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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
SATURDAY, APRIL IS. 1M6.
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH AT .SEWANEE, TENNESSEE;
SOMETH ING OF ITS EARLY HISTORY AN D RECENT PROGRESS
Jubilee in Commemoration of Its Semi-Centennial Anniversary To Be Held at Sewanee, June 24 to 28, Inclusive
F ^m ROM the time when the great
founder of our race blazed the
way one thousand years ago, for
, founding <& the classic university
l / e niford by making that neighbor
'll,dn rendezvous for learned men.
" ‘ the present time, the Engllsh-
‘ilak.ng people have been conspicuous
1 - the great Importance given by
them „ 0* their plans to the thought
r Ineral education. ,
" f twin Ian t as were King Alfred s vie-
, .vies both on land and sea. great as
,le h£ achievements In literature and
were were, his serv-
liollshmerts as an educator outrarik
'''all Historians delight to dwell
' „ the debt posterity owes to him for
inst,I ration In this direction, while
1 HiMon has for centuries linked his
usme k'Rhth® University of Oxford a.
da jctual founder.
■ This tendency which amounted al-
11118 ..tiflt him has hppn
** •—7
Uherevcr^hey hive gone In their mls-
" ,,rl I..,. le hue lipnn l»n*» Of
m October. 1901. they gathered .it Wln-
, i,ester. England, from all parts of the
laid, to celebrate the one thousandth
Inllrsary of the death of their great
Progenitor, there came to thrft solemn
progeiiiio.. nsT.mnnlnl—a celebra-
APa lmDoslng ceremonlal-a celebra-
- without a parallel In the world's
history—clvlo and municipal represen
tatives, colonial governors and repre
sentatives of province.•vwl£«-
lentatlve. from theso countries of
educational Institutions were *reater in
number than all the others combined,
i-'roni every corner of the earth where
me dominating genius of the Anglo-
Saxon had planted the torch of clylll-
ranon, the delegates from universities
Art colleges came Instinctively, as It
wnre to do honor to their great patron
Mint of learning and of education.
There veranniverslty and college pro-
fessors fromSiur own dear Southland.
a .IsA.VnM'
from the-North. the East and the West;
™m Canada. Australia. New Zealand,
smith Africa, England. Ireland, Scot-
Soutn airico, j. » sDenk-
land, Wales and from India, all speak-
mg a common tongue, and all glorying
in a common heritage.
It Is not strange therefore that the
southern states, where the Anglo-Sax-
race exists today, as It has for three
centuries. In unmlxtd racial. purity,
mould have early evinced this strong
family trait. The South enjoys the dls.
tfnctlon of establishing the firstboys'
academy established west of thA Ap
palachian system, and of establish
ing the first chartered girls schrol In
the Union, preceding >!nssachusetts by
seven years In this particular. Wil
liam and Mary College was itself only
a year or two younger than Harvard
College, whllo the University of Vir
ginia at Charlottesville, the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and
i he South Carolina College at Colum
bia. each founded In the early years
of the nation's life, attest that the An
glo-Saxon desire ror educational faclll-
tlea has had no latitudinal limitations.
It Is true that a bloody fratricidal war
of four years,,unequalled In history for
Its bitterness and Its carnage, followed
by ten years of misrule even^more de
By EUGENE H. HINTON.
President Georgia State Alumni Asso
ciation of the University of the
South.
1858, and 5.000 acres additional were
conveyed by' others, making the finl-
verslty domain ten thousand acres of
land In one body. This was all wild
mountain lund and therefore, from
pecuniary point of view solely, any of
the proponents offered far greater at
tractions.' but questions or hygiene and
centrality and not dollars and
cents were the controlling con
siderations with the board
trustees. A small committee was
appointed to examine into the great
universities on the conjlnent of Eu
elate as ourselves. That Is one for
training young men for the ministry—
a theological seminary.”
