The news & observer., 1904-09-25
Leads all North Carolina Daies News and Circulation

that of the States greatest education-
al institution can mean only the
State University. / have no ante bel
lum data of the University. 1t was
re-opened in 1875, and enrolled that
year C75-76), 6S students Not till
the tenth year thereafter did the num-
ber rise as high as 23O, which is lesa
by 23 than the A. & MS tenth years
enrolment. Even sixteen years after
its post bellum opening, the Unlver-
Sity's highest water-mark was onlS
24S Gncluding 73 law and medical
students), less by than the "A. q M"
tenth years enrolment.
But the University's first post bell
lum decade fell in the shadow OF the
war and of carpet-bag missrule. Sc"
lect, therefore, the decade contem-
poraneous with the A. & MS first,
1SS9-99. During this decade three
conspicuously able presidents, Battle,
Winston, Alderman, were in turn az
the head of the University. One OF
its most-perhaps it's most-brilliant
periods of growth fell within that de-
cade. Then it was that DR.. Winston
was winning his spurs as one OF
North Cardinals ablest college presi-
dents. The University had enrolled
(see Venable's report 1902), during
the year ending June, 1883, 1877 stu
dents (including 21 in law). Ten
years afterwards (the year ending
June, 1890, it enrolled 491 studenta
(64 in the law and medical schools
are included). That is to say, the
University, starting the decade with
an enrolment of 1877 students, with a
fine equipment, with a lOng-worked-
out and we'll seasoned organization
with a century's prestige and hundreds
of alumni at it's back, gained 3Of
students, whilst the A. & M, starting
at zero, gained, in and at the same
time, in the face of most strenuous
propaganda in behalf of the University
and the ancient learning. 253 students
(29 preparatory pupils are included).
only 81 less than the University's gain
Was not that. in reality, better
showing in the matter of student
winning than that of the University?
And yet, Mr.. Gray, you print 1t in
black ink that the A. & M. was IAN
insignificant educational force"
CD What about the fruits of the
A. & MS earlier years? / select but
one of many specimens. 1t will am
ply suffice to show the abSurdity OF
your allegation. On the morning Of
June the Sth, 1899, one of our city
papers made this statement:
Nineteen young men received d.
plomaS yesterday at the graduating
exercises of the Agricultural and Me-
chanical College. These
young men have been armed with
practical education, and they are pre-
pared to compete with the rest of the
world in embracing the responsible
ties of life. A striking instance of
this was the announcement OK preSf-
dent Holiday that three members of
the graduating class had been unable
to complete their finals because they
had recently left college to accept
positions. He stated, however, that
these young men would finish their
studies In the near future and be
awarded diplomas"
Facts and opinions, such as the
above, are more than ample to show
the absurdity Of your Characterization
of the A. & M. in it's first years, Mr.,
Gray. The alumni of it's first decade
should before 1t is too late see to ii
that the facts of it's earlier years are
and that it be awarded the
high place among the educational
forces of that day which it richly
deserved.
/ congratulate the able president
and accomplished faculty of
the college on its present
splendid growth and wish them
even greater things for the
future. AS a lifelong teacher and as
4 father with sons to educate, / COM
mend their firmness in suppressing re-
cent undergraduate insubordina-
ton, and heartily congratulate
those seniors who have had
the manhood to acknowledge
and renouncc their error and
resume their studies. There have
been from the first, and are now,
friends of mine in the faculty and
of the college. II is due
them to state that no one now or at
any time in the past connected with
the college has, even in the remotest
degree, inspired or suggested the
of this letter. The facts and
citations here put down have been
obtained exclusively from the pub
lished reports of the college, excers
where otherwise snted.