Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18

Birney for this delicate duty, for he never
held any connection with the Institution.
and IL appears rather strange that a board
of trustees should have intriisied such aii-
horfty to a citizen who had no official
responsibility. But In a unanimous letter
OF thanks to him for his services there is
evidence that the trustees were satisfied
and time long ago demonstrated the wis
dom of their judgment.
Alabama was then z frontier state; men
with classical Quotations and competence to
select faculty for a college were very rare.
Mr.. Birney was distinguished graduate Of
Princeton, an energetic advocate of educa-
ton. man of leisure and great wealth for
that time. and enjoyed familiar acquaint-
ance with many OF the famous scholars of
Virginia and the north. But what gives the
incident its greatest interest Is the fact that
this James q. Birney was. In 1S40 the first
abolitionist candidate for the presidency, of
the United States. Becoming disguised with
the institution of slavery" he emancipated
his slaves, sold his plantation at Huntsville
and removed to the north, where he became
an anti-slavery agitator.
During the war the college was kept open.
It had no income but there were about 800
students. each Of whom was required to
bring certain amount Of bacon, meal, -four
and other coinmissary supplies In the place
OF money for tuition. The professors re-
cefved no salaries. but continued to teach
for the love Of teaching and from a sense OF
duty. Each had his own garden and chick
ems, the supplies which the students brought
were apportioned among them also. and the
looms their grandmothers had used still re-
sponded to the deft fingers of their wives
and daughters. This part of the country
was not disturbed by fighting and the uni
versty was left untouched and instruction
uninterrupted until April. 1865, when a bat
TALON of raiders from Gen. James II. Will
sons corps, under Brigadier General Crox-
ton, dashed around this way and the 300
college boys. who had guns and had been
drilling bravely went out to fight In defense
Of the town. But for this heroic demonstra-
ton the university might have remained I'M
touched, but there was sharp skirmish,
the cadets were driven back into the coun-
try, where they were disbanded and sent to
their homes, and the raiders burned the
beautiful Greek temples of learning to pun
ish them for their resistance Every build
ing used by the university except the OBJ
servatory. a guardhouse and some of the
residences of the faculty were destroyed.
That was the most terrible event in the
history of Tuscaloosa, but 1t had its anus
ing incidents. General Croxton, who led
the raid, was Kentuckian, and IL so hap
pened a playmate of his boyhood and a
classmate at college named Carpenter mar
ried Miss Leach, a Tuscaloosa girl, that
night. The bridal party was at supper
when the raiders surprised the town. Car
penter was captured and carried a prisoner
across the Big Warrior river to the Yankee
headquarters. where the astonished Croxton
Identified his school fellow and sent him
back to the arms OF his bride.
New Buildings Erected.
A full set of new buildings were erected
shortly after the war, but the foundations
of the old ones are still allowed to deface
the campus. The university was reorgan-
lied in 1871, and now has an income OF
about $4,000 a year-interest from funds
donated by the state and royalties from
coal lands. The board of trustees was for
merry appointed by the governor, but, In
order to remove them entirely from politi-
cal influences. the legislature has recently
made 1t self-perpetuating and the men,
bers now I'LL vacancies that occur in their
own number. There Is an agricultural and
technical college at Auburn, about sixty
miles east of Montgomery, but this Is the
only classical institution In the state. 1t
has a medical department at Mobile. Its
mining. There is fine museum, represent
ing the resources Of the state by practical
object lessons arranged by Professor Smith,
q graduate of Heidelberg, in the order of
their Importance. Today the university
has the largest att ndance in its history,
there being 49, students In all of the de-
partments. including thirty-eight women.
The co-educational feature seems to be
quite successful. 1 noticed from the cata-
in the academic department last year FIVE
were carried off by women.
The agricultural college at Auburn has
farm of 304 acres and an experiment sta
ton under the direction of the Depart
ment of Agriculture at Washington. In
struction is given In all the applied sciences
and mechanic arts, and 434 students are
now there, being trained to develop the
magnificent resources of this state.