This shows that although Bishop
Otey’s original suggestion furnished the
germ of the plan now presented. It had
been Immensely broadened In scope,
and It further Indicates that even In the
Initial stages of their consideration of
the subject, these holy-men who were
as patriotic as they were holy, clearly
differentiated between a university and
a theological seminary, the one being
regarded as Incident to and subservient
to the other. It is Interesting to note,
too, how Bishop Otey had caught Bish
op Polk's enthusiasm for a great uni
versity on a comprehensive plan, and
how completely he abandoned Ills origi
nal scheme of a diocesan training school
for divinity students. He was orator
of the day at the exercises Incident to
founding of the university In July,
18(7, and In an eloquent address that
aroused the enthusiasm of the assem
bled multitude he said that the first
object was to afford a general Institu
tlon of learning, and last of all, aschoal
of theology. “It (s designed.” said he.
"to found an Institution on the moat
enlarged and liberal scale; to engage
in Its service the best talents, the most
erudite learning, and the greatest skill
and experience which ample com
hope of use-,
to make Its de>
partments commensurate with the
wants and Improvements of the ugd In
every field of philosophic research, of
■" ' Vestlgatlon nnd of discovery
HT.'hlllU UIIU .
Retarded achievement during the last
half century, but the worthy sentiment
and the high Ideal have remained un-
,Unfinished by misfortunes that would
have paralyzed a people of less virility.
N'cvcttheless, although these unhappy
drcumstanccs for some time made It
Impossible for It to keep pace with Its
brilliant beginning and placed It out
„f the running with its more fortunate
sisters of the North, still the South has
much tq be proud of In Its efforts as
nn educator. - . ,
When It Is borne In mind that since
the civil war each Southern state lure
re-established or newly founded one
or more colleges and universities; that
many of these states devote forty per
rent of their educational funds to the
ifiucntlon of their former slaves, who
contribute barely two per cent of the
funds spent on them; that all the
Southern states provide as liberally ns
they can for the negroes' education;
und that much of this has been ac
complished under most trying and ad
verse conditions, the ulspasslonate
chronicler must admit that there is
nothing in the record to be ashamed of.
And In all this record of good deeds
well done there Is no achievement more
Inspiring than the establishment of the
University of the South at Sewanee.
Tcnn. The University ot the South
was really conceived three-quarters of
a century ago. As for back as 1882,
bishop Otey, of Tennessee, who tow
ered on the frontier of that time among
tiie winners of the West as an orator
Hnd a worker, feeling the need of la
borers In his vineyard, conceived the
plan of establishing a college which
should supply this need. He was bishop
Of Tennessee nnd mlslonary bishop of
Iejuislana and Mississippi, and his plan
contemplated a theological seminary
supported by the church In these three
states. He personally conducted the
work of securing subscription" and had
ntadc substantial progress when the
financial panic following the removal
of the United Btatss funds from the
bank at Philadelphia by President An
drew Jackson, swept away his funds
and completely discouraged him. A few
years later Rev. Leonidas Polk was
made bishop of Louisiana, nnd Rev.
William Mercer Green was made bishop
Of Mississippi. These gentlemen early
evinced their Interest in. Bishop Oteys
abandoned plan, and Bishop Polk soon
began to support the Idea by an
active propaganda, but on a much
broader plane than Bishop Oteys. It
Would be difficult to conceive of a more
Ideal leader for such a movement than
Bishop Polk. Striking and Imposing In
presence, polished ond magnetic in
manner, handsome In face, and elo-
qui-nt and persuasive In both the writ
ten nnd the spoken word, he was es-
b' ntlnlly a leader of men. Coupled
with these he possessed learning and
the faculty for organization acquired
at West Point, for he was trained for
a soldier. He presented his views by
letter and otherwise to the other nine
•Southern bishops, Individually exciting
'heir Interest, until In July, MSI. the
time was regarded as propitious for
■ onrerted action. He therefore wrote
them a Joint letter outlining his own
views. In this letter he advocated the
founding of nn Institution, to use his
own words, "Upon a scale of such
"feadth and comprehensiveness as
"hall be equal In the liberality of Its
provisions for Intellectual' cultivation
t" those of the highest class at home or
abroad, and which shall fully meet the
oeinands of those of our people who
ic'iulie for their children the highest
educational advantages.”
