The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-12
UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT
Graduation Day-Anniversary of Re-
opening of h Universfty-Dr. Alder
mans Address-Presentatfon of the
Carr ildin

versity. Large crowds representing
every class of people and from all parts
of the state were present. The exer-
cises were new and interesting, and
diplomas were given TO forty-seven
young men.
Following was the programme Of the
anniversary exercises:
Prayer by Rev. Robert E. Caldwell.
THE Struggle and Story of the Re
birth of the University" DR.. Kemp P.
Battle.
THE First Faculty; Its Work and Its
Opportunity" President George T.
Winston.
The University; Its Work and Its
Needs" President Edwin A. Alderman.
Pen Pictures of the Times of 1875"
Mr.. William j. Peele.
Statistical History Of the Men OF
1875" Rev. John c.. Troy.
PRESENTATION OF CAR BUILD
ING
The Carr building was then present.
ed, and the address of presentation
was by w. III. S. Burgwin, and the ad-
dress of reception by r. H. Battle.
DIR. ALDERMAN'S ADDRESS.
On The University, Its Work and Its
Needs" DR.. Alderman said:
lou lave nedr0 from one VINO was a
large part Of all that he described, the
brave story Of the rebirth Of this univer-
sity. You have heard from one who was
a large part of all that he described. the
inspiring story of the beginnings of the
revived institution and its growth into
power. 1 have the director task of set
ting forth the university as il is today
and of declaring its needs for fine and
honest service in the strange, new CEN
fury awaiting it and us, and our children,
L believe that this university is the high
est achievement Of the best brain and
impulses of the best people of all classes
of the state of North Carolina. 1t is the
child of civic virtue and democratic ne
cessity, and 1t has been forever true to
its patronage.
Four distinctive traits of individual
character mark its life.
1. Its freedom from academic aloof-
ness. This university has manage to see
from the first the relation of culture and
training to social service, and has touch
ed and awakened the life about it in all
OF its concerns, in the field, in the fac
tory, in war, in peace, at the forum. in
the teachers study. 1t has been sensi-
thetic and patient with the inevitable
popular Indifference to higher education.
strange hostilities and antagonisms.
Though but a little over one per cent of
the population of the area which it
serves has received training here during
the wonderful eighty years of separation
and Stiffness between 1900 and 1880. yet I
am able to submit this broad record of
III vi liz III
States senators from this state, forty
four per cent went from this university;
OF the members of congress forty per
cent; of the governors of the state, fifty
eight per cent; of the lieutenant govern
ors ffty-nine per cent; Of the speakers of
the house of representatives fifty per
cent; of the state officers twenty-five per
cent; of the judges of tire superior court.
thirty-eight per cent; of the judges Of
the supreme court, fifty-two per cent.
And not only in public life but in the
professions of teaching, of agriculture
and mechanical endeavor, while it is not
possible to express its influence in per-
centages it is true to say that the forma-
tive influences in each of these great de-
partments of society have come from this
institution. In war one might silently
point to that long roll inscribed on those
tablets
''Of those whose faith and truth
On wars red touchstone rang true
metal"
Yet it can be said accurately that
forty per cent of the total enrolment of
this university from 1925 to 1867 were in
the confederate army. The average en-
rollment of the New England colleges in
the federal army was twenty-three per
cent, and of Yale university the highest
of them all, twenty-five per cent. Since
the re-opening of the Institution in 1875
2,S% students have matriculated here; five
hundred and SiXty-two nave graduated
here and entered the various professions
of life There is no arithmetic that can
calculate the good these men have done,
VI oil III IN 4OSS " IL Sldle i
this army Of trained men had not been
sent out into its life. Ninety-three per
cent &C these matriculates have come from
this state and L dare say that there has
been no new movement for good in which
they have not been active. Fifty per
cent Of these matriculates have been the
sons OF men who never knew the ad-
Vantages of college training. Thus while
old family stocks have been kept strong
and fit, new material has been sent out
to become the heads OF cultured homes
and to bear testimony to their
ties. In such ways is developed the true
ariStocracy of republicS-character en-
ached by learning.
2 The university has managed to &C
mplis greater results on smaller means
than any American institution. Its in
come from the state today is twenty-five
thousand dollars annually. Its income
from all sources is forty-eight thousand
dollars. Its faculty numbers thirty-ive
members. Its enrolment of regular stu
dent is five hundred and twelve, includ-
ing summer school 673. 1t maintains a
teachers. Compare this with other
southern institutions and you will find
mat this Is the smallest income with
which such results are accomplished
anywhere in this state or in the outhern
states.
8. The spirit of freedom and liberation
and equality in its life. Three fourths of
the students here are the sons of poor
men. or are here as the result of money
borrowed or earned. All sects, parties
and conditions meet and mingle here on
an equal footing and love the place with
an equal love. I have seen men fighting
in unity of purpose for this place who
did not agree with each other on any
other public question in heaven above or
the earth beneath and some of them
could not agree with themselves over
Sunday. North Carolina owes much of
the dignity and the freedom from rancor
OF its public life to the manly spirit of re-
spect for motives engendered here.
T. The passionate but ~disorganiZed af-
fection Of its alumni. / know Of no
place in which the genius loci exerts
sucn wonderful influence as it does in
this quiet village. The old alumnus
thinks of Chapel Hin as Hastings did of
his home and would like to die here. The
middle aged man in the strife OF life
holds the place in his mind as he does
the lighted lamp and the gentle faces
gathered about his hearthstone. The
young boy whose feet have Just faded
from its doors thinks of it as the sailor
man upon the sea thinks of his nome.
The university of North Caroline is an
honest, fa1th1uI force, deriving its in