The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-18
THE NEW UNIVERSITY pREST.
.. DENT.
How the News Of HIS Appoint.
lnent was Received at His Home
la MOrgHnIOWn,

As@ "ASA RohhUWh,
MoraANTowN, W. Va, Jan. 10, 1877.
ELTON luteIlIWsnCu;
The friends and well.wishers Of tho
West Virginia University, are reioiced
at the action Of the Board Of Regents IN
placing at the head OF tho Instituti6n
Rev. John K. Thompson.
The news OF his election TO this distin.
guished trust, was received in Morgan.
town on Friday evening last, with mark.
cd manifestations OF pleasure. In less
than two hours after u telegram had
been received from Messrs. Hough and
Chaliant 1.-TWO Of the Rcgents), congratu.
lating the people npon the selection, a
large number Of Mr.. Thompson's
friends, neighbOB and citizens gen.
orally, repaired 10 his house 10
congratulate him. The whole thing was
an imprOmptn affair. The appointment
came entirely unexpected TO Mr.. r., and
many OF his friends, and there was no
previous preparation made for demon.
HtFation: But the people Of Morgantown
and vicinity looked upon the appoint.
ment as one that assures the success Of
our institution, and there was spontan.
eous outpouring Of citizens. The services
Of the cOrnct band were at once engaged,
and proceeding through II cold, drizzling
rain, the enthusiastic crowd repaired 10
Dir. ThOmpSOn's residence. There were
representatives. from all classes and con.
ditions OF society in the gathcring-tho
laborer, the mechanic, the merchant, the
banker, the clerk, the professor, &c, tSc,
and all shades ii politics and religion
were represented, II was the voluntary
ontponring Of the true friends Of a school
which our people know and feel can be
made one of the best in the land.
After u lively air by the band, loud
calls were made for Mr.. Thompson, and
he appeared and was introduced to the
assemblage by Hon. J. NJ. Logan. Mr..
Thompson thanked his friends and
neighbors for the interest they manifest
ell in the success of the University, and
referred 10 the fact lin his plain, honest
way OF tnlking) that his appointment to
such distinguished and honorable posi-.
ton was nnsonght by him, and entirely
unexpected; but he assured them that il
he accepted the trust il would be with
determination 10 make tho University
with the aid of the people) an institu.
tion OF learning in the brOalest sense Of
The tcrm-a school where all the people,
irrespective Of religion or politics, could
send their sons to receive polished and
finished education in all the branches OF
learning, which would iii them in after
lille ior any calling. lie urged the pe0.
pie 10 stand by the University as one Of
the noblest gifts we have. Aided now
by all parties, the priceless boon we pos.
sess has new lease OF power. Let tho
motto then be, "Onward and Upward.
AT the close Of his remarks, many Of
the people filed into the house, and took
the newly elected President by the hand.
The crowd shortly afterwards retired,
and in u lew minutes thereafter the stu.
dents Of the University proceeded in u
body to Mr. Thompson's house and ex.
tended their well.wishes and congratula.
tions to the "ncw head" Speeches were
made by several OF the students, and Mr..
i. responded in his hnppiest vein.
Altogether the whole affair, ,impromptu
rs was, was one of the most earnest and
enihnsia.tic demonstrations We have ever
witnessed in Morgantown. The people
feel that with Mr.. II. at the head Of ihe
UmIversity, "" have Young and active
man, who is alive to all its interests, and
one who can and will do more to build
up its broken fortunes than any other
man in the State. They believe that the
new President will make it the one great
object Of his life to cause the University
10 rank ms one OF the best institutions in
the land. And We incline 10 the opinion
that time will prove their belief to be we'll
founded. NJ.