■Immediately following this language
scientific lnvestl
In the arts. 1
The Joint letter of Bishop Polk's met
with a cordial reception and all rallied
to his support. No Invidious distinc
tion Is Intended w hen I say that among
theso Bishop Otey, the intellectual
giant with his rugged oratory; Hlslup
Stephen Elliott, of Georgia the polished
gentleman und gifted orator who was
often referred to In his day as the first
gentleman of Georgia; and Bishop W.
M. Green, the patient and saintly gen
tleman who was as lovable ns he was
cultivated, were esiieclally conspicuous.
In October following the letter of
Bishop Polk, the other Southern bish
ops Joined him In a circular letter ad-
outllnlng their plan, urging support nnd
requesting each state to appoint trus
tees consisting of two laymen und one
clergyman, the result of which was so
encouraging that they determined iq
meet, adopt a constitution, and formally
organize. They fixed upon Lookout
Mountain, Tenn., as the meeting place,
and under the Influence of patriotic
fervor they selected July 4, 1857, as tho
time. Thirty trustees hnd been elected
to represent the subscribers In the dif
ferent states, but In addition to them
there were n number of Invited guests,
and many visitors from near-by points.
Tho point selected for the exercises was
a wildly picturesque and rugged spot
on the. mountain top, from whose sum
mit with one sweep of lb.
by “The Star Spangled Banner” from
the band. Bishop Otey, as orator of
the day. then delivered his address,
which was characterized by his usual
forceful eloquence, but at one point
where he was defending the promoters
of the university from the charge of
sectionalism, his words seemed more
than ordinarily charged with fervid and
patriotic eloquence.
At this point the flag which had here
tofore hung listless on its staff, was
gently lifted by a passing breeze, and
completely enveloped the speaker In Its
folds, creating the unusual and ma
jestic picture of a great orator deliver
ing an eloquent peroration with "Old
Glory" wrgppfd about him. The affect
on the crowd was electric, the enthusi
asm being uncontrollable for some time.
The band played "Hall Oolumbla,” and
the ceremonial ended. / The Hag and
the start here referred to are preserved
as a cherished memento In the archives
at Sewanee. And thus amid the plaudits
of a proud and prosperous people and
the prayers of the pious, the University
of the South was born. It was a dis
tinctly unique event—unique not orfly
In Its picturesque setting and In Its Im
pressive surroundings and Incidents—
rope and In Great Britain with a view
of selecting therefrom the best fea
tures of each, and of modeling the Uni
versity of. the South thereon. ! The
preference 'of the committee was for
the English universities, and hence the
use of terms at Sewanee that are dis
tinctly English. Notable among them
j are the offices of chancellor, vice chan
cellor, proctor, etc. The vacations were
fixed to occur In the Winter In order
that the students who were expected to
come chiefly from the lower altitudes
as well os latitudes of the South might
be In a cool and salubrious climate dur
ing the hot months. Another consider
ation was that the location would re
move the students from the Distractions
of a large city. It being considered
“preferable to create a society aroun l
the university which should receive Its
In a measure dependent upon the uni
versity." The cultivated, refined and
delightful social atmosphere that sur
rounds Sewanee today bears ample evi
dence of the wisdom of its founders.
On October Id, 1860, the corner-stone of
the main building was laid. A great
crowd assembled for the occasion, said
to be more than 5,000 people, and there
were present a greater number of
statesmen, orators and church dignita.
rles than attended the birthday meeting
at Lookout Mountain in 1867. The cor
ner-stone was a huge' block of Tennes
see marble, which was put In place
with all the pomp and circumstance
usually attendant upon such events.
