The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-23
Praise from Home for
New r. NJ. W. Head

The Democratic Leader OF Fayette. Mo. in
a recent issue, gave the following notice rela
tive to the resignation of Dr. William A webb
as president Of Central college to accept the
presidency of Randolph Macon Woman's col
lege
William A. Webb, president Of Central col
Stanford and Jennie (Clegg) Webb was born
in Durham, n. G.. July 80, 1857. The father
was graduate of the University of North Caro-
lima, and for thirty four years was minister
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In
the North Carolina and Western North Carolina
conferences serving during the civil war
cha plain of the Forty fourth North Carolina
regiment, c. S, A. His mother was a student
in Greensboro Female college AT the time the
institution burned during the civil war.
President webb comes of distinguished
family of educators His uncies. Messrs w
principals Of the Webb school now located at
Bell Buckle, Tenn. This institution is generally
regarded of the leading preparatory
schools in the country. After spending four
years in this institution. William A. Webb en-
tered Vanderbilt university in Ss7 and was
graduated four years later with the degree Of
bachelor of lie q member of the
Phi Delta Theta fraternity, won the Owen
prize medal In moral philosophy was chair
man Of the literary committee of the Comet.
the college annual and In 1903 was elected
a member of Phi Beta Kappa. During his col
lege career he especially interested in the
study of Greek under Dr. Charles Forster smith
and English under Dr. William NJ Baskerville
During his senior years he WAS assistant In
English under Dr. Baskerville and the next
year he made a fellow in that department
After three years of teaching English and Latin
In the Webb school, he spent two years as grad
uate student in the University of Leipzig, In
1897 he became principal Of Central college
academy. in Fayette Mo. and two years later
elected professor of English in Central col
lege. which position he has since held In 1908
he was granted leave Of absence and spent
the year with his family In Berlin. He matricu-
lated In the University of Berlin,
President Webb prepared the paper on local
government in North Carolina for the volume
in the Johns Hopkins university studies on local
government in the South and Southwest edited
by Edward W. Bemis, his professor Of history
in Vanderbilt university. He Also prepared
the study of Richard Malcolm Johnston for
the second volume Of Southern Writer'S by
Professor William Nj. baskerville. in the sum
mers of 1899 and 1900 he taught English in
the Texas-Colorado Chautauqua of Boulder
Colorado
In April, 1907 he elected president Of
Central college. after having served one year
acting president during the leave Of absence
of President J. c. Morris. and was inaugurated
with the imposing ceremonies held In connection
with the celebration OF the semi-centennal OF
the college, October and s, 1907. During his
administration the college has groMn steadily
Interested in raising the standards Of scholar
ship and in building up the departments Of
have been enlarged and enriched: the library
has been increased by several thousand Volumes
the physical plant has been improved, and the
student attendance has shown gratifying
growth both in quantity and quality.
President Webb is a member Of the Missouri
State Teachers association. of the Southern
Educational association. and Of the Religious
Education association. Before all OF these bodies
he has presented papers which have been pub
Alsbed In their proceedings. He is also a mem
Der OF the Commission of Education OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church. South This com
mission is appointed quadrennially by the bish
ops of the, Church, and is entrusted with the
task OF formulating standards for the classi
fcation Of the several academies, colleges and
universities under the auspices OF the Southern
Methodist Church In 1911 1912 and 1919 he
professor of English literature in the sum-
mer school of the University OF Colorado His
services are In demand as lecturer on educa-