The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-18
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
university Day E~xercises-The Ado
caud Interesting Address by Coio-
mel Thomas w. Mason.

fCorrespondence of The Messenger.)
Chapel Hill, October 16.
last Saturday. October 18th, was the
1OSth anniversary of the laying Oh the
cornerstone of the first building
Ctbe Old East ever erected on the
university campus. In memory OF that
law. over a century 6 now, OCTOBER
18th is always observed as n OF the
regular university holidays and the
day is ttingly spent, the exercises last
Saturday being particularly appropriate
to the occasion.
The speaker of the occasion was Colo
mel Thomas w. Mason, of
ton county, of the class of 1898, one OF
the university's most distinguished
sons. He took as the theme of his
Grafton Useful Learning In begin
ming his address he spoke briefly OF the
history of the university; that is came
into existence in the very dawn OF
American Independence, at a time Whei
religious and political freedom were III
the air. and that it owed It's existence
TO the brains of no n man nor to the
nurse of any dozen men. 1t was or
dained by the people of North Carolina
and is OF them and for them.
The speaker then discussed the tram
ing given by the education OF earlier
times than these. For years ana years,
he said. the curriculum of studies mere
was made up nearly entlrely Oh Latin
Greek and mathematics. The teachers
of those times thought that these stud
les afforded the groundwork OF useIul
learning. They had a right TO think
so. for from his curriculum tneFe Went
forth class after class from the un1Ver-
sity to perform admirably all the duties
that came before them. Years ago
a man who had been trained under the
old system, and was at the time pres1-
dent of the United States, came back
to Chapel Hill to bring in person the
tribute of his gratitude Refers to Jas.
L. Polk, an alumni of this inst1rut1on).
Colonel Mason next spoke of techni-
cal education. He was glad, he aid
that our state has her technical schools.
Technical training is very necessary,
but selfishness must not be made It's
end. The useful learning is that learn
ing which conduces to the faithful per-
Torrance of social duties; it broadens
the sumpathies.
The speaker then discussed the train
deserved tribute to DR.. Venerable's
work as president of the university and
with an expression of his qualification
at the great progress of the university
under his administration.
His whole effort was very well re-
ceived and was greatly enjoyed by the
audience.
Rev. E. Pendleton Jones, one of the
four distinguished preacher-sons of
DIR. J. William Jones, of this place,
pastor of the First Baptist church of
Owensburg, Ky, delivered a very I'M
pressive and thoughtful sermon Sun
day night in the Chapel on 1.-THE Strong
Young Man." He is now ably assisting
his father in a series of services at the
church here and he is doing much good.
DIR. f. P. Venable and DR.. ]. H. Pratt,
of the university will leave the latter
part of the present week for New Ha-
ven. where they attend the bi-centen-
NAL of Yale university, as representa-
tives of this university at that great
educational celebration.
The varsity will play the Agriculture
al and Mechanical team this afternoon
and Saturday will play Guilford.
Arrangements are being made to
have very interesting and creditable
exhibit from the university at h ap-
preaching state fair.