The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-21
ROYAL CHAIR AT WAKE FOREST
The Time for Securing the Endow-
ment is Extended.

Wake Forest, n. c., April 20.--lSpc-
ciaI) President Taylor has just re-
rpiyed a letter from Or. Morehouse, in
which he saws. several members of the
Board OF the American Baptist Educa-
tion Society cannot attend a meeting
i'm April. Hence it has been decided
to have no meeting until Mas 25th, at
Asbury Park"
This is to be regarded as fortunate
inasmuch as a little more time is af-
forded for completing the endowment
of the Royal Chair. The Education
Society promised Wake Forest College
five thousand dollars on condition that
twenty thousand dollars should be Sc
cured i'm cash and good notes, the lat
ter PAYABLE within three years. This
latter amount has been almost secured.
The balance ought to be provided for
within the next three weeks. President
TAYLOR and Rev. Mr.. Blanchard are now
working to achieve final success.
Rev. q. p. Bostic, Baptist Missionary
to China, is now i'm Carbonate, Ill, so
letter just received here
states. lie will be at the convention
at Chattanooga and will attend the
Wake Forest commencement.
An interesting session Of the Wake
Forest Historical Society was held in
the chemical lecture-room the evening
of the 18th.
The Wake Forest Scientific Society
met in the Chemical lecture
room on the evening of the 10th. The
session was one Of special interest.
Mr.. r.. N. Simms, Of Raleigh, read an
admirable paper on the life and work
of Louis Pasteur A general discus
sion followed, participated in by Pro-
fessors Brewer and Poteat and DR.. J. j.
Powers Prof. Brewer gave a paper on
acetyIene, its manufacture, cost and APP
plication to lighting. He stated that
the new illuminantWas only One-fOurth
as costly as ordinary Illuminating gas,
while it was greatly superior in light
ing power. He expressed the conviction
that it would displace both illuminate
ing gas and electricity as lighting
agent He devised an ingenious piece
Of apparatus for subjecting the acety-
lene which he had prepared from the
carbide TO sufficient pressure to pro
duce a strong clear fame, beside which
the flame of an Argand burner and
the ordinary gas jet were pale.
Friday night Rev. Thomas Dixon,
Jr.. gave his lecture on Fools" under
the auspices of the Athletic Associa-
ton. BY request he rendered ''The
Raven" of Edgar A. Poe, prefacing it
with a clear account of its origin and
theme. He said the theme Of that
greatest poem yet written in Amer
lea" was the problem of immortality
contemplated in the darkness which
fell mpon the poets life upon the death
of his girl wife.
The Fool lecture which Mr.. Dixon
himself liked least Of all, was consid-
cred by many who heard it his finest.
It was marked not only by his charac
teristic clear thought and passionate
utterance, but also by tremendous
moral instruction.
The great publishers, Macmillan &
Co, and the large jobbers, Baker q
Taylor Co, of New York, have written
here that Wake Forest College uses a
larger number of books, not text
books proper, in its department of
English than any other Southern Coz
iege. IT is a practical evidence Of the
amount Of literary activity and enthn-
siasm which Prof. Sledd has been able
to inspire Id his students.
The local committee on the Alumni
banquet at the coming commencement
are very active just now The ban
quet Will be spread at / p. m. on We'd
nesday, May 28th. The committee look
for an unusual attendance Of Alumni,
Of many who have not visited the Col
1ege in years, as DR. d. R. Wallace
(cIass '5O) of Texas; John u. Ray and
J. w Lynch, Of Kentucky; DR. f. +.
Folk. of Tennessee, and others.
Attractions here this week are the
lecture By Rev. b. w. Spillman, Of
Raleigh, on Tuesday evening, and a
sermon by DR.. A. G. Dixon, of Brook
lyn, on Wednesday night.