The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-09
A SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Representative Bouten Delighted With
What He Saw az the Recent Com
mencement at the North
Carolina State University
at Chapel Hill.

Especial Correspondence of The Even.
ing Post)
Washington, June -Representa.
tive Boutell, of Illinois. returns from
Chapel Hill, N. c., where he went tc
deliver the commencement address al
the State University, delighted beyond
measure with what he saw at the
famous institution. On commence.
ment day, the people from all the
country around drove into town. SO
that between 400 and 500 vehicles
were assembled there, with the horses
tied under the trees, something which
the universities of the North know lit
tie about Chapel Hill has a sput
track from the main line connecting
Raleigh and Greensboro, but the old
country roads still lead most of the
visitors to commencement. The peo-
pie of the country side feel that this is
their university, and it's observances
are a part of their life.
With one exception this is the old
est State university in the country. Its
establishment was provided by the
State Constitution of 1916 It's first
class graduated in 1895 It's list of
alumni contain many distinguished
names, including one President of the
United States The university has not
lost the flavor of the old times. 1t is
q centre. Mr. Boutell says of plain liv-
ing and high thinking The atmos-
phere is redolent of culture and re-
finement and is surprisingly free from
the commercialism and lavish display
of wealth and luxury of many of the
educational institutions of the present
day. Mr.. Boutell, who is a Harvard
man, thinks it would be good plan
if some Northern young men would go
there to study. The village itself is
extremely beautiful. like a bit of New
England, or Of Old England, tucked
away in the North Carolina hills.
The commencement exercises We're
held in an octagonal memorial hall
over whose walls the ivies have been
growing for many years. The COVER
nor of the State, who is by virtue of
his office the president of its trustees,
presents the diplomas. From a GUS
tom which goes back to the early days
of the institutions, he passes out an
oxford Bible with each diploma, as
the gift of the State TO the graduates
of its university. The democracy of
the place greatly interested Mr.. Bou-
tell One of the leading members Of
the graduating class, who took
prominent part in the exercises, was
young man of especially courtly bear
ing and fine presence. He seemed to
South. But one of the professors, no
ticing the visitors interest i'm the stu
dent. explained something of his MIS-
tory. The young man had come from
a one-room cabin In the western noun
tains of the State. and had arrived al
Chapel Hill without a dollar, earning
his way through from start to finish
Mr.. Boutell predicts a brilliant career
for the young man on the theory that
g frt l., Ioat rS.Rsl1
are, after all, not far removed from
the simple living of those who till the
soil
Because of TIE element of self-help
among the Chapel Hill students in
their beautiful town. and its atmos-
phere of real scholarship. Mr.. Boutell
believes it will play a large part in the
future history of the State. Incident
ally. he learned that he was the first
Northern Republican ever invited to
deliver the commencement address
there.