Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-17
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VFKSITY.
The Charlotte Democrat is evidently
under a rnisapprehension as to the
election of Trustees of the University.
Commenting upon he charge If The
Oxford Iorchlight that Ito be TruS-
tee of the University you must ae
either immodest enough to solicit snch
a position or be lawyer and a poiitl-
clan," the Democrat says:
1--WE don't think the IbrchIight is
exactly correct, for it seems that The
qualification for a Trustee must b.
''grad nation" at Chapel Hill. It makes
no difference, whether sc can write and
spell correctiy-if he is so-called
graduate he can be a Trustee. No
''uncircumsizei /" individual Is allowed
place except N rare instances. But
no one should complain about such
empty honors."
AS we feel quite sure that the allie
CATION of favoritism in the selection OF
Trustees is the real motive, and not a
mere pretext for the Democrats CONS
ment, we take great pleasure in point
ing out to our contemporary its utter
inaccuracy.
After the amendment of 1873, in
reference to the University, became
part of the Constitution, the Legs
lature enacted that the new board of
trustees should consist OF "a members,
and on the appointed day proceeded to
elect them. Of the "a gentlemen then
elected %, if we are correctlyinformed.
had never graduated at Chapel Hill.
The JOURNAL is friend to the cause
of education in North Carolina. and
friend to ali who seek to advance that
cause, whether their efforts be directed
to our public 'mmon schools, to
our private acad. mics, to our denomI-
national colleges, or to our UNI
versiEy. We regret that all men
are not like us. in this re- pect
at least. But so are they not. The
University of North Carolina, strange
to say, has North Carol1nians for enc
mics. To all such we have, as friend
of the University, to say this: Make
your attacks as the Democrat does
openly and boldly and in the broad
light of day; do not fear to give the
name, the time, and the place, when,
where and by whom any wrong has
been done by any parties connected
with its management. Wnen charges
shall be thus made we venture to say
the Trustees will promptly meet them.
Nor need gentlemen suppose the Uni
versity can be smothe red by inuendoes
aud insinuations. Its friends while
preferring to have assaults made upon
it in an open and manly way intend to
repel with all the power they have, as
we'll assaults made insidiously and
covertly, as those made openly.
The fight that it is proposed to make
in behalf of the University is in nc
sense personal or private one. 1t Is
a fight in behalf of the cause OF educa,
ton in North Carolina, in which all hel
people are interested. If gentlemer
are opposed to the revival OF the Uni
vcrsity under any management, as in
furious or unnecessary, let them say SC
aud they will be met on that ground
If, however, they object only to the
present management as faulty or defec
tive aud make good their obJec
ons, they will fiId the best friends
o. the University everywhere cor
daily uniting with them 20 bring
about the desired changes. Th'
position of the JOURNAL in the matte
is n simple one. 1t desires the revlva
of the University, not to afford pretex
for comforting honors upon its trustee
or professorships aud emolnment
upon its faculty, nor Yet rs mrr
personal qualification to its graduate
but as sure means Of advancing TIL
cause. OF education in North & src!lna
md THIS being so. we stand ready, L
use every fl ,rt to improve and crfec
Is management. A we said the Othe
day, if the present management Of Ill
University cannot stand the light of tn
strictest aud most searching luvestiga
ton, let it GO down aud let aEnthe
take its place.
In conclusion we beg leave to repea
that approaching the candor of th
Democrat, we take grrat pleasure il
removing the misapprohepsIon unde
WHICH il iabored when II printed th
| paragraph quoted il the beginntng Q
| the article.