The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-29
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
Commencement Close at Hand-A Re
view Of the Progress Made During
the Past Year.
Correspondence of The Messenger)
Chanel Hill " @ Nav 9S

During the coming week the last Of
the final examina tons will be held,
and beginning with next Sunday the
commencement exercises, lasting until
Thursday night, take place.
Just before the close of the univer-
sity perhaps il might be interesting to
take glance backward and see what
this mighty machine, the pride and
| glory Of Norths Carolina, has been do
Ing for the past nine months.
Its history from its beginning, one
hundred and six years ago, is the his
tory of the state. 1t is known by all
and respected. Each year from its
doors have gone forth men, who have
taken in charge the reins of govern
ment and have builded a state. In all
walks of life, from the presidents chair
Oh the nation, on through cabinet Of
ncers, senators, representatives, gov
ernors, judges, ministers. lawyers,
journalists, down to the palmer duties
OF man are found alumni of this uni
Verslty who have reflected honor and
glory on their alma mater.
Inc past year at Chapel Hill has
peen one Of the most profitable and
successful in every way in it's whole
history.
In September the university opened
win a larger number of students pres
ent than ever before, and the entering
class was unusually we'll prepared,
thus rejecting credit on the prepara-
tory schools Of the state. The number
or the students in the graduates de-
partment was 26, in the senior class
n olo
freshman class 121, optional students
52,law students 80, medical students
"A, pharmacy students 90 making a
total Of 512. These students represent
every condition of life in the state and
they come from 81 out of 81 counties in
North Carolina. Twenty young
men from 13 other states are members
of the university. The faculty has
been changed and materially strength
ened
Let US look at the different phases
Of college life and see how successful
has been the year.
Athletics-In the fall the foot ball
team made an excellent record. They
played eleven games, among them
such colleges as Maryland. Annapolis,
SeWanee, Georgia, and Princeton, and
scored 161 points to their opponents
%. The base ball team this spring won
all but one of their games. They played
twelve teams, and scored 81 points to
their opponents A, against Lafayette,
Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, and
Cornell. The ball team made more
points at the collegiate meet,
held at Oxford, than any other college
and won the cup offered by Mr.. Hor-
ner. So in departments of athletic life
Carolina stands first.
L1terary-The literary societies have
had a very profitable year. Their rep
resentat.Ves won the intercollegiate
debates between this institution and
Georgia and between Carolina and
Vanderbilt The inter-class and inter-
society debates have been hotly con-
tested and very interesting.
Hundreds Of new books, comprising
history, travel, research and biog-
raphIes. have been added to the
| library.
Prominent men have been here and
delivered lectures before the student
body on questions interesting and
profitable
Besides this, members of the faculty
| delivered lecture every two weeks on
some special subject. BY all these lee
| lures, the students are kept in touch
! with the outside modern world, and
they prove one of the most attractive
| parts Of the university course. TK,
| societies for the cultivation of any
| special line have had a most prosper
| Gus year.
The Shakespeare club has been well
| attended and the papers read have
| shown much study and ability on the
| part OF the students by whom they
were prepared.
| The Historical Society, under the
| presidency Of DR.. Battle, has had in
| terestlng meetings every month Care
| full study and research have caused
the papers to be we'll written and very
| valuable
The Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society
has kept up its usual high grade OF
| work and instructive papers have been
| read by members Of the society.
| Religious Life.-The university is
| free from sectarianism and narrowness
| in religious life. The four churches in
| the village have drawn most Of their
congregations from those connected
with the university.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton has large membership and the
meetings, held twice a week, have been
| we'll attended
A series of sermons delivered BY
prominent ministers of different de-
| nominations have been delivered in
! Gerard hall.
Prayers are held every morning in
the chapel and Bible lectures delivered
every Sunday morning.
lmprovements-By the generous gift
| of General Julian S. Carr a magnificent
dormitory containing AZ sleeping rooms
| has been erected on the campus and
will be ready for occupancy next fall
The alumni building has progressed
| satisfactorily and will be rooted in.
The old athletic field has been torn
away and a new one is being made
| In every way, then, there has been
constant progress and enlargement
For all this, great credit is due to
| the president. the faculty and the stu
dents. all who labor incessantly to
build up the university. A glance for
| ward shows bright prospects. Only the
loss OF our president, DR.. Alderman,
| would keep it from being unusually
bright Who the trustees will choose
to succeed him is not known. but one
is wanted to carry on successfully
| many plans started by DR.. Alderman
| and all Of which are for the upbuilding
Of the university.
The graduating class this wear num-
bers nifty. Among them is only one
Wilmington boy, Mr. George Chad
bourn, who will receive the degree of
Bachelor Of Science The other Will
mington boys here are Messrs. ]. F.
Post, Jr., r. II. Bellamy, Benjamin
Bell, Jr, Reston Stevenson, Louis