The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-01

only 14,4S4 pupils. The number of white
people over twenty years old who could
not read was SO, 500.
Heroic men were they who in this gen.
cral gloom sought to kindle a new light.
Faith and prayer and toll and sacrifice
were needed, and these were not lack
ing. In spite of the reluctance Of the
Legislature TO grant a charter, in the
face Of the opposition of some and the
apathy of their own brethren, with small
means at their disposal, and with but
few academies to serve as feeders TO
the new institution, they had the courage
and the far-Sighted wisdom to carry out
their purpose. Of course some mistakes
were made, for they were human. The
original Manual Labor Plan" adopted at
the beginning, was relinquished after
three or four years trial A considerable
debt. necessarily incurred. was for some
years an incubus. On December Both.
1886. the Financial committee reported
to the trustees that besides the land
and farm buildings which had been pur
chased, the total assets of the college
were a debt of $S45.34$4 ''and firm trust
in the goodness of divine providence to
crown our efforts with ultimate sue
cess.
This firm trust has not been disappoint-
cd. Under the lead of Wait, who sung his
way into the hearts of the people. Of
the scholarly Hooper, of White the prac-
tical, of the peerless and sanity Win
gate, of Pritchard the untring and clo-
quent. and through the cooperation of
men like Purefoy. overly. Mitchell. and
Hufham. the cloud of debt and dscour-
agement melted away. The faculty was
enlarged and students in constantly in
creasing numbers were attracted to their
lectures. At the beginning of the Civil
War. the endowment amounted to nearly
seventy thousand dollars At it's close,
in 1865 only about twelve thousand dol
lars remained. The rest had disappeared
in the universal storm and flood. Even
more serious were the losses in alumni,
who are always the most precious pos
sessions of any college. More than five
hundred of these had entered the Con-
federate army. for the most part as Off
GERS, and not few in command Of regi-
ments and brigades. And there was
scarcely a battlefield east of the Miss
issippi which was not Redeemed by the
blood of the sons of Wake Forest.
Early in the chaotic era of the recon
struction the college was reorganized
and the long silent bell again rang out
its daily calls to devotion and ipstruc-
ton. From that time there has been
a gradual but healthy and steady growth
in all directions. Thousands of people in
North Carolina, the poor and the rich
together, have made willing offerings
to the endowment; and in the affections
of our people is more enduring monu-
ment to the memory of Jabez A. Bost-
wick. Of New York, than the stately pile
of marble in his native State.
New departments have been estab-
liShed new chairs have been created
and manned with able and scholarly men.
new buildings have been erected. Re-
quirements for entrance and graduation
have been raised until it is not too much
to say that Wake Forest is the peer Of
the best of her sister colleges in the
South. All through the years, even when
much desirable equipment was wanting.
thorough and honest work was done and
strong emphasis was laid upon the para
mount Importance of character. 1t might
be said that the unwritten motto Of The
college was and is THE fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom
1t is perhaps due to these facts that
so few Wake Forest men have made
failures in life and that so many have
achieved signal success. This success
has been attained in almost every calling.
Many of the alumni have entered the
ministry of nearly all evangelical de-
nominations. Scores Of these have been
counted worthy to occupy the most i'm
portant METROPOLITAN pulpits. Hundreds
of them have faithfully filled those more
important fields which are not metropoli
tan. They are now preaching the Gospel
in thirty-one States. and worthy success
sors of Yates are holding forth the bread
of life in foreign lands. The influence
of these educated minister's and through
them, Of the college. in elevating intel
lectual and social, moral and religious
condition Of our State has been incalcu
liable. And that this influence is likely
to increase is suggested by the fact
that in the Seminary at Louisville. which
has more students than any other in the
world, Wake Forest has had for consecu-
tive years, more representatives than
any other college.
These statements. however, must not
be understood to justify the wide and
very erroneous idea that Wake Forest is
only or mainly for the education of min
listers AS a matter Of fact, eighty per
cent of the marticulates of the college
have entered other professions and oc
equations. OF the large number who
have entered upon the practice Of Law.
several have climbed to the topmost
round of the ladder, having become Chief
Justices of this and other States. In
Journalism. secular or religious. in the
practice of medicine. in farming and
manufacturing as civil engineers and
railroad men, in the halls of legislation
of the nation at the bankers desk and
the merchants counting room, and in the
halls Of legislation of the State and ma
ton. many have been successful and
some have become eminent.
Nearly four thousand men have been
students at the college. 1t would probably
be within safe limits to estimate that
at least fifteen hundred Of these have
been teachers for a longer or shorter
period and that five hundred have made
teaching their life work. One hundred
and forty-two have been PRINCIPALS of
academies in the Southern and Western
States. sixty-five have been professors
in colleges, aud fourteen have been coll
lcge presidents
As we look around us today and wit
ness the Improvement aud improving
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