Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-24
A CENTURY COLLEGE.
tHs PAST AND THE rRSsrSr IN
CHAPEL HILL.
khs Alma xatsr Of Illussrious North Caro-
iiniass-ElisAs Nitehsll--Prssidsns
relk--grssk-Lstssr fratsr-
mites, &c-, &C.
rror tho pispatca.

Tho University OF North Carolina IL
one hundred years old. AT her com
mencement this year the one-hundredtn
anniversary OF the granting OF her char.
Ter will be celebrated and the alumni
will review the
GLORIOUS PAST
pf their Alma Mater and rejoice IN her
pressnt prosperity. Attention may well
be called TO fact which many historians
fail 10 record namely, that North Caro-
lima threw of the British yoke and DE.
clsred her independence thirteen fnll
months before the representatives OF the
colonies took the came step at Phnadel-
mia in l776. IL is fit to recall this event
inst now, since the State and the
University began life almost simultane-
ously. On May 20, IT'S, the brave men
of Mecklenburg met at Charlotte, re-
iected the rule OF tho mother country,
and declared North Cardinals inde-
pendence towards the close OF l716
The provisional government gave place to
n per,nanept one and the Constitution
then adopted. besides providing for pub
lie shoots. decided that all useful learn
ing should be duly encouraged ana pro,
noted ain one or more universities
Thus while the noise of war was heard
In the land tho patriots OF the " Old
North State. apparently full OF faith In
sliberty which must come, provided iol
higher education. thus happily reversing
she proverb, " In time of peace prepare
for war;" So liberty and learning were
rocked in the same cradle.
For some years the plan for univer-
sity lay dormant. Not until December.
1859. one month after North Carolina s
admission to the Union, was the charter
of the University granted. William
Richardson Davie obtained this charter
through bis untiring efforts, and well de-
serves the title 4" Father OF the Uniyer-
sity." The new University was given
numerous escheats, but II was long be-
fore any considerable income was de-
rived from this source, and in the mean
while the new enterprise was almost o
beggar. Sufficient grants at last JUS
tilted the location OF the University,
and the site now occupied was chosen.
The point selected was q central one,
where two great roads crossed. Along one
of these roads IN those days people rolled
their tobacco TO Petersburg, Va, and
drove their hogs 10 Philadelphia The
other road run to Newberne, by Raleigh,
and Greensboro 10 Salisbury. At this
cross roads was located New Hope
Chapel. and so the eminence was called
New Hope Chapel Hill. All that is now
left OF this almost sssquipedalian name
is Chapel Hill. There is not space to
tell of how building after building has
been added until now nine noble edifices
OF different styles Of architecture are
seen in the oak shaded grove campus,
nor is there time TO trace the intellectual
evolution of the University from the time
when Morre's Geography and manu-
script treatise on geometry we're good
part of the course up to the present Gay,
but We must take glimpse Of the
STUDENT LIFE
in the earlier days. Although many Of
the students came from an academy
whose name, Zion Pamassus, promised
great things ns TO religion and learning,
ftiIl they were neither pinks Of perfec-
ton nor full blown Hterdtii The only
dormitory finished in those early days,
being much crowded, and so anything
but quiet place, the studious boys were
wont t. build cabins in the corners OF
the unfinished brick walls of tue
"South" building, and make themselves
ouite comfortable. These huts were any
thing bat comfortable in rainy weather,
however, aud petition worded as fol-
lows was often sent 10 the "powers that
be. " and generally obtained the desired
holiday " The inclemency Of the wea-
ther rendering 1t impossible to pre-
pare tho recitation. the sophomore
class respectfully request Mr.. Rhes
TO excuse them from recitation
this afternoon. And he who was
afterwards the venerable DIR. William
Hooper was often the "envoy ordinary
10 convey the request Students did not
spend money lavishly in those days.
The board WIS only S35 session, and so
no wonder that coarse corn-bread was
the staple food" and that "st dinner the
only meat vas a fat mlddling OF bacon
surlnounting pile of coleworts." Sup
per consisted of "coffee and the corn
bread left at dinner, without butter"
As the years passed by though the
students love for pranks does not seem
60 have decreased, their living became
more aud more luxurious, until just be-
fore the war the bosrding-houses were
famous for their good fare and many a
boy brought with HIM from home his
horse and servant Even as early a. 1918
no small degree of elegance was found
in the ballroom. General Mallett,
who was member Of the class OF that
wear, said in 1881 The style Of costume
and even the manners of the present
generation are not, in my opinion, an
improvement on half century ago.
The managers would not admit gentle
man into q ballroom with boots or even
frock coat, and to dance without gloves
was simply vulgar. 1T commencement
ball my coat was broSdcloth. OF sea-
green color, high velvet collar TO match,
swallow-tail, pockets outside, with lapels
and large sllver-plated buttons, white
satin damask vest, showing the
edge OF blue updervest, a vide open
ing for bosom-rnfiies and no shirt collar.
1he neck was dressed with layer OF
four or five three-cornersd crayats ariisti-
cally laid and snrmuunted with cam
brio stock, pleated and buckled behind.
My psntaloons were white Canton crepe,
lined with pink muslin, and showed a
peach-blossom tint. They were rather
short, in order to display hesh-colored
silk stockings, and this exposure was in
creased by very low-cut pumps with
shiny buckles Ny hair was very black
and very long and queued.
The Names Of not few
FAMOUS MEN
ere associated with Chapel Hill. The
first president OF the University was Jc-
seph Caldwell, a graduate of Princeton.
he was learned professor and able
divine. out perhaps he ought to be espe'
eialiy remembered as the builder, al
Chapel Hill in 1927. OF the first astro-
nomical observatory in the United
States. He was not the only Princeton
man who came as teacher 10 North
Carolina. Now Que can come from
lortncatoo fo Hhepai Hifl in fwantv-txn