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

less distant in the South, but red and
glar1ng throughout the North and West.
~olntlng to It's downfall, we may be sure
that further legislatures in North Caro-
Ina Will maintain to the best Of their abil-
lty this Old institution, given to US oy our
1ore1athers as the best means of preserving
democratic liberty and transmitting It's
blessing to all posterity.
But how about the $500, goo for libraries.
halls of science, Young Mems Christian
Association building and graduate depart
ments? In meeting these demands it is
believed by me that we need not and that
we should not look to the public treasury.
1t is always the first duty of the guard
lans OF monies of a democratic people to
make the burdens of taxation rest as light
ly upon the shoulders Of the general pub
lie as the circumstances will permit. But
where an institution for higher education
Is a public corporation, for the benefit Of
the whole people, and under the control
OF the whole people I do think that we
have the right to expect the hearty CO
operation of the peoples representatives.
We have the right to expect their aid in
l~mprovising methods for bringing to the
support of this public, charitable corpor-
alton the powerful assistance of the be-
III CIIS oild DIllIuIltllOpy, III IONc anu
the interest and the wealth Of thousands
Of high minded men and women scattered
over this State and throughout the whole
country. We do not ask money from the
Legislature, but time and consideration
and patriotism and brains. Is it not time
for the best intellects of North Carolina
to- make a new and thorough study of the
problems of education for the purpose of
larmonIzing the conflicting clements IN
our present system and for the purpose of
blending them into a unity of strength
and power. of increased f~ruitfulness. with.
out any greatly increased cost of main
tenance?
i Granting, however, that the time is ripe
for the building up of a great University
here in North Carolina how can any presi-
dent accomplish the stupendous undertake
ing with a disoreanizcd alumni and a
board of seventy-eight trustees, splendid
men as individuals, but as trustees only
one out Of every four has sufficient edu-
~cational enthusiasm to attend the meet
{ ings of his own board. If it be true that
I there Is safety IN Il multitude,' it is
equally true that division Of responsibility
l among a multitude prevents progress and
brings stagnation and dry rot. This in
5 stitution no longer belongs exclusively to
the lCSlucnIS Oh NOIln odTOlllld. 1t is lnc
5 Alma Mater of men scattered all over the
world. One good live alumnus IN the
5 board of trustees residing in the city OF
l New York alone, has the opportunity OF
g doing more for this University than any
l five average men residing in North Caro-
e hna and picked in our easy going manner
, of equitable distribution of honorable dis
!. tinctions I know whereof I speak. Far
: be it from my nature to find any faul
: with the public spirit of this distinguished
/ body. of which my father was a member
: almost up to the time of his death. But
with love and reverence, | must speak
| plainly about a matter that I know, and
I you know, to be a serious handicap to the
progress of the institution that we love
to the bottom of our hearts.
ALUMNI TRUSTEES.
: 1t is believed by many of US that if the
Legislature viii pass an act empowering
: the Alumni Association Of the University
of North Carolina to elect tWenty-siH
members or one-third of the board Of
: trustees in its own way, it will that mo
tment breathe new life into the dead bones
of the Alumni Association, and a thor
ioughly organized body of men Will quick
, lv spring into existence that Will every
: day in the year render powerful assistance
IN carrying the burdens of the University
and in supplying equipment for It's greater
progress III its higher development. The
= plan of giving to the Alumni a bushes:
; standing III the management and supper
= of higher institutions of learning IS no
a new one. 1t has already been adopted
, in many localities and has invariably
proven productive Of splendid results
I Such an innovation. while in no name
5 destroying the safety of the multitude
will in the light Of experience IN othe
y States, shake off the shackles of inertia
l bring to the board new blood, new edu
@cational enthusiasm, and new capacity fl
: expansion and progress.
The State Constitution, Section 6, pro
}. vides that 1.-The General Assembly shall
u have power to provide for the election 0
Trustees of the University and Judg
0 Pearson, in passing upon the meaning Q
this section in trustees, etc, vs.. McIve
II (S75), says: by comforting an unrestrlct
7 ed power upon the General Assembly, tina
body could adopt the old mode election 0
e trustees by board Of education( or som,
! other, and if the mode adopted in tn,
II first instance proved unsuccessful, set asid'
i and substitute another by ordinary legis
lation; for instance, if the General Assem-
bly, adopted the old mode and that unde
the new conditions, resulting from tn
is war, did not prove d succeSs-thcn anOthe
r mode, an election by the Alumni OF tn
$ University could be tried, or any other
y which on account of the circumstance
r in the wisdom of the General Assembly
O might be deemed eXpedicnt.' 1t Is evi
l. dent therefore, that the change can pc &C
complished very easily by a simple act o
h the Legislature.
The first duty of an organized Alumni
Association is to devise means of sendlni
n home to the minds of our own home PEG
: pie, as we'll as abroad a clear knoWledg
of the relation Of this University to tn
II whole people, its public service, its recor'
J. Of achievements, its pressing needs, 1T
: momentous possibilities, and most OF al
its glorious opportunities for making ben
cfactions a thousand times effective TIL
q December report of the President is a grea
% step in this direction. But in my humbl
n opinion much more will have to be don
nm