The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-02
AN IMPORTANT MEETING OF TNI-
VERSITY TRUSTEES.

The trustees of the University of
North Carolina met at Raleigh on She
21st instant. 1t was in some respects
an important meeting as it made a
radical departure. The university will
mold open sessions all the year round.
There will be no closed doors hence
forth. but teaching will be continued
through all the months. It will sug+
gest journalistic life, newspaper life
closing the 31st of December to begin
the next day for another unbroken (.
| year. The idea is catching IL tile teach
ers can stand the strain. 1t will thus
offer extraordinary opportunities to a
special class of youth. 1t will be very
hard on the students who shall study
Uhen practically tested we cannot an
s~icipate, but It looks weIE ON paper.
President. Alderman says i'm his report
- the trustees
The pan of the continuous sessions
is d parr of a large whole It is one
manifestation OF the university extern
sion spirit-that spirit which, during
the last eight or nine years.. has been
OodiIS q VI Tx lIIol pl tllllC
universities Of our country to widen
their fields of activity with the purpose
of ringiHg the advantages of the uni
verSity to those classes of the popula-
ton that have heretofore been deprived
of university culture. 1t is, in effect,
a movement to d a year to- the life
Of a scholarly man"
1t is worth trying. The university has
steadily grown- In 1890 it had IT'S stu
dents enrolled In 1900 it has 512 reg
uIar students. exclusive OF the summer
school enrolment. Before the war the
highest attendance was 46r-in 1858 The
highest since the wharf.-the greatest up
to date-is that above gFven-512- I'm
der the presidency of Dr.. Alderman
the increase Is So per cent: LIZ rs worth
mentioning that the first paper in
North Carolina to advocate. DR.. Alder
! man for the vacant presidency was
The Messenger 1t has not regretted
it's action.
The Messenger is always friendly to
what ~ good in the university When
:. sees anything wronE.it has thought
IL proper To point it out. It has often
listed that he university should be
better fostered. Its one rival among
southern institutions. of. E~earning-the
University of Virginia-receives, We
thin3 it Is. SIS, 900 more annually from
the state han our own fine university
receives. We See il mentioned that the
Virginia university viii receive stiiI
nlo.e generous aid.
The Messenger has urged upon the
alumni and friends oe the university
to contribute more literally to its in
come. The rich might emulate north
eIn beneficence and generosity. Others
might contrihdte 70 its endowment
$1,000 or half or quarter that sum,
while poorer men might give 1900 or
$50. or $500, or s10e. 1t would even be
in order for still smaller constitutions
to be made-s50. So or even so or s..
Ali would help To create a large en-
dowment fund.
DR.. Alderman says, and ere do not
suppose he exasgerates:
by the exercise OF rigid economy
unsurpassed in America, by self-sacri-
Efcs, hard work. enterprise n vigilant
appreciation OF popular needs, the uni
versitg has grown into the rank and
class of institutions enjoying two and
three times its income. and it has pre-
served fnviolate it's reputation for
honesty of work and academic dignity.
This fact is known and wondered at In
he states, where il Is best
known. Its student body in ten years
has increased $50 per cent. Its income