The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-17
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAR
OLINA, AT CHAPEL HILL.

section XII of the Constitution of the
State, adopted on the 18th of Decem-
Der, 1776, viz: ''All useful learning
shall be duly encouraged and promoted
in one or more Universities.
The charter was granted in 1889.
The Trustees were among the most dis
tinguished citizens of that day Sam
uel Johnston, one of the first Senators
of the" United States from North Caro-
lima, was chairman. Governor Ben
iamin Smith was the first benefactor,
giving twenty thousand acres of land
in Tennessee. The most active worker
for the new institution was William
Richardson Davie, called the father
of the University" afterwards Cover
nor and Commissioner to France.
On October 18th, 1898, annually com
memorated as University Day." the
cornerstone of the old east building
was laid The buildings are nine in
number, with ample dormitories, reci-
tation rooms, laboratories and public
halls, situate in a campus of fifty acres,
covered with fruit trees, and adjoining
over five hundred acres of University
woodland.
The University has been very inn
portant factor in Southern education.
It's alumni have been leaders in all
professions and pursuits in the States
south of the Potomac. Among them
were President Polk, President
King, Secretaries of the Navy Gra
ham and DObbin, and many Federal
Senators and Representatives, and
also numerous Governors and Supreme
Court Judges of the Southern States.
At the beginning of the civil war the
University had nearly five hundred
students. 1t was the only institution
of it's rank, which continued it's exer-
cises through the war.
Among the oest-known members of
the faculty of the past have been
Presidents Caldwell and Swain, Ethan
A. Allen, a great author of classic text
books, and Denison Olemstead, after
wards of Yale University; DR.. VIM.
Hooper, Dr. Elisha Mitchell, who lost his
life in exploring the mountain named
from him the highest peak of the AL
| leghanies; Rev. Drs. James and Charles
Phillips, Professors of Mathematics {;
Walker Anderson afterwards Chief
Justice of Florida; DR.. VIM. Green
afterwards Bishop of Mississippi; DR..
Chas. +. Deems now of the Church of
the Strangers, New York; Nicholas M
Hentz, leading authority ON ento-
mology; Dr.. f. M. Hubbard, Professor
of Latin; VIM. Fl. Battle, late Judge
of the Supreme Court of North Caro-
lima; B. S. Hedriclx, afterward chemi-
cal expert in the Patent Office, u. S. A.
Under Professor Olemstead, in 1924,
was organized the geological survey
of the State, believed to be the first
in the Union by public authority. In
1881 was built, by President Caldwell,
the first astronomical observatory in
the Union. It's operations were dis
continued after his death in 1886.
The University has been of great
service to publicschool education by the
successful inauguration of summer
normal schools in the South A great
impetus was thereby given to the train
ing of teachers and the establishment
of graded schools.
On the reorganization of the Uni
versity in 1875, it was determined to
adopt courses which have the advan-
tages of the "Old Curriculum" with
proper adaptation to the needs of those
not having the time and inclination
for classical studies. There are four
regular courses; one including Latin
and Greek, a second having only one
ancient classic, and the third and
fourth having neither and substituting
scientific and other literary studies
These courses are equivalent, leading
to degrees of equal value. Besides g
student not desiring a degree can pllr
sue an elective course; provided he
takes studies enough to keep him EN-
/ ployed. Those wishing law instruction
are not obliged to take any other
branches It is believed by the best
judges that the great question of de
bate between the advocates of the old
fashioned curriculum, and of the
fullest election has been solved.
Since the reorganization of the Uni
versity the overflow of students to the
institution north of us has been stopped
The University is giving a strong i'm
petus to higher education. It's gradu-
ates are spending additional years