The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-03

CARD FROM PRESIDENT WINSTON.
biblical Recorder.I

To the Baptists of North Carolina :-Vari
ous communications have appeared re-
Gently in the Recorder and other papers,
suggesting either directly or indirectly
that the University is not friendly to the
Baptist people and their interests. There
seems to be a feeling in some quarters
that the success OF the University means
the failure OF Wake Forest College. Such
result has not been produced in other
States, nor does it seem likely in North
Carolina. On the contrary all OF Ourc0l-
leges have flourished together. From
1868 to 1875 the University was practi-
calIy closed. But Wake Forest did not
flourish during this period. With the
re-opening ef the University in 1875 be
gan an educational revival Since then
Wake Forest has not decayed in pro-
portion as the University has grown.
On the contrary it has doubled the
number of students and trebled its en-
dowment.
AS an educator and citizen of North
Carolina | rejoice that Baptist philan-
thropy, Baptist energy and Baptist self
sacrifice, in establishing and endowing
Wake Forest, have added over a quarter
of a million dollars to the educational
wealth OF the State, thereby enabling
some two hundred young men annually
to enjoy the benefits OF higher educatiOn.
Instead of aiming to cripple or destroy
such college, | would rejoice to see
twenty like it in North Carolina. The
State is made richer and our people are
made better by all it's schools and col
leges. There is need for every one of
them and more. | rejoice in the pros
perity OF the A. & NJ. College, with its
| two hundred students, OF Trinity, of
Davidson, of Wake Forest, of Elon. of
Guilford, OF Yadkin, of North Carolina
College, of Catawba, of Weaverville, of
Rutherford, of Peace, of Salem, of st.
Marv's, of the Greensboro Normal and
Industrial, of the Greensboro Female
College, of the Oxford Seminary, of the
Chowan Institute, in short of all schools
from the log cabin up. There is need for
every school or college that has asstudents.
We're a Baptist, would rejoice in the
success OF the State University; | would
rejoice and be exceeding glad that SO
many Baptist boys are enjoying its great
opportunities that the two best scholars
in the University are Baptist boys, de-
vout church members, boys in humble
financial condition, one painter, the
son of q painter, now educating himself
by loans from the Deems Fund and from
private sources ; would rejoice that so
many of the leading trustees and that
five full professors in the Faculty are
Baptists. would thank God and take
courage that the Baptists are seizing
and using such fine opportunities for cul-
| ture and improvement. would tell my
people that they needed not only Wake
Forest College and great Baptist
Female University but also the A. 4 NJ.
College, the Normal and Industrial
School for women, the University OF North
Carolina, Judson College and as many
others as we could use for the improve
ment OF Baptist boys. would cry out
"open wide the doors of learning and let
the Baptist boys and girls go in
have never desired nor attempted to
toll away students from Wake Forest.
Last summer my clerk distributed 25 900
catalogues, circulars and pamphlets (alI
printed) in North Carolina, Virginia,
South Carolina and Tennessee. They
were sent broadcast. About ten thou
sand went to pupils in schools and
colleges, among them Wake Forest. ]
did not single out Wake Forest nor any
| other school or college. | ordered them
| sent to all. | neither expected nor de-
sired to entince students from other col
leges. AS a matter of fact there is only
one student III the University, pursuing
nOn-p professional studies, who came from
Wake Forest. My purpose was to ad-
| vertise our professional schools and
| graduate courses. We're it possible,
| would put University catalogue in the
| hands of every man and woman, every
boy and girl in America The fact that
such documents were sent to the son OF
| the President of Wake Forest College
ought to show their wide distribution
and the entire absence OF hidden designs
on my part. | distinctly state that
have never knowingly solicited any stu
dent to come from Wake Forest to the
University. On the contrary have dis
tinctly advised several not to come.
University scholarships have been
given, and loans made and students can
vassed for without inquiring as tc
whether they were Baptists, Methodists
Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Friends,
Hebrews, Moravians, church-members Oh
non-church-members. The University
has been freely offered to all. The Bap
fists are as welcome here as anybody
else. They can not afford to turn theil
back on the University, and they are not
doing it. Should they do SO, they would
deprive their own boys ofsplendid oppor-
tunities now freely offered them.
Let Wake Forest educate all the boys
it can. Let the University educate al
the boys it can. There are more poor
boys than both can help. There are five
thousand boys of means waiting to b'
inspired with love of learning. There il
abundant harvest for all the reapers
The University will soon establish 6
Commons Hall with free lodging an(
hoard at cost for needy boys. The pool
baptist boys will be welcomed mere too
l shall never refuse to help IA poor bo,
because he is a Baptist, and shall hal
the day when Wake Forest College fur
nishes education entirely free, with a rol
of FIVE hundred students and an endow
ment of one million dollars.
GEORGE I. WINSTON.
Chapel Hill, March 81, 1894.