Hon. John 8. Preston, of South Caro
lina, was the orator of the day. and be
delivered a brilliant oration. This was
followed by a bnnouet, at which many
speeches were made by men prominent
In different walks of life, by scientists,
but It was historically unique. Nearly
all the universities of Continental Eu
rope and of Great Britain owe their
origin to royal favor or to papal largess,
or to governmental generosity. In this
country our great universities owe their
origin to the Individual states, acting lit
their governmental capacity, or to tho
generouB gifts of some one Individual
who In munificent giving builds a mon
ument to himself. But as far as I ca.i
discover history does not' record an
other ease where a people occupying a
territory greater than many ancient
empires nnd much greater In area than
tho original thirteen states, Joined
hunds to establish a great university,
rich and poor alike fcivlng of their
means ns Individuals whatever they
were able to give. There was at this
BRESLIN TOWER AND LIBRARY.
ture, and of chemistry and physics,
with an able professor In each chair.
There was no endowment to cover
these expenses, but Bishop Qulntard se.
cured funds to meet them by persistent
effort In the South, the North and In
England.
In the latter country he received
liberal donations. In the work of se
curing subscriptions Bishop Qulntard
was most ably assisted by Bishop
Gregg, of Texas. During a long and
useful life Bishop Gregg wns the con.
slant, loyal, loving friend of the unlver-, foil ngalnst the narrowness of dograi
slty. A permanent endowment Is a 1 and the Impracticable dreams of th<
_ e vision there
came Into view five of the sovereign
states, whose generous offering had
made the Infant university an accom
plished fact. The enchanting scenery,
the beetling cliffs, the cloudless sky and
the surrounding forest, heightened the
solemnity of a scene and of a cere
monial that would have been Impres
sive at any time ami place, for It was a
distinguished company that gathered
there In "God's first temple." "They
met ns brethren," wrote one who was
present, “with cheerful words and cor
dial salutation; they met as patriots
should meet, on their nation's birthday
■with their country's flag above therrf
her nnthems floating around them, and
the thought of her ancient glories and
her future greatness full within them.
The multitude marched from the
"Mountain House” to the meeting Place
>wlth a brass band playing marshall
airs, ond with a United States flag at
their head borne In the hands of one
Rezln Rawlins, who had fought In the
war of the Revolution. First, the con
course Joined in singing the hundred.h
psalm. Then Bishop Green read -
tocrat with plethoric pursa, offering to
pour countless millions Into the lap of
the child. If It would bear his name
through the coming ages. There was
no strong government offering liberal
gifts of land from the public domain
and sufficient revenues from taxation
to meet all the needs of the university.
But there was the Inspiring spectacle
of thousands of private citizens
through their chosen representatives
.cheerfully offering their gifts nn.l
bringing with the offering the libation
of love and loyalty. The agreement
umong the trustees was that no definite
stop was to be taken at all until 1500,-
000 hnd been actually subscribed, nn.l
so generous were the people In giving
that when the corner-stone of the main
building was laid at Sewanee In Octo
ber, 1860, not only had the 8500,000 been
greatly exceeded (citizens of Louisiana
alone gave 9400.000), but the funds ac
tually available .would have made the
university richer In Income than anv
other university of that day In the
United States. At the Lookout Mountain
chapter from the Old Testament, which
was followed by singing of the Tj
Deum” and "Gloria In Excelsls. Then
the Hon. G. B. Duncan, of Louisiana,
read the Declaration of Independence.
He also told how the flag which floated
above the speaker's stand had seen na-
tional service In Europe and In Asia, in
the Mediterranean and the Nile, on
lonely Sinai and In Jerusalem, and hot;
Its staff had been cut and presented by
President Fillmore. U
This was followed
ich of the ten states was ap
pointed to select a location, t'hatta-
noogn, Cleveland and McMInvIlle,
Tenn.. Huntsville und Montgomery,
Ala., and Atlanta. On., all made offers
of land and money If they could secure
the university. Atlanta even lit those
early days displaying an enterprise that
foreshadowed its present greatness was
among the first to present Its claims.
