The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-29
Marion is College Town
 Naturally Endowed

Dy any denomination. On the othel
 hand. 1t is today conducted in the yer, buildings in which Howard College
 was conducted and some of the mer who helped to make the honorable his tory of Howard College remained Al
 Marion when Howard was moved IF
 1887, remained that they might assis,
 in building up the school that was fir
 arise in the place of the removed col.
 lege. And it might be said. too. tha,
 some of the students who had been In
 attendance upon Howard College re.
 mained to be students of the new in.
 stitution.
 It will be remembered that in 1sS7
 the Bastist State Convention decidn.j
 to remove Howard College from
 Marion to the suburbs of Birmingham,
 where 1t has since remained. The chief
 reason for the removal was Snancial.
 Not only did the citizens of Birmins-
 ham offer great financial inducemen.s for the removal of the collega. but those in authority thought that it would be to
 the advantage of the college to have It situated in a big city.
 At that time that distinguisbed teacher who has done so much f,r t.e cause of education in Alabama, Profe s. sor James T. Murfee, was Presidsnc of Howard College. He was not amony those who contended for the removal of thescollege. To him, Mar,on seemed as 1t had always had seemed an :ieal loca tion for college. He declined to go to Birmingham, preferring t. remain in Marion. and devote his life to me up- building of the college which be pro {. posed to found. The handsome build ings and grounds which hsd been used by Howard College were turned over to him for the use of the new school which was and has since been called Marion Military Institute. The success of the new institution was made pos sible through donations by William w. Wilkerson and Jesse B. Lovelace.
 The three main buildings of old How ard College and of the new Marion Military Institute are surrounded by a spacious and beautiful campus inter- sected by walks and gracefully shaded by trees which have the beauty of age. The three main buildings were design ed by Professor Noah K. Davis of the University of Virginia, but who was at the time of the erection of the build ings a professor in Howard College. tional structures. The center building Is at the present time occupied by the chapel, the physical laboratories, the recitation rooms. the gymnasium, the literary societies halls, and the council chamber. The other buildings on the right and left are used as students each containing a home for the families of members of the faculty for students and teachers here live the same life.
 The Marion Military Institute began life auspiciously when Colonel Murfee assumed charge of its destinies. He was then known as one of the leading educators of the South. A first honor graduate of the University of Virginia, he was a doctor of laws of Furman Uni versity. he had taught In Lynchburg College. had been Professor of Mathe- matics and Commandant of Cadets of the University of Alabama during the war, Architect of the University of Alabama aud President of Howard Col lege. The ability, the force, the diplomacy and the moral rectitude which go to make the character of a successful college President he had in O rare degree. The success, the marked success of Marion Military Institute mentary on his possession of the fa- culties.
 The Institute occupies the middle ground between the high school and the great institutions of learning of the country such as Princeton University, the University of Virginia and the Mas sachusetts School of Technology. The announced purpose of the Institute Is an endeavor to increase the spread or higher and of technical education III the South.
 The University of Virginia ranks the institute among accredited Colleges and Universities" and the University of Pennsylvania accepts the degree or the Institute and admits graduates or the Institute into the University with out examination.
 The general plan of the policy of the might be found in that famous ,Itterance of Thomas Arnold, What we must first look for here Is. first, relig- ious and moral principles; secondly conduct; thirdly, intellec- tual ability"
 That the Institute has been and Is most thorough in It's methods may nor be doubted. Only thorough efncien- cy in method could gain for the lnstl- tute the high standing It has With tne great universities of the country. Pro- lessor Murfee and the strong faculty he has gathered about him has won the praise of the instructors in these for the finess and the thor oushness of their methods Gs the stu dents who come from the Institute eVi- dence in their after life In the higner colleges A clean, manly ana stu dious life is the one which the faculty strtves that it's students shall have.
 The honor system, the same that IS used fin the University of Virginia, mas been put into effect at the lnstitute' finder this system the students them selves iealously guard the honor or the and the fair name or us students body. Cheating in examlha- tions, if there should be any, immoral conduct find their punishment In actions by the students ana the A@' ulty acting together.
 The high value of athletics to young man at the important crisis or his college life is fully recognized. Ihe student is not only encouraged to take advantage of the gymnasium facllltles' but field and track athletics are gwen inc endorsement and the encourage ment of the Institute authorities. AS a result of this policy the record ot the baseball and the football team or inc institute during the past year has been an enviable one. The high stand ing that the representatives of the ln- stitute took in field athletics last year, their youth, IS thins of pride both to the studens and 10 the members of the faculty.
 The year which has just closed was one of the most prosperous In the his torv of the institution. The total en- roliment reached 150 students during
 Tbe Board of Trustees of the institu- tion are T. G. Bush, B. F. Ellis, J. T. Murfee. O. Nj. Reynolds, L. l.. Lee and H. o. Murfee.
 Marion Female Seminary.
 The Marion Female Seminary has had an ancient and honorable career. The claim is made for 1t, and perhaps in Justice, that 1t is the oldest college for the education of women in the coun- trv. Ii is claimed for the seminary that it was the first institution for