Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-06-04
NO. 10.
GOV. SWANS ADMINISTRATION.

think that IN reviewing his administration,
even when most inclined to criticise him
self severely, he ever regretted that he had
leaned too much to mercy's side. He
thought that for the going there was always
hope, and he shrank from branding the
opening of young life with the sentence
OF expulsion or dismission in disgrace from
college. He would condescend to an erring
boy rather than give him up. Those. how
ever, who presumed on this we'll known dis
position of his found that when he did pro-
nounce sentence no man could do it with
more dignity or just severity. Yet he always
kept his temper.
One of the many instances Of his long
suffering towards offenders, which some
called temporizing, lowering the dignity
of his Office, and the like, came under my
notice fifteen OF twenty years
ago.
THE MI>SISSIPPTAN.
A student from the Southwest, who had
for several sessions maintained a high rank
as student and gentleman, began in the
Junior year to fall off, and go wrong. Re
monstrance and advice, and the milder
measures of discipline having one after
another failed, the Faculty sent homo re-
port which spoke faithfully of the decline.
This the youth-as college boys will do
felt the justice OF it. He accused the Pro
fessors of partiality, Unfair dealing, injus-
tice. &C., and left college in high dudgeon.
The Professors generally felt his departure
a relief. His talents were SO considerable,
and his influence SO great that he had be-
come an III Jury to others, as we'll as a thorn
in their sides. But Gov. Swain grieved
over the lost boy like father over his son.
He thought only of his former promise,
and what he might yet be if he conld be
reached. He wrote to him, but the reply
received would have discouraged any other
man from further attempts. The Governor
then interested a lady i'll the case who only
knew the young man by reputation, hav
ing never seen him then or, at any time
since. She wrote him, at Gov. SWANS in
stance, such letter Of friendly ren4on-
STRANGE and Of kindly appeal to his am
bition and all his better feelings, as only
a woman can write a letter that brought
and a penitent and apologize reply
to Gov. Swain, and brought the
student himself next session, resolved to
begin anew. And he did, graduating in
a year or two of distinction, and the re-
spect of all his teachers, and returning
home to begin life fairly and well-the
pride of his family. Gov. Swain thought
such an effort as this worth making. He
would congratulate himself all his life up
on such an issue.
AS TO SCHOLARSHIPS.
Gov. Swain, / know, resisted some of
the members of his Faculty ln certain pro-
posed changes and notifications in the
plan of study and the amount required -
He had many ways of avoiding what he
did not like to do, or have done, 1t must
be remem bered, in estimating him here,
that he was not a 60okish man. He Was
in all his beliefs and modes of
action man of the world. What power
he had, and he had a great deal, was of
his own acquisition among men more than
among books. [ think it very likely that
he did undervalue the discipline of mere
hard study and patient thought. He liked
sympathy with scholarship per- Sc, as a
source Of "sweetness and light" He set
no great valuo upon Accommodations of
books. He did not amass much of such
" dead capital for himself; he did not
the University to do SO. The
and Library remains now as to
numbers and value pretty much as Dr..
Caldwell left it, with the exception of the
addition made when the University pur-
chased DR.. Mitchelps Library after his
death. It is valuable collection of
some seven thousand volumes, but their
value is mainly of forty years ago. There
was certainly harder study required in DIR.
Caldwell's day and closer teaching of text
books--but under Gov. Swain the teach
ing was more 0bjectiUe-had more breadth.
When he used books he used them with
great power. He would sec at glance and
take up and handle with ease principles
and deductions that other men would mas
ter only after much labor.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Many invaluable improvements and reg
ulatiOns were introduced under Governor
SWANS influence. He instituted a con-
nected record of Faculty proceedings an
uninterrupted series of reports to the Trus-
tees twice year-regular quarterly reports
on scholarship and deportnen t recorded at
the University, and also sent home to par
ents and guardians-written examinations
which gradually increased in length and
in strictness. He also introdu-
ced the regular weekly Faculty meetings.
and after time caused that they be open
ed with prayer At these meetings the
College roll was always read twice, once
for absences aud once for general or spe
cifc remarks. They were held every
Friday night, and at first from house to
house of the President and Professors
Cake and wine and fruits were always pro-
vided as a wind-up to faculty meeting
for many years, till the Temperance move
ment throughout the country led to the
of this part of the exer-
cises At this day We can hardly realize
how universal the practice of using stimu-
lants was in the last generation. L have
heard old inhabitants say that when Dr.
Caldwell went out to oversee clearing he
would carry jug of whiskey along for the
hands.
VISITING THE STUDENTS
One of Gov. SWANS most valuable regu-
lations was his inducing the Faculty to
take weekly turns in visiting the students
at night at their rooms. in semi-otficial,
semi.social way. In the performance of
this duty there were. of course, many OPP
portunities of close observation-closera &C
quaintance with the young men. The
social intercourse was Of advantage to both
student and Professor, bringing them into
more forcible relations with, and better