The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-10

| ringing Tor nonorS won, 10 tue emu OF
time.
The board of trustees convened in the
executive office on May 1, 1919.
Secretary Battle submitted various
schemes of reorganization. Rev. G. b.
Hassel presented on and moved its
adoption, but, on motion of MIR. Il. G..
Cameron, all the schemes were referred
tola committee consisting of Messrs. X.
=. Battle, chairman, Manning, j. A.
Graham, j. j. Davis and Rev. {. Il.
HaSsell presented one and moved its
during the day. Their scheme was unan-
imously adopted
On motion of Ex-Governor Graham.
the election of Il president was postponed
indefinitely, it being the general opinion
that one OF the professors might. for Il
while, act as chairman of the faculty.
1t was agreed to meet on the 10th of
June for the election of professors.
X L. Battle moved that committee
of five be appointed to solicit contribu-
lions for the revival of the University,
not to be used TO pay any existing debt
of the institution. This was carried, and
the chair appointed MessrS. X. i. Battle,
b. L. Moore, w. \. Graham, Il. G.
Cameron and John Manning.
\ pleasant feature of the rebirth was
the interest taken by the good women of
North Carolina, at the instance of Mrs.
Spencer. The pupils OF Salem School and
that of the Misses Ford and Miss Kol-
lock, the ladies of Raleigh, Hillsboro and
Salisbury contributed valuable apparatus
for instruction.
Twenty Eight trustees met on June 1G,
1879, for the purpose of electlng profess
sors. The Governor presided. On ac-
count of the unusual numbers, adjourn
ment was had to the Senate chamber.
Col. l.. Il. Means was appointed assistant
secretary.
1t is President Wmston's province to
speak of those elected, and | now pass
them by, with this single remark, that
the trustees of 1879 are entitled to much
of the credit of his most useful educa-
tional work for North Carolina, because
they started him at this meeting on his
professional labors.
1t was ut this meeting that Mr..
Cameron made an urgent appeal to eX-
Governor Graham to allow the board
of pain passed over his face as he firmly
declined. He was thinking of the in
sidious and certain mine being rapidly
pushed under the portierrcs of his life.
Less than two months after this meeting
| assisted as pall-bearer i'll carrying to
his grave in the Presbyterian Church lot
in Hilsboro the body of this broad
minded statesman and virtuous citizen.
There are persons other than the fac
ulty connected with the reopenng who
must not be neglected in this chronicle.
The first is Andrew Mickle, the bursar,
IL man of unpretending manners. but of
rare Intelligence, and whose virtues were
as solid as the adamantine hills.
He was prospecting as Il merchant when
the war began, but during its progress
ruined his fortune by acting on the
chivalric notion that it was wrong to
raise prices of his goods. because it was
as difficult for his neighbOrs to obtain
Confederate money as 1t had been TO
obtain good money. And so. az the cur
rency deprecated. he sold his merchan-
disc for much less than cost. He bore
his poverty with the same dignity which
characterized him i'll his prosperity. and
when the trustees resolved to depart
from the old plan of devolving the bur
sarship on a professor, it fell 10y uni
versal consent to him. with whom mil
lions of dollars would have been as safe
as in the Bank of England.
Another Indispensable and equally wor-
thy officer Of the University was the
University carpenter. Foster Utley. He
WAS born in Wake county on Il farm.
His mother was Il Walton. said to have
been of the family of the noted fisherman
and author. Isaac Walton. The trans
parent purity of character, the bound
less benevOlcnce, the sturdy honesty, the
quiet humor. the love of nature. the de-
Il
hours on Il messy bank, under ii beech
tree roof. with his cork floating on the
uuiet waters, or dancing among the
ripples. his devout thankfulness to God
whether the yellow perch yielded to the
eloquent squirm' of the bait or passed
it by in cold Indifference. remind Us of
the sainted father of the art of angling.
He married an excellent Chapel Hill
lady, who survives him. and the Uni
versity is fortunate in having in its en-
ployment IL son. who resembles his father
in his person. his skill and, | firmly be-
lievc, in his character.
TO complete the personnel of the in
stitution the faculty chose to wait on
the students, ring the bell and for other
similar services one who had occupied
similar position under the old faculty.
He had been Il slave of President Swain
and, therefore. he appears on the records
of 1879 us Wilson Swain, though he
afterwards preferred the surname of
Caldwell. his father having been Il slave
of President Caldwell. He was an eX-
cecdingly intelligent. courteous, faithful
man. reliable always. and had the UNI
bounded regard and confidence of the fac
ulty and students. \ gifted son of the
University CIR. Peele), who is to add
dress you today. has published pen
picture of him, us beautiful as true,
which attests that my description of Viii
son CaldWell Is not oVefulaWn.
The friends of the University were
greatly encouraged by Il decision of the
Circuit Court of the United State at the
June term, 1874. \ short statement of
facts is necessary To make this clear
From 1889 it had been supposed by the
best legal talent that all the property of
the University was subject to sale by
the trustees. When the war ended it had
$2O0, 900 worthless bank stock and owed
about $4,000 to individuals and over
100000 to the bank. 1t was thought to
, he IL good arrangement to compromise
this bank debt for $4,000 in gold and
$50. 100 i'll paper currency. The bank
agreed to this. on condition that Il mort
gage should be made covering all the
property of the University, which was
done. President Swain then endeavored
to secure IL loan for S60,O00 on transfer
of the mortgage. He visited New York
city and applied to the Astors and other
| capitalists. but without success. When
the institution passed into the hands of
the new trustees. in 1868. they employed
counsel to contest the validity of the
mortgage BY consent of the attorney
general. Mr.. w. NJ. Coleman. we brought
suit in the Circuit Court of the United
| States i'll the name Of the State, re-
turnable in June term. 1869, asking for
Il decree multiplying the mortgage
This bill was dismissed for want of
jurisdiction