and ex-
pericnce, they are striving to do a foolish
thing. Of the four men mentioned in pri-
vate circles, there is not one who is suitable,
or who could get forty votes in the next Leg
islature for that position The friends of the
University will have enough difficulty to
save it from ruin when the next Convention
assemblies, without any foolish bIunders of
the Trustees tell you, gentlemen, the
country is discussing the University gener-
ally; they all remember those appropriations
and that land scrip. Better pause and think
twice. You may not like the storm, still
you had better trim your sails with refer
ence to it.
s. Reorganize the Faculty, reduce it to
about half its present size, let the old Pro-
fessors either retire or having laid aside that
peculiar. exclusive stiffness, let them 60 to
work like other mortals. Let them remem-
Der not the rock whence they were hewn, but
the wall into which the genius of the 10th
century has built them.
4. Let the expenses be reduced All that
hollow pomp is some years after date. Such
style of living virtually excludes the masses,
and that will not be tolerated To spend a
thousand dollars upon Commencement is
ridiculous and wicked. The University
must be available to the average property
owners in the land; if it is not, it will not
live five years.
5. The government must be reformed =
Literary Societies and clubs have ruled too
long. The reputation for morals is bad
That should cease. When the students get
on the cars, they must behaye themselves
When new students go, they must not be
BACKED and injured That annual bull must
come to an end. Every one may dance in
his own house. if he chooses, but he has no
right to have an official dance at the Univer-
sity; the majority of the owners of that in
stitution do not believe in dancing. Before
many months, these sentiments will be spo-
ken in the Capitol.
The course of study should be revised and
enlarged; now, it is antique and meagre,
very considerably less than Trinity or Da
wilson, and scarcely equal to first class
College
Let this be done, and let US save the Uni
versity. The debt is said to be $115, 900.
Let us pay it. We can do it, and we ought
to do it. 1t was foolishly made, but let us
bravely pay it. I,pay from $50 to 500 tax
annually, and will pay my part. Let US
have the reform, or absolutely put an end to
the University. If no reform is possible, I
am for total destruction. Give us the re-
form above named, and am for paying the
debt and making all necessary appropria-
tons. ALUMNUS.
For the Standard.
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