The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-13
THE GLORIOUS WORK OF
OUR STATE UNIVERSITY
A Glimpse of the Life and Labors of Lafcadio Hearn
Mistake by MoIioy What Con-
VCts Read.


cate of the University of North Caro-
lima, L have been much gratified at
the great advance in this noble South
ern institution of learning. its broad
ening of equipment and usefulness,
its excellent faculty-some sixty-four
or more-its superior apparatus. its
thirteen fine buildings, it's steady
growth in the admiration and conf
dence of the people, its large attend
ance, pushing on for it's 700 students,
which l trust will soon come to pass.
it is not only much the oldest of
all Southern Universities, but it has no
superior in equipment and compre-
hensiveness. and scarcely rival in the
record of its success, in the character
of its alumni, and in the devotion of
it's pupils to this great Southland of
ours | referred recently in a few
lines to President Francis P. Venable's
comprehensive, insn'"'-~ historical
sketch of the venerable and admirable
University over which he presides with
so much of zeal. ability and success.
1t was read but the other day before
the State Historical and Literary So
ciety. in session then at Raleigh. 1t
was an excellent and highly instruc-
tive address, and gave glorious
glimpses of the University, both in the
days of delightful peace as it did in
the sombre and death-dealing times
of war.
The faithful chief official states,
and / take his words from the paepr
read. and that afterwards was pub
lished in the Raleigh News and OBJ
server that admirable puveyor of
State views as we'll as defender of the
interests and rights of the people of
North Carolina. | do this gladly,
hoping that the work of the University
shall be properly reorganization Its
field of labor is a. broad one and the
making OF a people requires many
factors. Year after year for more
than forty years, the University sent
out bands of trained leaders and his
tory makers before any other institu-
ton joined hands with it in the work. =
This should be known. 1t is now in
its 109th year of active and beneficent
work. DIR. Venable forcefully and
felicitously says:
1.-The making of a people. What
world of meaning lies in the words.
How it stirs one with the thoughts of
patient striving and OF long endeaVor
of struggle against untoward cir
cumstances, of mastering difficulties,
of silent growth without observation,
like some great oak of the forest push
ing its head up toward the sun,
spreading it's giant arms to drink in
strength from the yieWless air and
fastening it's roots in the fertile soil
adding in silent massive rings its
record of the years.
The noble University OF North Car
olina has borne its part IN this great
work with assiduity, devotion, fidelity,
~ hnGn
great factor in State building. in edu-
eating her men who We're to give shape
and Vigor and character to the South.
Dr.. Venable must be quoted from
again to illustrate and enforce this
point. He says;
1.-THE people had a right to expect
such men as the product of their
school and it has not failed them. And
l may say that this return from their
University SO wisely founded by the
fathers, sand SO inaGequateiy support
ed by the sons. has been far in excess
of anything which they had right to
expect. The land on which it stands
was given to the State, it's buildings
came from the generosity Of loving
friends and such endowment as 1T
possesses from the LOYAL devotion of
four noble women. For bn.ety years
there was almost no direct contriDu-
ton 1fOn the DIDllc purse LOf us sup
port or upbuilding.
Let me cite here a few figures and
facts. They will surprise many. OF
the 147 members who composed the
State Secession Convention in 1861,
there were fifty-one who had been
students of the University-moret than
one-third. OF the four men nom1-
mated for the Confederate Senate, all
were University men. OF seven others
who received votes. five We're also of
the University. Davis and Avery VINO
were chosen were from the University.
of the eight elected to the Confeder-
ate House. four were of the University.
DR.. Venable notes that for seventy-six
years the University was continuously
represented i'm the Senate of the United
States by one and often by both OF
the Senators from North Carolina.
He SAYS further. and tits both in
forming and gratifying, that from
1854 continuously until the close OF
the struggle Il University man sat IN
the Governors chair and guided the
fortunes. of the State. Indeed from
1914 to 1865, or for fifty years, there
had been only four breaks with a total
of fourteen years in the long line of
Governors drawn from the States
Training School,"
When the war came the University
was in fine development. and was even
rivalling in numbers soma of the lead
ing institutions in the North. and the
South generally contributed to swell
it's numbers. Every genuine North
Carolinian and true Southron, should
be proud of it's splendid record in
dreadful war times. 1t did its duty
with magnificent fervor and fidelity.
Read what follows, and be proud and
grateful for the grand record OF pa
triotism and devotion:
"The last class to graduate was that
of 1860. for before the commencement
of 1851 faculty and students had be-
gun to exchange the quiet of the cam
pus for the soldiers fife. This class
numbered eighty-two. Eighty of these
entered the army and tWenty-three
were killed. The freshman class OF
the same year numbered eighty and
seventy-nine fought for their country,