School History of North Carolina Part 49

10. What is said of the ode to Carolina and its author? What writers of similar gifts are named? What is said of musical compositions?

11. What is said of the literary efforts of Colonel Wheeler and Dr Wiley? What other historical writers are mentioned who have contributed to the State valuable series of school books?

12. What members of the Bar have produced legal works of great value?

13. Can you tell something of the gifted women of the State?

14. What prominent editors has the State furnished?

CHAPTER LXXIV.

THE COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.

A. D. 1880.

As was intended by the men who framed the Const.i.tution of North Carolina at Halifax in 1776, the University of the State has long held the leadership of such inst.i.tutions in the Commonwealth.

The unfortunate and inexcusable interference of politicians with its management during the years of reconstruction only resulted in its temporary eclipse. The public refused it patronage when the new managers had installed a strange faculty in the seats of Governor Swain and his long honored coadjutors; but since the restoration of the ancient order of things, prosperity has returned both to the University and the beautiful village in which it is situated.

2. Many useful reforms have been accomplished in its curriculum and management. Perhaps never before was seen each devotion to study and compliance with the rules on the part of the students.

The President, Dr. Kemp P. Battle, had been much identified with the inst.i.tution, before a.s.suming charge of its fortunes. His learning, combined with public experience, made him a wise ruler of the literary community over which he was called to preside; and the excellence of the new faculty is becoming every day more evident in the scholarship and bearing of the young men who are sent out from its halls.

3. Wake Forest College is the oldest of the sectarian colleges of the State, and has long vindicated its usefulness among the Baptist churches. Its first intended end was the education of young men for the ministry, but this has been largely augmented by the successes of its graduates in every other branch of human usefulness in our midst. The councils of the State, and the learned professions, have been greatly ill.u.s.trated by men who laid the foundations of their success by diligent application to their duties while attending as students at Wake Forest.

4. In the recent death of Rev. Dr. W. M. Wingate, the inst.i.tution lost a president who had given long and signal service; but, in his successor, Rev. Dr. T. H. Pritchard, perhaps even higher executive qualities are seen. Wake Forest catalogue has latterly contained about two hundred names of students, and, through the munificence of certain friends, the college has received handsome additions to the buildings and appliances.

5. Davidson College has also immensely developed in the last few years. Not only in increased patronage, but in the grade of scholarship a great advance has been achieved, so that few inst.i.tutions in America afford higher and more thorough instruction than is now enjoyed by the young men who avail themselves of the advantages here offered.

6. The same things may be said of Trinity College, under the direction of Rev. Dr. B. Craven. The pulpits of the Methodist churches in North Carolina have long borne evidence of the literary and moral excellence imparted to the graduates, and in many respects the whole State has been benefited and elevated by contact with such men.

7. The female seminaries at Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh, Murfreesboro, Thomasville, Wilson, Kittrell, Oxford and Louisburg have also prospered in this era of general advancement among the North Carolina schools. Large numbers of young ladies from other States are sent to them for education, and, in the n.o.ble emulation thus evolved, admirable instruction is obtained.

8. Among preparatory schools, that of Major Robert Bingham, at Mebaneville, in Alamance county, is, by common consent, supreme in North Carolina, and perhaps in the South, not only in number of students, but in the excellence of tuition, discipline and drill. On the catalogue of this inst.i.tution will be found the names of young men from almost every State in the Union, and even some foreign countries are represented.

9. Other similar inst.i.tutions have long flourished at Raleigh, Oxford, Greensboro, Kinston, LaGrange, Oak Ridge and elsewhere, and all of them are having a large influence for good upon the young men of the State. The Normal Schools at Chapel Hill and other towns have been largely attended by teachers, and great interest is also manifested in the graded schools. At no previous period has so much attention been bestowed upon matters of this kind by the people of North Carolina.

10. One of the most prominent of the graded schools in the State was organized at Raleigh in 1876, through the efforts of Capt.

John E. Dugger, and named the "Centennial Graded School." The great success of this inst.i.tution has led the citizens of other towns in the State to establish schools of like character. There are now to be found flourishing graded schools at Salisbury, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Wilson, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington, New Bern, Rocky Mount and Franklinton. Several towns also contain excellent schools of this description for the colored people, and their effectiveness is rapidly becoming apparent.

11. Soon after the conclusion of the late war--in the month of December, 1865--a colored school for both s.e.xes was founded through the exertions of the Rev. H. M. Tupper, at the State capital, and called the "Raleigh Inst.i.tute." On account of large donations from Elijah Shaw, of Ma.s.sachusetts, and Jacob Estey, of Vermont, it was, in 1875, changed in name; the male school then became "Shaw University," and the female department was called "Estey Seminary." s.p.a.cious and well-built edifices were reared on different portions of the grounds, and hundreds of colored pupils have been in attendance since its foundation.

