The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-19

denly to life, the days spent under his care and his thorough instruction. They will recall the sympathetic interest, the patient thoroughness that ever characterized his work as teacher and an educator. If good wishes and blessings could make happy ones even ing of life, the days of rest into which the aged teacher is now entering would be filled with the most and the best of happiness.
 The resignation of Professor Wade as President of the Marion Female Seminary was submitted to the Board of Trustees at a meeting held 5Tues- day evening as the school was closing it's seventy-frst year. His friends knew of Professor Wades determination to spend in rest the remaining days that might be allotted to him. They be- Iieved that no man has deserved a quieter, a better or a happier rest than he.
 The First School.
 It was a solemn occasion--it could not be otherwise than solemn when a man who has lived full life puts be- hind him for all time the thought and the work that has filled his mind and his hands through all the years of his life. The institution, the charge of which Professor Wade was relinquish- ing. is rich in history. It Is one of the very first institutions for higher learning for women established in the United States.
 The honor of being the first is claim ed by Wesleyan College at Macon. Ga. This claim in other years was gener- ally accepted. If Wesleyan were the only bider for the honor claimed the Seminary could defeat her claims. For both institutions were opened in the year of 1886. but at Marion they say the Seminary began its work a month in advance of Wesleyan in that year. But there are other claimants for Mis- sissippi and Louisiana and the 'ques- tion is not stressed here for no pur- pose is entertained of opening a con- troversy which has been previously thrashed out. It is only meant to be said here that the Marion Female Sem- mary Is seventy-one years old and 1t was one of the very first colleges to be opened for the education of women.
 In the parlors of the historic old Sem- mary building-a building erected long before the war--a building quaint and attractive with it's tall rounded columns rising from the ground tor a full three stories--the meeting Of ihe Trustees was held and Professor Wade laid aside the cares that had engrossed him for more. than half a century. The parlors of the institution, are themselves re- dolent with history. On the walls there hangs a life sized painting of a man of high brow, handsome features and pos- itive expression. It is . portrait of An drew Barry Moore. sometime Governor of Alabama. He was for many years the President of the Board of Trustees of the Seminary and to the Seminary he gave the same devotion and energy that he gave to the State of Alabama when he was it's Chief Executive.
 Board of Trustees.
 A nephew of the late Governor Is now President of the Board. He is James A. Moore, who had headed the Board for several years. The members of the Board are President Moore, John Howze, Secretary; J. Huggins. M. D.: l.. S. | Evins. A. F. Armstrong, Joseph A. Hen drix, W. R. Barron. M. D.; B M Huey w F. Moore and J. W. Arbuthnot. The Board for twenty-two years has elected Professor Wade to the direction and the charge of the Seminary. And the aged teacher was held by each and every member in the highest esteem and equally as lofty was the estimation of the Trustees of the great work that Professor Wade had done for the Sem mary.
 Tn submitting his resignation--in closing his career and in ending the work that he had carried on throughout the years, Professor Wade planned for the future of the institutions the in- terests of which were 50 dear to his heart. His last official act was the sub mission of plans and suggestions which should be followed by the Board in the building of the future Of the seminary Professor Wade's ctessor was not selected But the Board determined to maintain and operate the Seminary which Is held in such grateful memory by so many cultured women of the State. For three score years some fam flies of Alabama have patronized the Seminary. Three generations of girls have frequently attended Daughter and granddaughter of early students have been frequently enrolled, in main taininR the tradition of the family that the girls should be educated at the Sem mary.
 The Roard determined that the Sem mary should go on through the future years A successor of Professor Wade will be elected and plans perfected for the Seminary's future.
 Perhaps no man will maintain the pe- culiar and affectionate relations to the Seminary and it's graduates which char acteriZed the Presidency of Professor Wade. It was a long service he render ed and a service no less useful than 1t was long.
 Troy's Pioneer Educator. Professor Wade's educational work in Alabama began at Troy. A man who is in position to know. declared: 'Professor Wade was in a large de- gree responsible for the awakening of that sentiment in Troy which has now made it one of the famous school towns of Alabama. He was pioneer in that work in the city and he labored earn estly to foster the spirit of education which in later years grew to such fruitition at Troy"
 This was in the far years between 1880 and 1885. But long before he came to Troy he was noted as an educator Professor Wade is a Virginian. having been born at Christianburg The date