The news & observer., 1897-05-28
THE COLLEGE LIBRARY.

For forty-eight years the cohese oe
nordod mainly on the library of the fres'-
aont for the books used by the studeh's'
nd until about two years ago, can hardy
he said to have possessed a library "' an
At that time there was not even ioon'
sot aside for that purpose. Since theh
+bora has been fitted up beautiful roo"
and more than 1000 volumes nave oee"
COLLECTED. Every department OF knowleose
;s renresented. Perhaps the departments
~ history biography and general refer-
ence are fullest. There are about SUI Voi-
nmes OF history and biography, more tnah
1oO Of the latter being American. More
than SO. 500 have been expended for dic-
tionaries, encyclopedias and historlc"'
reference books. During the present year
| I hOO hound volumes have been added py
purchase and donation. These purchases
amounted to more than 81 800. There Is
70 he found the best collection OF con-
rarence minutes in the State, and much
| rare material. both books and manu-
| scr;nts bearing on the history of Metho-
dism in North Carolina. The collection
that will probably prove of greatest IN
! terest to the reader is the North caro-
linia. Here are more than l,2oO itehs'
most of them out Of print bearing on
| North Carolina and North Carolinians
| Some are so scarce that they cannot be
dnplicated in the State The collection or
| North Carolina newspapers is unique. 1t
| consists of about 100 volumes, dating
from 1926 to date. Here is to be found ev-
cry history of the State ever written ex-
| cept Brickel | noticed an original Law
son 17O9) Coke 1726), Address to the
| Queen and Her Reply, a London Broad
side relating to Carolina Q.0o), Hawks,
Martin, Williamson, Wheeler, Spencer,
Wiley, Bertram, Mrs. Royal, Fanning's
| Narrative, Scrap-Books, copies of rare
| manuscripts, more than 100 volumes Of
i bound pamphlets-in short, the best col
| lection of material on North Carolina to
be found in the State.
The room fitted up for the library is
now filled to overhowing and library
building is thing of the near future,
and the generosity of the directors this
week provided for it. When it is built, it
ought to be fireproof, as many of these
books and manuscripts could not be re-
placed at any price. The growth of this
library has never been equalled in the
history Of the State. Every book placed
here has been selected by the President
of the college, and the selection has been
pronounced admirable by competent crit
| les The future historian Of North Caro-
lima will have to consult the library of
| Greensboro Female College.
| This large library is known as the
| Ethel Carr Peacock" which was estab-
lished in 1894 in memory of the daughter
of President Peacock, whose zeal for a
complete Library has been so conta gious
that hardly week passes when some
| friend OF the college, or some person
having valuable manuscript they wish to
preserve does not present some volume
or pamphlet to the library. The library
| has outgrown it's quarters. As It has
| grown, friends have asked the President,
/ Where are you going to put all these
booksy' His reply was that place would
| be provided for all that could be secured.
He had faith in the friends Of the college
| that they would make provision for as
| large library as the college demanded.
| At this commencement, FIVE generous
gentlemen-,J. NJ. Odell, Julian S. Carr,
J. A. Odell, W. II. Branson, John H. Fer
rec, and w. r. Odell assumed the pay
ment Of sufficient money TO provide not
| only for an elegant library building, but
also for a large and modern gymnasium.
The college is well equipped n every 9th
er particular, and before the coming Of
another year its equipment will be so per-
feet as to have no need except to provide
for the increase that will come
Speaking about the generosity of these
six MethOdists puts me III mind to say
that the people Of the State have not full
known the extent Of the gifts Of the
ectors of Greensboro Female College,
,e cause of higher education for wo-
They have said very little about it,
the history of the State no men
rived more of the grateful esteem
nds of higher education. When
became embarrassed because
-. ses incurred by fire, and it
be sold at auction a COM
- citizens resolved to buy
' he uses Of the Methodist
10 not recall all the gen.
forward then, but "a
:. a.ss ion to the present
,;u,+o,.s u. re the late Il. j.
...;u,A he late julius A.