The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-06-29
Entered at the Post Office at Scotland
Mech, N C. as Second Glass Matter.
DR., w. L. POTEAT.
WAKE FoRFsT's NEW PRESIDENT.

The resignation of President Charles
E. Taylor of Wake Forest College was
accepted Thursday at session of the
college trustees held here and Prof.Wil-
liam L POteat of Wake Forest was chos-
en- to succeed him. DIR. Taylor becomes
financial secretary and will devote his
time to increasing the endowme nj
fund of the college
For several years Or. Taylor has had
under consideration laying aside the ar
duous duties which he has borne So sue
cessfully but the friends Of the college
have from time to time prevailed upon
him to delay his retirement. Yielding
his personal preferences to what was
conceived to be for the good of the COL
legecbe stuck to the helm until the
present tima.
In point of service DR.. Taylor was
the senior college president In North
Carolina. For twenty-one years he
has been the efficient head of the Bap-
tlst college and for thlrty-tive years he
has been connected with the institu-
ton.
DIR. Poteat is now in mid-ocean on
his way to Europe to spend the sum
mer. He will not know of bis choice
to the presidency of the college unit;
be lands at Gibraltar and receives the
cable message sent him. A most re-
markable coincldent in Connection
with his election last night was that
at the very same hour the trus-
tees OF Mercer University, Georgia
we're in session waiting to hear what
action the trustees in Raleigh took
In case DIR. Poteat had not been chosen
here be would have been Invited t.
become the head Of Mercer at a salary
which would have amounted to aim Ost
$4,000 a YEAR His compensation IA,
president Of Wake Forest will beS2 500
year.
BOARD MET TO CONSIDER PRESIDENCY
Several weeks ago, it Is learned, the
resignation OF Dr. Taylor was conveyed
to Rev. W. C. Tyree, president Of the
board of trustees, and Mr.. Care;
Hunter, the secretary. However, the
fact did not become generally known
even to leading Baptls.s In the State.
DR.. Tyres called the trustees t.
meet here Thursday for the purpose OF
considering the presidency. The meet
ing was held in the First Baptist
church.
DR.. Taylor's resignation was brief
He reclted that On account Of his phys
icai condition he had 'ntemp'ated foI
nearly three years laying down the bur
den of the position. He voiced in
feeling terms fis heartfelt wish for the
greatest prosperity for the college and
he could not refrain from expressi- &
pride in the fact that this last year Of
his presidency had been the most pros
porous the institution had known.
PRESIDENT P.TEAT NORTH CAROLIAIAN
President William Louis Poteat, IL
D., Is native Of Caswell county
this State, and is only forty-six years
cid. He graduated at Wake Fore st
College with the honors OF his class In
1881. He made speciality Of the
sciences and because an instructor in
his alma mater, he was soon chosen to
one of the recognized authorities in
America In this branch of the work
He has been deep student in a wide
range OF investigation which he pur-
sued at the leading universities in this
country and in Europe. Notwith-
standing the fact that he was offered a
chair in the University of Chicago
and other large institutions he prefer
red IT, stay at Wake Forest where he
has strong attachments. He has been
in great demand as a lecturer In the
summer schools OF Yale ard other uni
versities, ard only recently delivered a
series before the largest summer nor-
NAL in New York State. His contribu-
tions to scientific publications have
been frequent ard attracted wide at
tention. The degree OF LII. D. was
conferred upon him by Baylor Univer-
sity. Texas.
DIR. Poteat Is an earnest and corse-
Grated Baptist. but his election calls to
mind the fact that he will be the first
president in the seyenty-two years of
the COLLEGES history who Is not min
lister OF the gospel. He is the seventh
president of the college DIR. Poteat
married Miss Emma Purefoy, daughter
Of the late Addison Purefoy, OF Wake
Forest, and they have three children
one son and two daughters His broth
or, Rev. Edwin Poteat,is now preside Mt
of Furman University, South Carolina,
and his sister, Miss Ida Poteaf, has the
art department in the Baptist Univer-
sity for Women here. DIR. Poteat is
expected back from Europe in August
and will then enter upon his work,
though his presidency dates from last
night.
GREAT WORK OF PRESIDENT TAYLOR.
The retiring president, DR.. G. E.
Taylor, is In his sixty-third year. He
Is native OF Virginia and comes of q
family noted for its distinguished Bap
fist dlvines His two brothers are Rev
George Taylor, a missionary in r ,me,
Italy, and Rev. James Taylor, now
preaching in Suffolk, Va.
When a mere lad DR.. Taylcr entered
the Confederate army and served un-
der Stonewall Jackson. He was wound
ed in Jackson's celebrated valley Cam
palgn. After the war he entered the
University Of Virginia and graduated
with the degree OF Phi. B.
In 1870 he became professor Of an
Gent languages in Wake Forest Col
Iege and in 1884 was elected TO the
presidency. At that time tic college
had about $50 students, to day az Pres,
dent Taylor retires the enrolment is
31?. In 1884 the endowment al
the college was only $4S.OOO, while
now it is 1917 600, ard to this Should
ho added aOrnQ piftS from Tobp n