12. In a different section of the city exists another seminary of similar character for the colored people, founded in 1867, by the Rev. Dr. James Brinton Smith. This is called "St. Augustine Normal School and Collegiate Inst.i.tute." It has been for some years under the charge of Rev, John E, C. Smedes, and is under Episcopal patronage. Though not so largely attended as Shaw University, it is still of great benefit to the race it was intended to educate, and in this way is also a blessing to the community at large. Another excellent school for the colored people is located in Fayetteville, and others are to be found in various sections of the State.

13. Ever since the close of the late war, the colored people of North Carolina have shown a remarkable unanimity in their efforts to procure education for themselves and their children. In this desire they have been n.o.bly aided by the white men and women, and their progress has been rapid. It is the belief of all that only in enlightened public sentiment can safety be found for our peace and liberties; and thus the State is doing all that can be effected for the culture and mental improvement of all cla.s.ses of its population.

QUESTIONS.

1. What is this lesson about? What was the intent of the Halifax Const.i.tution concerning the University? What is said of this inst.i.tution during the years of reconstruction? When was it re- established?

2. How has the University been benefited by its new management?

3. What is said of the success of Wake Forest College?

4. Tell something of its management.

5. Give an account of the progress of Davidson College.

6. What is said of Trinity College and its work?

7. What female seminaries are now mentioned? What has been the result of their labors?

8. What have been the peculiar successes of the Bingham School?

9. Where are other fine schools for boys to be found? What other schools are mentioned?

10. What is said of the graded schools?

11. Give an account of the Raleigh inst.i.tute for colored people?

By what name is this inst.i.tution now known?

12. What is said of the St. Augustine Normal School? Where are other excellent schools for the colored people to be found?

13. What is said of the efforts of the colored people to secure education? How have they been aided in their efforts?

CHAPTER LXXV.

CONCLUSION.

A. D. 1881.

In the financial prostration consequent upon the late war, a large debt was due from North Carolina to creditors who held the bonds of the State. That portion of these bonds which had been issued before the war was considered an honorable burden, that should be discharged by such payment as might be fixed by agreement between the State and the bondholders.

2. In this way a compromise was effected, and new bonds have been issued, which embrace a large portion of what was honestly due from the State to her creditors. For those which were made in defiance of the terms of the Const.i.tution, and appropriated almost entirely by dishonest officials, no provision has been made, and doubtless, will never be.

3. When, in 1876, the great quadrennial contest for the Presidency of the Union again recurred; it was rightly considered one of the most momentous crises that had yet occurred in American history. The great issue was as to the continuance of State governments. The recent habits of General Grant in his dealing with Southern Commonwealths had virtually ignored their separate existence. In the strange and unprecedented action of Congress that resulted in the seating of Governor Hayes as President, the Federal troops were withdrawn, and the people of the States left to administer their own affairs, and State governments were recognized.

4. Ex-Governor Vance was this year elected over Judge Thomas Settle to the Chief-Magistracy, as has already been stated.

General M. W. Ransom and ex-Judge A. S. Merrimon were sent to the United States Senate, in the place of John Pool and General J. C. Abbott. Through the efforts of our Congressmen, many needed appropriations by Congress have been secured to North Carolina, and their result is specially noticeable in the great improvement of the ship channels of the Cape Fear and other rivers.

5. Upon the election of Governor Vance to the United States Senate, February 8th, 1879, he was succeeded by Lieutenant- Governor T. J. Jarvis. The latter had served as a captain in the Eighth North Carolina Regiment in the late war, and subsequently, as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Chief- Justice Pearson died in 1878, on his way to attend the session of the Supreme Court at Raleigh. W. N. H. Smith was appointed by Governor Vance as Chief-Justice in the place of Judge Pearson. At the next election by the people, Judge Smith, with John H. Dillard and Thomas S. Ashe as a.s.sociate Justices, was elected without opposition. Judge Dillard having resigned in 1881, Judge Thomas Ruffin was appointed his successor.

6. The public charities of the State have been enlarged and elevated in their ministrations. The recent adoption of the Orphan Asylum at Oxford as a recipient of the State's bounty, the erection of a colored Deaf and Dumb Asylum, the erection of an hospital for the insane of the colored race, and the great building at Morganton for additional accommodation to white lunatics, are only a portion of the recent humanities inaugurated by the General a.s.sembly.

7. Perhaps in no other respect is so much physical improvement possible as in the development of the mining interests of the State. Capital from abroad is flowing in, and from many counties fresh discoveries of mineral deposits are leading to the establishment of companies and firms for the purpose of working such mines. No other State of the Union presents such a variety of these rich and beautiful gifts of nature. The recent discovery, in the western part of the State, of a new gem, called the "Hiddenite," is attracting general attention and increasing the influx of visitors to the romantic scenery of the mountains.