Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-03-16
Wilcox Was Outstanding
In Education, Religious
Circles OF The State

Louisburg, March 16.-The passing
of DR.. Armour David Wilcox, presi-
dent of Louisburg College and for
about 30 years active in the ministry
of the North Carolina Methodist Con-
! ference, removes from educational
and religious circles of the State one
of it's most outstanding figures.
Serving in a dozen or more churches
scattered all over Eastern and Cen
trail North Carolina during the 80
years of his ministry, DR.. Wilcox
while in his second pastorate at Louis
burg, was named to head LOuisburg
College in 1881, at that time consid-
cred to be in the last throes of, death.
So well has Dr. Wilcox succeeded in
reviving the College that there is no
question but that it will continue. But
in 1930-31 the story was much diff
ferent
Operating in the red for several
years and with its student enrolment
| fallen to below the hundred mark, the
Methodist Conference, which owns
and operates the institution, had de-
cided. to abandon it and the late G..
G. Alexander, president at that time,
had rendered his resignation effective
| at the end of the school year 1881.
| With several hundred persons, most
of whom were citizens of Louisburg,
backing him, DR.. Wilcox, then pastor
| Of the local church, petitioned the
| Conference to allow the College to
continue if his group could raise the
necessary funds to keep the College
going.
| The request was granted, DR.. Will
cox. directed the drive for funds, the
drive was successful and the College
opened it's doors again in September
1881.
The recuscitation of the College by
DR.. Wilcox reads like story in mod
ern. romance and adventure. For to-
day there is no question but that the
institution will continue Eut more
than that Louisburg is now in a posi-
ton to move even further forward
than it was at anytime in the past.
! In 1881 DR.. Wilcox had five prin-
cipal detectives in mind, four of which
have been achieved largely at the
time of his death and the fifth in pro-
cess of being accomplished.
These five detectives were: first, to
restore confidence in the continuation
of the College; second, to build up an
adequate student body; third, to bal
ance the annual operating budget;
fourth, to create an institution worthy
of the support of the Conference and
friends of the College; and fifth, to
liquidate the indebtedness of the Col
lege.
| Today an enrolment of 273 students
represents over a 200 per cent increase
in enrolment during the past five
years; for the past three years the
annual operating budget has been
balanced with a surplus which has
grown larger each, year; stronger
faculty and the introduction of agri-
culture and industrial arts to the cur
riculum has revitalized the course of
study; and the College has a self-help
plan that includes every student at
tending the institution and is so OPP
Grated as to give the student certain
practical education values not to be
gained from the regular ordinary cur
riculum.
|. Last fall the North Carolina Meth
odist Conference meeting in annual
session in New Bern authorized DR..
Wilcox to conduct a campaign to Ii
quidate the indebtedness of the Col
lege, which was his fifth and sole re-
naming original goal not reached.
Plans have now reached an advanced
stage for this drive, and it was on
business to Texas in connection with
this fifth objective that Dr. Wilcox
probably overtaxed. himself and
brought on his death prematurely.
| The plan to refinance the Colleges