The broad ax., 1916-03-25

Baton Rouge, La.-Southern Uni
versity celebrated Founders Day,
March 9th. The exercises marked the
Second Anniversary of the institution
upon its new site.
President J. S. Clark in opening the
exercises reviewed the history of the
reorganization of the institution. He
called attention to the dilapidated con-
dition of things that existed two
years ago. The opening of the insti-
tuition suggested to him the history of
the early settlers a great deal more
than the history of an institution.
"Two years ago." he said, "when we
settled upon this spot, there was one
temporary building 20x40 which served
at that time as the main building of
the university" "We started out
with 63 pupils, Is of the number were
boarders; the faculty consisted of 8
/ instructors. "This faculty lived
about in the cabins on the plantation
and ate on a porch and often under
trees and worked hard at whatever
they were called upon to do, having no
quarters, we were obliged to drink poor
water out of an impure cistern or drink
water from the river. "But, in the
midst of all these hardships, I man
aged to keep my teachers and students
in good cheer" "Many of the teach
ers had left their families behind, but
they worked cheerfully and appeared
to be happy. Our tract of land con-
sisting of $40 acres was in pretty
poor condition, no bitches, practically
no fences, but we went to work" Our
class rooms and our shops were tenn
porary structures, but increased as the
first wear went on" eve have now,
three excellent brick buildings, well
equipped with modern furniture, and
an excellent power plant which fur
nishes light, heat and hot water to all
of the buildings"
"There are several temporary build
ings on the campus that serve an ex-
cellent purpose. Southern University
has a student body now of AT persons,
coming from all parts of the State, a
faculty of 80 teachers, including the
extension agents, class of 20 persons
to graduate from the Teachers Train
ing Course. Many of the students are
we'll advanced in home economics, car
pentry, agriculture, and blacksmithlng
The school has increased 10000 in at
tendance over what it was two years
ago. We are encouraged and feel that
we have made considerable progress
along the right line. We need the
friendship of our White neighbors and
if doing the right thing will win it, we
are going to have it. I am pleased
to announce that Southern University
has a host of substantial friends among
the White and Colored people. We
stand greatly in need of dining hal
and agriculture building, and that
believe our friends in the coming legls
lature will give u.s."
Here State Superintendent L. ID
Harris was introduced and delivered
very able address. He said in part
cit seems to me that some very SUD
stantial things have been done here
You have three good buildings, wv
nice dormitories, power plant and goo'
quarters, but there is an accomplish
ment in my mind greater than thes
improvements, greater than any o
these physical accomplishments an
that is, the high esteem in when Tn
school and its management are heid 0.
the surrounding country and that
worth a great deal more than ines
buildings, more than class room WORE
more than the shop and field work tina
YOU are doing. You have been ner
for two years and I am very gao !.
say that the opinion is universal 1
Baton Rouge and among other peopi
who know something about this scnoo
that you have made good and that
! was a good thing to establish sue
an institution here, and I hope that tn