The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-21
A GREAT SCHOOL
CLOSES ITS DOORS
Greensboro Female College
Failed to Pay Expenses.
PROPERTY WORTH SIPS, 900
Trustee R. T. Gray Says it is a Great 0ppor-
iunity for Raleigh to Have Here The
Leading MethodistSe
The Stat,

Inc Siab
A great Methodist the Green's
boro Female Cole /closed its doors.
1t has been 2 ded as a school for
the present ana ..ehe only hopes of the
trustees is that some institution or parties
will take hold of the property and main
tain it as a college
Mr.. r. T. Gray, of Raleigh, who is in
terested in the college, has returned from
Greensboro where he attended meet
ing of the stockholders. He was
interviewed yesterday concerning the close
OF the college, the cause and the prospects
for the future.
Yes said Mr.. Gray, 1.-THE Greensboro
Female College has been closed. 1t was a
step taken with the greatest reluctance
and regret, but for a few years the in
Gene has not met the expenses and the
trustees were forced to take the step they
did''
''The matter has been under advise
ment for some time but it was not until
this week that we came to the conclu-
sion to close the doors. At one time it
was hoped that Trinity College would
male Department of Trinity. The property
was offered at a sacrifice, but the Trinity
officials did not accept the proposition"
THE meeting was fully attended and
all but five shares of stock were repre-
scented. Of the trustees there were pres
ent DR.. bred Peacock, C. H. ireland, j.
A. Odell Prof. o. w. Carr, of Greensboro;
j. NJ. and W. r. Odell, of Concord, and
myself. We went over the affairs of the
college. hoping that some arrangement
might be made to continue it, but this
had to be abandoned, and unless some
one takes hold of it the college will not
reopen
1T is great opportunity for Raj
eigh," continued Mr.. Gray ''as l see it.
The city is an educational centre, and
splendid female colleges for the Baptists,
Presbyterians and Episcopalians are sue
.ceeding here. 1t is the place for a great
State Methodist College and if one of the
other Methodist Female Colleges in the
State could be removed here j feel sure
1T would be great success If this is
done It must be by the efforts OF the peo-
pie of Raleigh. 1t would be better in
vestment for the people OF the city than
two great cotton factories
'sThe college failed for lack of financial
support. 1t was well managed and the
grade of the school was high It has
had a long and honorable career and
among its graduates are to be found
some of the best women in the State 1t
was chartered in 1888, opened for stu
dents in 1916, burned In 1863, re-opened in
1878 and sold to the present owners in
1881 when the Methodist conference found
it could no longer maintain it. The Meth
cdist laymen who bought the property
then assumed all its debts Since then we
have done the best we could, but without
endowment we have not succeeded, nor
has the college received the support from
the Methodists of the State that it
should"
'The magnificent school property, with
its buildings and thirty or more acres of
land splendidly situated In Greensboro is
worth $3.50 the buhaIng 4.self having
cost $65. 900. Since 1881 the trustees have
expended on it about SAC, 900 in improve
ments There are electric lights
and steam-heating plant there
costing ten to fifteen thousand dollars 1t
is a classic spot and / should regret to
see it divided up, but 1t may be that this
will have to be done and that it will
go as residence property or some corpora
tions may use it for industrial purposes -
THE college has a dormitory capacity
of 100 and the past year there were 90
boarding pupils We have had as high
$50, but that was years ago. The
competition of other colleges, the fact that
there were three fine Methodist schools in
the State, those at Littleton, at Louis
burg and at Lenoir. and a number over
the line in Virginia, has scattered the
Methodist strength some of which went
to colleges of other denominations
"rhe college has had the best talent
There was DR.. T. M. Jones, who, after it
was destroyed by fire. went to Louisburg,
Kittrell and Warrenton and came back
when the college was rebuilt. DR. B. f.
Dixon DR.. Frank Reid Dr. bred Pea
cock and Miss Lucy Robinson, all with
able faculties. When it passed into the
hands of private stockholders they did not
expect to make money out of it, but the
income has not paid the running expenses
and the stockholders have had to pay
yearly a deficit from their own pockets.
There was no aid given it by the Method
list conferences The Odells, of Concord
and Greensboro, and DR.. bred Peacock,
Mr. ireland and Prof. Carr. of Green's
boro, deserve the highest credit for the
Unselfish sacrifices toy have made Pro
vision was made for the payment on the
day following the meeting of every bill
owed by the college to the butcher, the
grocer. the baker and candestck maker
ct was sad meeting when we finally
concluded to abandon the college Our
hopes for 10 had been high, but these
had come TO naught. / left Greensboro
before the action of the trustees was
given out and / do not know of the
feeling of the people there. Unless Others
take up the burden we have carried the
college is definitely Closed