The farmer and mechanic., 1914-10-06
HOW EATMATTER A
LITTLE FIRE K[NDLETH
History of The Beginning and Progress of A. NJ College
AS Told by It's Present President Dr. D. H. Hill.

erciSeS said:
In the early sos small company
OF fOre-caStf~l men. desiring TO illus
trate how great a matter a little fire
kindleth, organized themselve in
Raleigh under tie fanciful name of
the Watauga Club. These men ex-
planned that the object of their club
was Ito find out and make known in
formation on practical SUI jects that
Will be of public use" The names
OF oil the members seem not to be pre-
served. Among them however are
some that the world will not willingly
let die. Those preserved are as fol-
lows: Walter III. Page, now minister to
the Court of Saint James: Charts w
Dabney. now president of the Uni
versity of Cincinnati, A. ID. Jones, who
at the time OF his death, vas consul
10 shanghai; w. 5. Primrose, for
sone years the useful chairman of
the College Trustees; w. j. Pcele.
stiil an active and honored memb
of the Raleigh bar John w. Thomp-
son. now asjudge in the Panama Zone;
Arthur W'nslow, civil engineer;
william Kerr, inventor and manufac-
turer; Thomas Dixon, Jr., tuthOr and
minister: Josephus Daniels, Secretary
of the Navy. and Idt,a A. Leach, ow
dead.
This club started movement for
an industrial school. AS the men,
Ders labored over their project their
ambition TO found great institution
grew. Even after the Legislature Of
ss5 had passed bill which was in
troduced by Hon. Augustus Leazer
ana which chartered an ind, strial
schooi, the club farther expanded its
aspirations and decided to strive for
the establishment of an agriculture
and mechanical college under the
United States Land Grant Act Of
1862. With the active aid Of Col. L.
L. Polk. editor of the newly estab-
lished Progressive Farmer" he
Watauga Club made persistent ap-
peais to the farmers and business men
or the State to join in it's endeavors
for an institution that should educate
vocational leaders. The Legislature
OF 1897 was moved by these appeals
and in March established the Ncrth
carolina COlieeg of Agriculture and
mechanic Arts and gave the new in
stitution the interest on the sum de-
rived from the sale of the land given
TO North Carolina in 1862. Fifteen
trustees constituted the first ge vern-
ing board. Only five Of these are
living to rejoice with us today. These
are Hon. s. B. Alexander, of Char
lotte; Mr.. II. f.. Fries, of Winston
salem; Col. r. w. Wharton. of Wash
lngton; Mr.. w. E. Stevens, now of
Enporia, Va. and Mr.. ]. S. Murrow
OF center. Those who have passed
away are Mr.. w. S. Primrose, of Raj
eigh; Governor Elias Carr. of Old
sparta; DR.. w. r. Capehart, of Avoca:
Dr. =. -. Smith, of Franklin: Col. w.
T.. Greene. of Franklinton; Mr.. NJ
broughton, of Raleigh; Mr.. Willis
X. Williams, of Falkland: Mr.. J. r
rayne, of Alma; Hon. A Leazar. OF
Mooresville; Mr.. Burwell Blanton, of
Shelby.
For a site for the new Institution
the trustees had bought about four
acres OF land in what is now Glen
WOOD. but the forethought and pa
triotism OF one man prevented this
unfortunate selection. There was liy
ing In Raleigh at that time quiet.
modest. large-hearted, far-seeing
man. NY. K. s. Pullen. One after
noon Mr.. Pullen walked over to see
the land selected for the new college
with MS eyes turned to the future,
ne shook his sagacious head and
Salu. Ihls vii never do" Without
loss or time. he gave the trustees
sixty-two acres which he bought on
Hiiisboro Road. The acceptance of
.nis generous gift fixed the site of the
coiiege on its present ground. The
Legislature had directed the State
penitentiary to furnish brick for the
nrst building and the North Carolina
Exposition Company made a gift Of
It's wooden buildings on the Fair
grounds. The trustees happily select
ed MI c. c. Carson as their architect
and from his plans Mr.. w. f. ASHLEY
built Holladay Hall, the present AID.
ministratiOn building The buildinp
was finished in the summer Of 1898
d facuity was selected, and the doors
OF the first technical school in the
State opened on October 8, 1889.
The entering students did not find
much to inspire them. The basement
OF the solitary building was used for
a chapel. dining-hall, and a kitchen.
me second story contained all the
ciass-rooms. offices and library. The
Two upper stories furnished rooms for
students. The lawn now stretching
out In front of this building was COW.
cred with shabby stables COTTAGES
cold-frames and wood-houses. The
ground immediately in the rear of
TINS building was swamp where
crawfish. frogs and mosquitoes each
after his kind added to the eniov-
ment of student life. The space now
occupied by the 1911 Dornitorv os