The mayor and city council offered one
thousand acres of land lying east of
Peachtree and north of the Georgia
railroad, anil extending along that line
for two miles east of Its depot. Every
foot of that land Is now .well within tho
city limits, Is thickly settled, and not
a foot of It even on Its outlying borders
could be bought today for less’than
9100 a front foot. If the university
were the owner of that property at this
time Jt would be fabulously rich. The
statesmen, lawyers and ministers. And
thus. In the forest primeval, when, the
sun climbing noonward had kissed the
mists from the wrinkred front of the
mountain side, and hnd added fresh
brilliance to the crimson Hnd gold of
the uutuinn foliage, the Infani univer
sity was christened. In the eloquent
language of the orator uf the day:
■L ondoi
crying need, and no doubt the alumni
of the university will In time supply It.
Every university has had the mornl and
muterlal support of Its alumni, and It
Is not probable that those from the
great University of the South will be
found wanting In this respect. The
university has sent out 6,000 matrleu-
Into the world, many of whom are
I U fields of endcuvor, und
this goodly number of loyal sons will
prove a valuable asset In the future.
Of the difficulties encountered since
1868, of the struggles und of the
achievements In detail. It Is not neces
sary to tell. It Is only essential to
dwell on the result. All universities
are naturally of slow growth. The
University of the South, It Is true, was
Intended by Its founders to be a great
university Immediately—to spring, ns
It were, like Pallas, full-armed from
the head of Jove, and although this
QUINTARD MEMORIAL-GRAMMAR SCHOOL DORMITORY.
Its work, too, has been characterized
by a great breadth bf view. Very wise
ly the charter provides that the board
of trustees shad! be composed of two
laymen and one clergyman from each
state. This Is a guarantee that men of
affairs, men In close touch with the
people at large, and with the great
pulsating business activity of the
world, shall be potent In the councils
of the university. It Is nn assurance
that all propositions shall be measured
by practical standards.
, and 1s equally a
civil engineers and sc
them In making a selection. The water
supply, both as to quality and quantity,
the mean temperature, railroad facili
ties. public highways, proximity to
building material, etc.. etc„ were all
exhaustively Investigated at each point
nnd full reports made, with the result
that Sewanee, Tenn., on the Cumber
land plateau, was finally seleoted. A
local coal company-had offered a gift of
5,000 acres of unimproved mountain
land provided the university ahould he
put In operation within ten years from
h*»
."Rut there Is another school needed
" r a different character, to which we
- bishops of the church stand com
mitted yet more fully, the necessity for
“ huh none .ire so well able to appre-
'iThere are no monuments here marking
the vestiges of man: no pyramids of
forty centuries: no fragmentary memo
rials of lost civilization; no Parthenon;
no portico on which dropped the honey
from Plato's lips; no coliseum where
the world's masters reveled; no grand
and solemn cathedral where every echo
resounds with a majestic history; no
purple light of romance and chivalry;
no roheate hue of art and poetry. All
Is new, frrsh from the forming hands
of God. We are the first. We are pri
meval here. Our only calendar Is the
annulntlon of the oak, our only history
the bud. the leaf and the autumn
bright dream was dissipated by the
rude shock of war, and Sewanee has
been forced to tread the path which
others before have trod. It is neverthe
less forging ahead with all the vigor
and enthusiasm of youth, for It Is still
quite young. Even counting from the
time when the plun first toiik shape In
Bishop Polk's brain, the university Is
relatively a child In years, for during
the Intervening period between then
and now the university of Hologna has
celebrated Its seven hundredth anni
versary, Oxford Its sixth hundredth,
Glusgow Its four hundredth. Harvard
Its two hundred and fltletli, Yale Its
doctrinaire. More than once the wis
dom of this provision has been demon
strated. On one occasion a resolution
was presented which provided that no
one should be eligible to a position In
the university except a communicant
In the church. This baleful and reac
tionary measure was very properly
strangled to death, and today one of
the ablest professors In the university
Is a Methodist. On another occasion a
resolution was presented to the board,
providing that the vice chancellor (a
position which Is Identical with that of
president In dther universities) should
always be a minister. This equally
objectionable measure Immediately met
with sudden death. The present vice
chancellor Is not n minister, but Is a
layman of conspicuous ability, so much
so that several wealthier and older uni
versities has each In turn sought to
make Klin president. In thess instances
he has been offered such handsome In
creases In salary ns would be alluring
to any man, but he has. out of pure
Iqve, remained firm In his adherence
to Sewanee. The board of trustees
at one of the recent meetings elected
him vice chancellor during good be
havior. which means for life. And,
again, the strength of the bonrd and
the wisdom of Its organization was
almost dramatically demonstrated In Its
calm refusal to yield to popular clamor.
