The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-06-09

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money of this kind. Three-fourths of the
six hundred students here today are the
sons of poor men. or are here as the result
OF money borrowed or earned. Can there
be any more fruitful philanthropy than
the aiding Of worthy young men to get
an education as such an institution?
A GREAT STATE LIBRARY.
Today there is no great library in North
Carolina, no general knowledge OF library
economy, no great source OF library lnspl-
ration. The library at the University Is
probably the best equipped in the State,
but a feeling Of sadness must needs come
over the heart of every loyal son OF our
beloved State when his eyes fall upon our
University library equipment. The build
ing shelters &C, 1000 volumes and 10000
pamphlets, but many of them are neces-
sarily packed and damned away IN such
a fashion as to largely destroy their use
fulness. Will not some philanthroplst
come to our aid and erect a memorial Il
brary building on this beautiful campus,
with sufficient funds for equipment? Will
not some great-hearted son or daughter
of the "Old North State give our people
a great library, the head of the library
system of the State, a great Beacon Light
OF LctIcGs, lICInS us noau Tar above tIe
horizon and sending its light into the ut
termost part of the State to illumine the
homes of all the people Of every creed and
of every station, and show them the hid
den paths to the kindly fruits of earth and
to the eternal blessings of Heaven.
We stand here today in Gerard Hall.
built a half century ago from proceeds of
the sale of lands of Major Charles Ger
T., r6 ho1oht with his blood IN n war for
civil and religious liberty. Students and
professors are called to worship here, and
yet one-third of the persons summoned are
unable to find seats. Within five years
more two-thirds of the students and pro-
tessors viii be unable to find seats at these
morning prayers. The religious life of the
University is largely in the care of the
Young Mems Christian Association. over
sixty per cent. of the students and all the
professors are church members, and about
two hundred are members of the assocla-
ton. Twice a week evening prayers are
held by the association. Four Sunday
schools in the nearby country are sup
ported by the association, and it maintains
also a weekly service in a nearby cotton
mill. Morning classes in Sunday school
with an attendance of from one to two
hundred are taught by the professors.
Says President Venable in his report:
They hav no suitable rooms for their
Bible class meetings. No general assem-
lily hall, no reading room and no library"
Church people of North Carolina, let me
ask you if this is not the greatest stra-
getic point in the entire State for those
religious operations that seek to touch the
heart Of higher life and quicken its beats
with the universal love of the Father?
Before closing, allow me to call the at
@tention of this body, and so far as l may
be able, that of the whole State, to
another department of this University,
which from necessity has been sadly neg
lected, but which in the course of time
vii lprove its croWning glory. l refer to
1.-THE graduate department, of which Pres
ldent Venable in painful candor says:
NO special effort has been made to de
Nelop this department, as the strength of
the faculty is taxed by the large number
of undergraduates 1t is in this direction
that the individual with moderate meal rs
can wisely and with profit to the Univer-
sity and to its work in upbuilding the
State, give the smaller contributions in
keeping with the state of his exchequer
and along the lines in which he may be
strongly interested.
Fellow Alumni, and especially you
young men, we owe to this University a
thousand times more than we can ever re-
pay.
Can we not start here today and appoint
a committee from this body to make, dur
ing the coming year, a thorough study OF
the problems of education in North Caro-
lima with a view to uniting our loyal sons
and daughters in the common hope and
11non tho corpmnn nurppSo pf I1nh1l1dlno
this institution for the higher education
of the whole people? We can have this
committee report the results of its labors
to this body one year from today, at which
time a further committee can be appointed
to memorable the General Assembly at its
next regular session for the purpose OF
securing its active cooperation in this
grand labor of love which we haVe under.
taken.
To these ends, Mr.. President, l now de-
sire to contribute permanently the yearly
income derived from four thousand dol
lars. And 1t IS my wish that during the
coming year, this income be given to the
fund for the erection of a building, for
the religious needs Of this institution and
thereafter to go toward the esta blishment
of a fellowship in North Carolina History
IN connection with the University, but
open to all udents of all institutions fol
I, higher education in the State. That the
: selection of the holder and the scope of this
work shall be under the control and di
~rection of the professor of History of the
University; of DR.. JOIN S. Bassett, during
his professorship at Trinity College and
of the donor or a person to be hereafter
designated by the donor.
ALUMNI OFFICERS REELECTED.
The present officers of the Alumni As
ISOLATION were unanimously reelected
! The trustees elected DR.. George Howe, OF
8 South Carolina, professor of Latin. He Is
a nephew of Hon. Woodrow Wilson. Dr.
E. x. Graham, was chosen associate pro
: fessor of English literature. DR.. Thomas
Ruffin was promoted from assistant to full
) Professor Of Law.
AT 6 o'clock IN the afternoon the grad
uating class assembled in front of the Me
: mortal Hall attired in thell
t caps and gowns and to the music
: Hail the Conquering Hero as played
2 by the superb Richmond band, marched tc
Tho hirtnria \ v1n pon1or SaotnI around