The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-10
NOBLE WORK
OF Students of the State Normal
SchOOI-The Handsome Building
Erected Through Their Efforts.

OF Students of the State Normal
SchOOI-The Handsome Building
Erected Through Their Efforts.
From $40 to s40Orfrom $500 to s4O,-
900 are two rather large leaps under
any consideration, but when it is
known that these were made by a
class of girls the thing becomes fair
ly marvellous.
Now the history of these leaps runs
thus:
A building that is really what its
name indicates is 10 being complet-
ed at the North Carolina State Nor
nal and Industrial College.
This is the students building and it
is theirs uniquely and really, o by
virtue of being merely set aside for
their use, but because it is the fruit
of their labor, their love, and their
unselfishness, and because the idea
from which it sprang was born Of
their deep loyalty to their alma mater.
ORIGIN OF THE BUILDING.
Now the origin of this building can
be traced to an ever deeper emotion
than love for alma mater-it had it's
origin in love of state.
When the class Of '99 was in its
sophomore year a lecture was deliver
ed to the students by DR.. Curry on
the doing Of something definite for
others. He mentioned the college it
| self as an excellent object for unself-
ish work, and in the course of his
lecture mentioned the infrequency
with which the flag of North Carolina
was seen displayed in the colleges
! of the state.
These two things united and sank
into the minds not of the entire
| school, but of the sophomore year.
That very night a committee from the
| class went to DIR. McIver's Office to lay
before him a project which had just
sprung into being in their enthusiast
tic hearts, and which had suddenly
become deal to them. And like all
enthusiasts they supposed that every
body else who had been within the
influence Of the anne inspiration
would be fired by the same ideas.
They begged DR.. McIver that they
might be allowed to give a North
Carolina flag to the college, and more
over that they alone might be permit
ted to give it unaided by any other
class.
Their request was the more easily
granted because none of the other
classes had been struck with the same
idea, and offered n interference. And
so these girls got together and raised
the money for the splendid North
Carolina flag which is now the prop
erty of the college.
The sum raised was $40, and this
was the seed from which grew the
splendid $500 edifice which is now
the chief ornament of College n
Now the connection between the
giving of that flag and the students
building is this. The philanthropic,
the unselfsh seed had been planted
in the hearts of these girls, and being
watered and nOurished by the work
they had done in the giving of the
flag, it must grow by the very laws
of nature.
SO the further idea of leaving some
substantial benefit behind them when
they left the college grew up in their
minds and they decided in their senior
| year to leave behind them a gift of
| $500 for the building of a home
for the two literary societies. The af-
| fair was to be a two-rOOm frame
structure. one room to be for the
Adelphian and the other for the
| Comedian literary societies.
Anr so the seed was planted when
| was to produce such great fruit.
Soon it was decided that it would
| be better to wait a while longer and
| erect a more substantial building of
/ brick instead of wood. So the sum of
\ be raised was increased.
Greater and still greater the plans
! grew till it was decided to erect a
$500 building. Then came George
| F. Peabody who at the suggestion Of
| President McIver gave $4,000 TO the
fund on condition that the students
would also raise $4,000.
It was at this stage that the board
of directors went into partnership
with the girls, and pledged themselves
to build one floor of the building, to
be devoted TO domestic science.
And so the seed grew and grew
till there now stands on the College
avenue a building beautiful in every
detail, the total cost of which. when
completed and furnished, will be .S40,-
900.
Of this sum the students Of the
two literary societies and the Y. w.
C. A. have put in $4,000, and in adj
dition to this they will furnish their
halls.
Now as to the methods by which
this SIS, 900 has been raised by these
girls much might be said if h in
ward history of sacrifices small and
large, of efforts put forth unselfshly.
of personal wants laid aside for the
general good, could be laid bare.-ln-
Hrrctria1 Nouc