The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-10
n UNIV
Memorial HaIi--Oedlcatory Exer-
cIses--C and Carruiity.

JT1IId occasion IN lit IA>SbiA 80 ~ q
University. for then occurred with IN
posing ceremonies the dedication u
Memorial Hall. This bu .lding has re-
Gently been erected at a cost OF about
$40 900 and j. sad to be the largest and
best auditorium il the south. II was
constructed 20 a. to comfortably ac-
cnmmodatc the large crowds that attend
the commencement exercises and most
admirably does it serve the purpose. IL
Will comfortably seat $500 persons, ana
its acoustics are SO well arranged that a
person addressing so large an audience
can BE heard BY everyone. The build
ing is almost circular in form, beng LOO
by 1873 feet, and an idea OF It's immense
size may be formed when 1t IS stated
that any one of the other large buildings
could be swung around inside OF THIS IL
is called Memorial Hall because 1t IS
designed as a memorial OF the dead
alumni of the University. All around
the inside of ii are mural tablets, slabs
Of marble . by p feet III size, placed by
the relatives or friends OF the deceased
alumni as memorials OF them. There
are nearly 100 OF them, and on each Is
engraved the name Of the deceased, the
dates of his birth and death. and the va
rious public offices held by him. Among
| them are the names OF IL Governors,
several senators, Judges and numerous
others who have occupied high public
| office. In rear of the platform (Which
| by the way will seat 80 persons) are
placed 4 mural tablets, each ) by 10
feet in size, on which are engraved the
names of all the students who were
| killed in the war. or died III the Confed-
| crate service. The number of these 10
! 2GO, which shows how bravery the Uni
versity's students did their duty IN
those trying times.
Governor Scales delivered an address
accepting the building, which address
was most happily conceived and grace
rully delivered DR.. Grissom, III behalf
of a committee appointed by the trus-
tees. paul Means and Jas. J.. Robin
son of the Ducktown Branch), then read
some resolutions very complimentary to
ex-Goy. Jarvis, and advocated them in
his usual graceful and eloquent nne
OF course they were unanimously adopt
ed, although Col. Paul Means thought 1t
necessary to detain an exhausted audi
ence with a most fulsome panegyric OF
Jarvis. BY this time everybody was
worn out, and the most attractive fea-
ture of the day, Mr. Reds Grafton, was
postponed until after dinner. We doubt
not that nineteen-twentieths of the au-
dience thought there had been too much
GUsH anda GARULITY. There times
when too much OF a good thing is nau-
seating. and unfortunately this was one
of them.
But after dinner aud resting awhile
7 IL, ,,lIn,,o 70 acSanh1al TO hor tho
Grafton delivered by Hon. James w.
Reid, of Rockingham county, and oh
what an Grafton it was. We wish every
North CaroliEian could nave heare it
Pittsboro Record.
FROM HI VIEWS AND OBSERVER REPORT
Gov. Scales in reply to Mr.. Cameron,
said, IN accepting the building
In behalf Of the trustees, whose repre-.
sentative L AN on this occasion, | accept
at your hanps this magnificent structure
and in their name and in the name Of the
great State Of North Carolina, | this day
solemnly dedicate it to the high and holy
I purpose for which it was erected. Iot
have told of the honorable action and reso,
lutte purpose of our patriotic ex Governor
| You have told US in words that will no
! soon be forgotten, the difficulties that be
set the building committee at every stel
and III part how they were removed. .
the resources OF the learned faculty anC
the success that crowned their efforts. q
the aid and comfort that came from a de
voted and impoverished alumni, an,
from many other noble citizens Of tn,
State, but you have not told and | canno
tell as | would, that a man aged sever
years beyond the allotted three score ant
ten Of man existence. one of the survi
. wing members of the freshman class 0
: 1923, cheeriully assumed the supervision
:, and guidance Of this work, and well All,
j nobly did he discharge his duty, an,
. oflentimes at the sacrifice oil his " pr
d vate business. That the cost of the bull
ding proved to be greatly In excess O
: the estimates and the actual O
the trustees. At times the work wa
suspended for the want of money, ever
appeal was made and every resource test
ed to its fullest capacity and there wa
" no adequate response; the most ~sanguin
OF our friends grew Respondent; mone
was scarce; business was stagnant an,
e the friends of the University poor; dis
aster, if not failure, stared them In tn
face. 1t was then that this aged son 0
the University stepped forward and with
out security advanced the necessar
means out of his own pocket. Our credi
was saved, the hall was completed an,
we to-day, by means alone Of this well
!. timed generosity, occupy aud enjoy it
Need | tell you that that man was tn,
venerable Paul G.. Cameron? 1t is th
work of This old age, a fitting capstone to
long life of honor and usefulness. Th
. board of the trustees have shown thei
& high appreciation of his services in tn
: shape of a unanimous and highly com
Elementary order, which will stand upol
its records as long as the University itscl
shall stand; and to day | but reiterate il
Substance, when IN the presence OF thi
vast assembly tender to him the thank
j of the trustees, the faculty. the alumni
\ aud OF the great Commonwealth of Nortl
= Carolina. This hall, in the original de.
sign, was intended as a memorial OF Hon
David Lowry Swain. He was a most re
markable man and his life was a brigh
: illustration of what can be accomplishe,
!. by energy, industry and singleness of pur
:. pose. He was born January 18th, IS0l
in the county of Macon and reared t
manhood amid the lofty peaks and vii,
scenery OF hat mountain home. He rea,
law with Judge Taylor in Raleigh, and a
% years of age was admitted to the bar
AT the age of % years be had been tire
times a member of the General Assembly
In 1927, when he was 90 years of age, b
was made Solicitor of Edenton Judicia
District, and resigned after one circuit
. was again elected to the Legislature il
1898 and 1929, and in 1880 was elected
member of the board of internal improve
ments. The same year he was elected t
the position of Judge of the Superio
court, a very high and honorable posi-
!. ton, especially when We remember tina
the election was by the Legislature an,
the tenure for life. This position he re
signed in 1882, after he was elected Gov
ernor ln 1885, while Governor, he wa
elected a member of the Constitutions