The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-28
FROM THE HEARTS
OF ITS PEOPLE
1t Sprang Full Grown in a
Single Day.
ALL RECORDS BROKEN
BY THE OPENING AT THE BAP-
list WOMAN'S COLLEGE.
LEADERS OF THOUGHT AND ACTION SPEAK
Brief Addresses by The President, Dr.. Skinne-,
Supt. Mebane, Or. Meserve, Mr.. Jos. G.
Brown, Prof. Moses, Mr.. H. C.
Dockery and Others,
Dockery and Others.

Dockery and Others.
The baptist Female University had
a great opening yesterday, better even
than its most sanguine friends had eX-
pected. On its first day it found Itself
with numbers beyond its capacity, and
that none who wished to attend might he
denied the benefits of the instruction il
offers President Blasingame in his salu
tatory had to appeal to the friends Of the
college to open the doors of their homes
to Its students until arrangements could
he made to accommodate them. BY last
might the number OF boarding students
was about $780, The day students VII
not matriculate until today.
The opening was both a happy and Il
sad occasion happy i'll the brilliant pros
poets of the school, sad i'm THAT Rev. O.
l.. Springfield, who has given his life to.
the school for the past eight years. could
mot lie present to- see how wisely and
how we'll he and those who have stood
with him have btIilded. There were tears
in many eyes as the story of his strug-
giles and sacrifices was told by those
who best knew it.
From the city many men prominent III
affairs We're present ON the rostIlin.
among them Supt. g. Ell. Mebane, Mr..
Jos. G. Brown, DIR. a. NJ. Sjnnns, DR..
J. w. Garter, Mr.. Carey J. Hunter, DR..
C. Il. Meselve, Mr.. Ill. G. Dockery, NJ.
J. w. Delnaark. Rev. j. Il. White, Mr..
J. n. Holding. DIR. T. Il. Skinner. Mr..
J. D. Boushal. Prof J. Il. Ray, Prof.
L. III. Briggs, Mr.. n. +. Broughton and
Mr.. Samuel Brewer. A large number OF
city people Were present in the chapel to
witness the opening exercises.
SHORT ADDRESSES.
No progfggn fer the occasion had been
made ont in advance hut an hour and
a half was given mp to brief and bright
impronnptu talks by men privileged to
speak for the educational, religious AMI
business interests cf the city and State.
After devotional EXERCISES Rev. Jno. Z.
White introduced President Blasingamc
who spoke for the faculty of the work.
that the institution was to do He said
that he believed the school had already
been a great blessing to the State in
that it had stimulated activity among
other schools 1t was net its policy to
take students from other schools-it
stood for the greatest good to the great
est number. He was here as the friend
OF education in the State. That was the
commission he had received from the
trustees Of the school.
DIR. SKINNER.
DR.. Thomas e. Skinner followed Civ
ing something of the HISTORY of the col
lege. When it came to the selection
of a President he said there had been a
tic vote in the board Of trustees between
Mr. Blasingame and another. The board
had sent Rev. j. II. White to investigate,
Mr.. Blasingame's work in Tennessee
and the result had been his unanimous
election.
SUPERINTENDENT AEBANE.
Superintendent Mebane spoke in be-
half of the public school workers of the
State. Among other Things he said:
Il am glad to he here, ann sorry be-
cause | see not the face of Rev. Mr..
Springfield whose labors and great work
for this institution have come ainder my
personal observation throughout the
length and breadth of this State from
Cherokee to Currituck.
II wish as a public school official of
the State to extend hearty welcome
to the President and the ladies and gen
tlemen of the Faculty. We have great
work ahead of us in tblis State. i know
of no State South of the Mason and
Dixon line that needs You worse than We
do in North Carolina. /, therefore, gladly
welcome you into North Carolina and
wish for You abundant success.
II would remind the Baptist people OF
the great sacrifice which this institution
represents. You have had friends who,
no doubt, have given their hundreds and
their thousands of dollars, and ! trust
YOU shall have those who will give their
tens of thousands in the years to come.
but you have had heroic men and women
who have given their hard earned mites.
| know Of one woman who gave go
which means more sacrifice than MANY
who have given their thousands.
'And now Mr.. President and Ladies'
and Gentlemen of the Faculty / wish
to say that while your work as, primarily.
for the higher education of your church,
still wish TO enter Il plea on behalf Of
the thousands of boys and girls who Will
never know what it is to enter ;un insti-
tuition like this. | would not be true to
the great responsibility that rests upon
me as the official head of the public
schools if | did not urge you to let the
public schools of this State feel the eff
fects of your labors. Let, Mr.. President
and teachers, these little ones have some
OF your best efforts. Let the light and
wisdom of this institution reach down to
the public schools of this State. ANY
institution that stops short of This will
not fill It's highest mission i'm educational
work either for the church or the State
PRESIDENT MESERVE.
President Mcserve, of Shaw Uniyer-
sity, said that when he went among
colored people to work for his school
they always took him to the senior dea
CON of the white Baptist church. He had
always constituted himself field agent
( without pay for Wake Forest College, me
wished to regarded in the same relation
to this college. The time has come, he
declared, when all educators must make