Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-16
From the Raleigh Sentinel.
zen and Ink Sketches Of the Universe
~ of North Carolina, as il Has Been
ovnrcATED To THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE, AND
TO THE ALUMNI OF THE UNIVERSITY
NO. 10.
THE APPROPRIATIONS.

THE APPROPRIATIONS.
Gov. Swain never liked to ask for help
he did so now with extreme reluctance
But once before in it's history had the Col
lpne received such aid from the State. In
1871 SO, 900 had been loaned it, and this
sum was afterwards converted into Il gift.
The 81, 900, now asked for at an interval
# considerably more than hale century,
would make the sum of all that the State
has ever given its University $l7, 600 1t
would be instructive and suggestive to ask
what the Universities of South Carolina
and Virginia have cost their respective
States aud how much, dnHtdHy, has been
bestowed Oh them. Ours has received but
81, coo in the course of seventyfOur years,
and meanwhile has earned and invested
IN buildings for the State 800, 900, be-
sides educating free, hundreds of her
sons. Such facts cannot be repeated too
often.
To show how little, ont of a certain
circle, has really been known Of the Uni
versity and its doings, when the fact Of its
beneficiary system was stated III the House
of Commons, one of the members, an old
man, rose and questioned 1t, saying that
lie had mover heard of 1t. He was an
swered by another member, a graduate,
who very gracefully and handsomely
vouched for the fact, he, himself, having
received his education as a gift from the
University.
Tho $1,000 was granted cordially, and It
was said, the Governor might have had
$40, 900 if he had asked for it. Bus he was
not one to tax the generosity of the State,
and he never wanted the people Of North
Carolina TO feel that their University was
4 burden upon them. 1t had always been
independent under his management. anal
lie only hoped that he might live to sec II
again launched on a prosperous career.
That day, alas lie never saw.
BREAKING Up.
In March, 1867, the chair OF Mathc
matics and Astronomy suddenly became
vacant Tho oldest member Of the Facul
Il, and who had been longer connected
With the College than any other man since
h5 foundation, was gathered up as Il SHOCK
al corn fully ripe. Dr. Phillips fell dead
Dn the roatrum Of the Chapel ut morning
prayers, with his recitation room key, anC
pierce'a flame and Solid Geometry in his
hand.
In 1865 Prof. Hepburn, who filed the
chair of Logic, Rhetoric and Metaphysics
had obtained Through from the Trustees
that he might spend IL year of study i'll
Europe In 1866 he had returned. Ia the
spring of 1867 he rendered his resignation
having come to the conclusion that the
University could not, without a thorough
reorganization, regain its lost footing with
the public. Besides, the income that il
was giving would not support his family
With the same views Prof. Martin, Of the
Department of Chemistry, also resigned
his chair in the course Of that summer
Both these young men were Il severe loss
they would have given character and rep
utatIon to any institution with which they
were connected.
Iu 1866 Mr.. Pool, adjunct Professor OF
Mathematics had resigned to take tha
office in the Internal Revenue Bureau
which he yet holds.
THE RESIGNATION OF ALL.
There now remained only the President
aud four Professors, DIR. Hubbard, Profs
tetter, Phillips and Smith. Judge Battle
still continuing his Law SchOOl.) These
gentlemen, feeling that with College
numbering less than 100 students, the pub
tic was holding them responsible, and feel
ing that they had done all that could be
required and more, and willing that new
men and measures should now be tried or
al Institution to which they had devoted
the best years OF their lives, resigned in
body III the fall of '67. These designations
accepted by the Trustees at theil
meeting In November.
POPULAR IDEAS.
1t cannot be denied that at the close Ol
the war all our Literary Institutions took
more or less of Political, or at any rate,
Sectional complexion. The election OF
Gen. Lee to the Presidency of Washington
College, had the effect to draw thither such
an overwhelming crowd OF students that ii
seemed to become necessary to the exist
ence and prosperity Cf all our Colleges
that they should take en- warm Southern
tone, and identity themselves, if possible,
more than ever with the Lost Cause, by
assOciating with them those who had been
prominent in our army. 1t had very soon
begun TO be openly said that all that
Chapel Hill needed was to have Gen. 10.
johnston or some other one OF our South
ern heroes placed at its head. People did
not seem IL care whether the man was q
scholar or not, SO that he had fought gal
lantly on our side. Coy. Swain resisted
all such quasi military views, as he had re-
sisted the plan of Introducing military
features in the College course during the
war. Nevertheless it was certainly the
popular idea OF the day. Gov Swain was
assalied by certain Press "a an old fogy,
fossil, who, with his colleagues, should
be forced to give way to moro wide awake
and truly Southern patriotic men. After
Tour years Of war it seemed too tame q
proceeding to put on the scholars simple
garb and return quietly to the old ways,
me me OLD studies, the old moderation. The
oiu Professors were voted slow-the old
methods behind the age. People forgot
that 1t takes time to grow an efficient. ey-
Perenced an able College officer A great
and successful working Institution is as
much the work OF years as the Literature
OF country. We cannot have Southern
Literature merely by resolving on it, and
starting Magazines and Reviews, and vr
cannot make living College merely by
electlng new Professors and buying new
apparatus.
III. I.ANDSCRTP
The influences that were agitating men,
mlnds and weakening the hold of tn,
Faculty on public favor might have beer
overcome by time and its inevitable reac
IONS, anil especially by the iudicious in
termlngling among them of new element,
new officers and fresh Attractions
Inns the poverty of the Institution pre-
vented