The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1891-06-09
PRESIDENT BATTLES
RETIREMENT,
He HAS BEEN CONNECTED
WITH THE UNIVERSITY
FOR MORE THAN
FORTY YEARS.
STUDENT, TRUSTEE, PRESL
DENT.
lie Retires to Accept tie CHAR Of
History for 'chich His 7olents
Emi,sently Fit Him.
lie Retires to Accept tie char ot
History for ,chich His 7olents
Eminently Fit Him.
Editorial Con esEo nGence.)

Editorial Con esro ndence.)
CHAPEL HILL. n. c., June 2.
S91.-Thc resignation of Hon.
KEMP p. BATTLE, President of the
University, takes effect with the
election of his successor tomorrow.
He entered the University in 1916,
and graduated in 1919 with the
valedictory, sharing the first honor
with PETER HALE and Il. J. Rob-
INsoN. After graduation he was
Tutor in Mathematics in lSJO-'J6.
In 1862 he was elected Trustee.
and was turned out under the Re-
construction Acts.
| have thought, upon his retire
ment from the Presidency, that it
was fitting to give a summary OF his
services for high education in gen
eral and for the University cspec-
tally. He has won a name for HIM
self that will give him permanent
place among the leaders of the State.
His has been a very useful career,
and he enters upon his new work as
Professor of History with a prepar-
alton, love and capacity that will
make it the crowning glory of his
life work. | expect, as result OF
his acceptance of this chair, and his
| historical research extending all
through his life, that DR.. Battle
will prepare a History of North
Carolina that will add to his repu-
tation and be lasting memorial OF
his ability and devotion to his State
| President Battle has labored un-
der extraordinary difficulties, the
poverty of the country, the tinan
cial ruin of most of the old alumni
the increased strength and activity
of the denominational colleges, the
want of good preparatory schools
in at least two-thirds of the coun
ties of the Statdt. In addition t.
this the othes< Ehern States, a
rule, haLH good universities
most of them with larger income:
than ours, with no cost for tuition
This cuts off the patronage of othe
States contributed so largely, prio
to 1861, to swelling the numbers o
students at Chapel Hill. Their
are only a very few years when tn
number of students from Mort
Carolina exceeded the number
prevailing now.
He has during the fiftee
f years of his administration had tn
cordial support of the trustees
among the most trusted and eminen
men Of our State. Every year
: visiting committee of the trustee
= have carefully inspected the manage
! ment of the institution, and hav
, made most favorable reports. II
has found time, besides carrying o
his executive work, to do a consio
2 cradle amount of reading and hi
torical investigation. The judge
of the Supreme Court of this Stat
so highly approved his history {
, the Supreme Court, as to order i
e publication in volume 103 of tt
5 reports Of the Court. His addre:
on the Judicial Proceedings of tt
New Testament before the Amer
can Institute of Christian Philos
ply, was received with encomiun
} by the English historian E. A. Ere
T. man. and by eminent divines in til
p country. such as DR.. Noah Davi
of the University of Virginia, Re
> DR.. Deems, and others.
He has been so abundant in labo
: that the space of the CHRoNICI
: will not permit me to enumerate a
e his services. The following note
. stated as briefly as possible, giN
incidents showing the value of h
services to this University, and al
I. the steady development of the inst
o tuition under his administration:
It In 1867, as chairman of col
# mittee. with the late Governor Gr
! ham and Ex-Solicitor Gener
Phillips. made an elaborate repo
+ for reorgnization of the Universi
on The University Plan" whi'
was adopted by the Board of Tru
tees, but was not put in operate
). on account of the change of Il
Board in 1868.
, In 1874 was elected trustee,
rs member of the executive commit
70 and Secretary and Treasurer. but
lawsuit being necessary to get pc
- session of the University, did n
al begin actual service until the ne
,s year.
In 1875 as chairman of a col
IL mittee on raising funds secur
$4,000 for repairing the buildin
and reopening the doors for student
they having been closed in 1870.
k AS chairman of commit
to worked actively with the Gene1
Assembly for securing payment