The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-04
AS TO A. & N. PRESIDENCY
Mr.. T. B. PARKER ADVOCATES CAPTAIN
S. B. ALEXANDER.
He Thinks that Only Man Who Understands
Putting Theory into Practice
Should be Elected.

| The first deals with the youth of the
State, and in this way moulds character
| and shapes lives that will send out in
fiuences for generations to come, while
| the latter deals with politics and the
policies of the State and may not be so
far reaching in its influence.
There are Weighty responsibilities rest
ing upon the shoulders of the trustees
that should be met and considered with
view OF giving the State the benefit
of the best technical training that can
come from the \. and NJ. College Any
thingthing short of this will not satisfy
the people nor meet the expectations
of the promoters of the college
The many communications in the va
rious papers of the State on this subject
shows either Il widespread interest IN
the college. or in Il man for its president.
Tastes, training and preferences are
usually factors in naming the man of our
choice fora place. and often without due
regard for his fitness or adaptation to
that particular place. In regard to the
president of the A. and NJ College,
will say that DR.. Winston, Mr. Prim-
rose, nor any other man should be con
sidered. per Sc. but in connection with
on the institution, the student body and
public sentiment in regard to the college.
A president who fails to impress his in
dividuality upon his students falls short
of his privileges and of the expectation
of the public. Hence putting at the head
of this college Il man whose chief desire,
barring manly qualities. is to see his
scholars stand in the front ranks of the
ta.h .,;x. - h.
try To succeed, he must have Il knowl-
edge of. and be in sympathy with the
subject taught Simply because man
is a teacher and "A fine teacher, does not
imply that he can successfully teach any
subject. though he may be familiar with
the subject taught. To attain 10 the
highest degree of success. the teacher
must be lin love" with the subject
taught, see in it beauty and attachments
worthy of his best efforts.
The above is also applicable to the
president of college. Will the men
who have been discussed in connection
with the presidency of the A. and NJ.
College measure JIp TO these qualifica
tons? And would the A. and NJ. Col
lese, with one of them as its president,
still forge ahead with increased useful
ness along the lines marked out for the
school?
Or would there be DETECTION from
the original purposes of the school, so
that agriculture would occupy a sccl
ondary place?
Your correspondent. Mr.. Scales, in set
ting forth the qualifications of DIR. Win
ston for the place, says: That he receiv-
ed his education exclusively in technical
colleges" This reminds me Of some
good farmers who taught their sons to-
work on the farm: but never taught them
TO love it, so the boys made haste to
leave the farm at the first opportunity
and not to return until it became neces-
nary DR.. Winston may have received
his education in technical colleges, but
he has not been found in one as Il teacher
since he left them. His tastes and nclia
nations ran in other directions as has
been evidenced by his own choosing. Is
he then fitted by tastes and predictions
for president of the A. and Nj. College:
This is question which confronts the
board of trustees and should have their
most careful consideration.
| am writing from the standpoint of a
farmer. | see great need for the enlarg-
ing of the teachings of the science of
agriculture in its many branches at the
college. thereby increasing the useful
ness of the institution to the farmer.
In this State agriculture has fallen be-
mind in the race SO that our brightest
boys are leaving the farms and hunting
other pursuits that hold out more tempt
ing offers. With this drain we can see
no bright prospects for the future unless
new life. new charms and new interest
can be injected into the farm and farm
life to counterfeit this tendency. We
have been looking and hoping for these
stimulating Influences to come from the
a. and Nj. College. Can these eXppcta-
tions be met if the college becomes less
agricultural? | notice that of the q
graduates who have gone out from ITS
halls that only II of them are in any way
connected with agriculture. This per
centage of agriculturists is not as large
as we would like to have, yet we hope
that these will create an interest III az
ricutural education in their various To-
calities that will induce other boys to
take advantage of the training this
school offers. For this school to be m0st
effective in reaching the farmers o. the
State, and there is no class that needs
its benefits more, there must be man
at the head as president in whom the
farmers have confidence. One whom they |
feel is in sympathy with them in thvir
struggle to give their children The bene-
fits of an education and an enlarged
field Of usefulness.
One who knows from actual experience |
the problems and perplexities of the
farmer is in better position to appreciate |
his condition and offer something tan
gible for his betterment than one who Is
simply theoretical and knows nothing
of the privations the farmer has to meet |
Theory is nice, but theory reduced H.
practice is better. 1t is the man who IS |
capable of reducing theory to practice
who will impress himself and would be
the man for the presidency of the a. ana
NJ. College. He would have the conf |
dence Of his patrons i'll his ability to de-
monstrate the things taught and thus |
impress them and make them of value.
In my opinion Hon. 5. Il. Alexander,
of Charlotte, would make a president for |
the A. and Nj. College that would i'm |
press confidence and insure its success as |
a technical school. Mr.. Alexander is a |
broad man. familiar with the dgricultn-