The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-24
SUDDEN DEATH
 OF DIR. BR0UN Distinguished Educator
 Passes Away. HEAD OF AUBURN COLLEGE
He Had Been a Teache r
 Fifty Years.
Exercises at Institute Suspended and Funeral Services Will Be Con- ducted Saturday Morning Stu
 dents and Faculty Grieve-

Auburn, Jan. 23.-(Special.)-Dr. Will liam LeRoy Broun, M A., ILL. D., presi- dent of the Alabama Polytechnic 1nsti- tute died suddenly at his residence here this morning. He was one of the fore most educators of the country. and, from time to time, had been prominently as- sociated with the leading educational institutions of the South.
 In recent years he was conspicious for the great work he accomplished as a pioneer in the field of technical educa- tion. Since 1884 he had been president of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and under his wise and progressive guidance this institution had been de- yeloped into highly successful and widely known college of applied science This institution will stand as monu- ment to his name. His death will be an immense loss to the cause of South ern, indeed or national, education.
 He was a native of Virginia born in Loudon County, 1927, and a distinguished Master of Arts of the University of Vir- Rinia, where he was a fellow student and an intimate friend of group of prominent Southerners. including Dr. J. A, Broadus, William Wirt Henry, Pro. lessor Frank Smith of the University of Virginia and others.
 pr. Broun was graduated in 1s50 He was elected to a professorship in the college of Mississippi in 1852 and stayed there two years then to the chair of mathematics in the University of Georgia.
 In 1856 Dr. Broun founded Bloomfield Academy near the University of Virginia which he conducted successfully until the outbreak of the war between the States. While conducting this institution. in 1859, Dr. Broun married Miss Sallie J. Fleming, daughter of a prominent Vir- ginia family. She has been dead num- Der of years
 pr. Broun enlisted in the Confederate army as a lieutenant of artillery. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Ordnance Department and on ac- count of his high mathematical and scientific attainments was made Com mandant of the Arsenal in Richmond. He. perhaps, gave the last order in that city directing the blowing up of the Con- federate arsenal.
 After the close of the war Dr. Broun was elected to the chair of Physics in the University of Georgia and in 1872 be- came president of the Agricultural and Mechanical Department of that ipstitu- ton. From 1875 to 1882 he was Professor of Mathematics in Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. and in 1882 was elected President of the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Auburn. He re mained in Auburn one year and went to the University of Texas as Professor of Mathematics where he was made chair man of the faculty.
 In 1884 pr. roun was reelected presi- dent of the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Auburn the name of the in- stitution having since been changed to that of the Alabama Polytechnic Insti- tute. He had served continuously as president of the institution since 1884
 He is survived by one son and two daughters. One of these daughters had been his companion here many years. His married daughter, Mrs. Tancred Betts resides in Huntsville.
 Dr. Broun was man of varied and accurate scholarship and of rare wis dom in tho control of a great institu- tion. Broadly founded in the principles of educational science, he always plan ned wisely, and was the first to establish and to develop several new branches of scientific education in the South, such as manual training, electrical engineering and biology.
 His death is a source of profound grief to the entire community. The funeral ex- ercises will be conducted with appro- prtate honors under the auspices of the college, in Langdon Hall, Saturday morn ing at 1O:30 o'clock. All college exercises have been suspended until the services are concluded.