The news & observer., 1904-09-25
Unsheathes His Sword
for the A. & NJ.
HERE is HIS POSITION
Why Compliment Dr.. Winston by Say.
ing He Raised the College from
Insignificance? Mr.. PickeI
Quotes Opinions to Show
the Contrary.

tne contrary.
To the Editor:-The A. & M. Col
lege in it's first decade was one of the
most significant and conspicuously
successful educational forces of North
Carolina.
To Mr.. Gray:-Why commit thu
common error of complimenting one
person whilst depreciating others
Was it not sufficient, in your reference
to DR.. Winston's splendid. success at
the A. & M. College, to state the fact,
If fact it be, that HE has made of il
a great institution ?" Why should
you add the wholly unnecessary and
the wholly false allegation from an
insignificant educational force?" Is
it not worth while to try to keep his
tory straight?
The a. & M. College in it's first de-
cade under it's first president was, as
a matter of fact. one of the most con-
spicuously successful and significant
educational forces of that day in North
Carolina. No other North Carolina
college mad in it's first ten years
eQualled it-not even the State Uni
versity-in growth.
l submit opinions and facts in sub
sanitation of this statement.
Opinions: Cd The late DR.. j. L. NJ.
Curry said of the college:
ION my recent visit (1S96) to the
college of Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts in Raleigh, l was surprised and
delighted at the success which has
crowned the efforts of the accomp-
lished faculty of the Institution.
1.-The teaching of science and of
mechanic arts by skilled professors
and with excellent appointments Waa
happily illustrated by the enthusiasm.
and intelligence of the students IN
their laboratory work and in the
shops.
81 don't know when I felt more
hopeful of North Carolina than when
1 saw so many young men combining
doing with knowing"
(2) Julian Ralph in Harper's Mag,
aZine pretty soon after the college had
gotten well under way. wrote:
Raleigh has several fine education-
al foundations, but one that inter-
ested me very much indeed was tho
college of Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts. The other Southern Statea
possess more or less similar institu-
tions, maintained with Federal aid,
and If they are in any very great
degree as well and even proudly man
aged as this of North Carolina, it is
grand thing, particularly, where men
have been too prone to think it undig-
nified to work for themselves"
u 4
our city papers a few weeks before
the college closed it's tenth session:
II have educated two sons at the
A. & M. College and expect to educate
others there" Those are not his pre-
else words, which 1 have not at hanL
but their purport.
(G Prof. d. H. Hill, now and from.
the first professor in the college,
addressing the retiring president five
Of
ulty. said:
"A decade ago you came here as the
head OF an institution that was then
regarded as an uncertain addition to
the States educational system. With
untiring energy you have worked for
its upbuilding, presiding always with
tact, courtesy and unfailing considera-
tion. You have seen this institution
outgrow the prejudice and ignorance
of those who opposed 1t, and stand out
as memento to the wisdom of its
founders. increasing in usefulness year
by year. and now with a body of
distinguished alumni who are not
afraid to be measured by what they
can do. You found one building, poor
equipment. no organizations: you leave
a well organized and splendidly equip
ped college. To few, sir, is it thus
given to see the work of their hands
built up"
Facts. Of the many that might Dc
brought forward, 1 select only two
or three.
Cd The college enrolled 72 pupill
the first year and 253 the tenth year
(1S9S-99). No other North Carolina
college had ever. to my knowledge,
approached this growth in it's first ter,
years.
The following figures. taken except
as to the A. &; M. from the report %
the L. S. Commissioner of Education,
are illuminating in this connection:
Wake Forest, founded 1884, enroll
ment 1S9S-99, 272.
Guilford, founded 1887, enrolment
1S9S-99. 220.
Davidson. founded 1887, enrolment
Trinity. founded 1851, enrolment:
1S9S-99, 220.
Belmont, founded 1878, enrolment
1S9S-99, 95.
The A. & NJ. founded 1889, enroll
ment i 1S9S-99, 253
Elon founded 1890, enrolment
1S9S-99, 12O.
In ten years the A. & NJ had at
tracted to itself an attendance of stu
dents which none, save one, of the
Oldest and most noted colleges of the
State had attained in a quarter to
over half a century of effort And
yet there is found North Carolinian
so unjust, or ill-informed, as to speak
of it as IAN insignificant educationas
force"
(2) The vigor, success and signifi,
canoe of the A. & Ms first decade
is most conspicuously brought out by
a comparison of its enrolment with