The age-herald., 1897-11-07

pressed with the importance of an edu- cation, both from the adverse fate that controlled his own youth and from prac- tical observation, in 1S73 he so aroused his neighbors and friends in Roanoke to this great need as to get them suffi- ciently interested to erect a handsome two-story frame building, to be known as Roanoke College. This building was completed in 1874 under his supervision as chairman of the building committee. This first building was erected under se- 1ious difficulties. But they were over come by Col. Handleys determination that the enterprise should succeed.
 In 1887 Col. Handley duplicated the amount received from the public school fund, and with the aid of small incl dental fee made the school absolutely free for that scholastic year. The at tendance that year was 216 showing that his efforts along this line Were thorough ly appreciated by the people.
 While a member of the state senate in 1890 he had the College incorporated under the name of Roanoke Normal College, with power and authority to confer diplomas and degrees
 On Jan. ?, 1892, the college building with all its fixtures and appurtenances was totally destroyed by fire This was a sad blow to the educational interests of this section; but Col. Handley was equal to the emergency, as the follow ing record will show:
 He collected $3, 900 insurance money on the building in New York exchange, and had the same placed to the credit of Roanoke Normal College in the bank of Roanoke during the month of March, 1892. Every cent of this money weis a1HF,1-r l,t. McPherson, the contractor for the build ing of the new college building. He never handled this money in any way except to place checks in bank and to check out same under instructions to pay for new building. The records on college books and the records in the Bank of Roanoke bear out this state meni of facts.
 He advertised on the 12th of April, 1892, in the Roanoke Herald calling 0 meeting of stockholders of the Roanoke Normal College at Roanoke on Saturady, the 14th day of May, 1892, at ? o'clock D. m., for the purpose of deciding, the question of rebuilding the Roanoke Normal Col lege and to attend to such other busi- ness as might come before the stock holders meeting. On the day of the meeting a large majority of the s,soclz was represented in the meeting, and on motion of Col. W. A. Handley, the fol- lowing resolution was unanimously adopted:
 Resolved, That the insurance money amounting to $S,OOO-belong.ng to Roam ol<e Normal College, and at present held in the Bank of Roanoke by w. A. Hand- ley, president of the board of trustees, be and the same is hereby appropriated to be expended for the purpose of re- building Roanoke Normal College, and that w. A. Handey, president of the board of trustees, is authorized to pay out this money for th.s purpose when ili- strueted to do so by majority of the board cf trustees; provided, sufficient sum is raised to pay for the erection of brick building hereafter to be deter mined upon; and provided further, that the material is placed upon the college grounds to be agreed upon. and satisfac- tory progress is made in the erection of the building to be determined by the board of trustees; and provided further. that in the event the building is built by stock company. the original stock