Two of the professors had displeased
some of the good people of the South,
who insisted that these men should not
bn retained in the service of the unl-
vdwlty. although their offense consist
ed solely in entertaining views on sub
jects about which all men do not ugree.
One • of these men particularly had
by a fearless und unqualified expression
Ind. We have come to the heights of J two hundredth -nnd Princeton Its one
Sewanee to ^ an epoch^ The echo hundred^n^fiftl.^ It Is ..reposed to
from these eloquent words had not l<mff | University at Sewanee June !4 to 28.
died away on the mountain crest w hen i , n l0 minemoration of the Ismk-
the Civil war broke out In all Its fury. I out Mountain meeting. The actual op-
The munificent subscriptions 'that were I eratlon of the university, however,
to make the university the richest on . covers a period of something less than
the continent, and one of the richest In ! thlrty-nlne years, und in the light of
the world, were swept )iwny. The i all conditions the results accomplished
corner-stone was blown Into a million i during that time are truly remarkable
fragments by a detachment of Federal I In 1860, when the corner-stone was laid
soldiers. The great and gallant founder at Sewanee. the University of Oxford In
of the university. Bishop Polk, who at Englund hod but four hundred matrlcu.
the beginning of the war had exchanged lants. Sewanee, a mere Infant by com-
the crosier for the sword, and had been parlson. has for several years averaged
made a major general, was killed In | 500 hundred matriculants annually. It
battle near Atlanta. In short, at the! has toduy ten large permanent stone
cessation of hostilities the university, buildings, and a much greater number
like everything else In the South, was
confronted with gloom. It had nothing
left except the 10,000 acres of land at
Sewanee and the courageous urdor of
Its surviving promoters. Even the
tenure of the land was threatened, since
the original conveyance dated In 1858
of frame buildings, a very valuable
library, much valuable apparatus and
departmental equipment, the beginning
provided that the land^was re revert
■ original owners If the university
should not be in operation within ten
years from that time. Bishop Qulntard,
of Tennessee, who had succeeded Bish
op Otey, and who had all the enthusi
asm and devotion of Bishops Polk and
Otey. determined to occupy the proper
ty and to start some sort of school
there. If only a preparatory school, first
to preserve property rights and second l
to provide a nucleus for later expan
sion, Accordingly workmen were em
ployed to build a house of seven rooms |
and a kitchen which, when completed,
was called Otey Hall, and In March.
1866, Bishop Qulntard gathered around ,
him the workmen and the few others
on the mountain at that time, planted •
site of the proposed I
estimated to be worth
Ideals of the university are lofty and
the standards of scholarship are high,
placing It In the same rank with other
first-class universities In the country.
a Hotspur In criticism, us
combat, passed a unanimous resolution
demanding his discharge, and resolu
tions uf a similar nature came In from
oilier directions. The bokrd answered:
"We admit that a majority of this
bonrd dissents from the views of this
professor, nnd we think this man Is
mistaken. But he has done nothing
more than to express his convictions on
a great public question about which
men differ, and in this he has exercised
Ills right as an Individual. We are not
here to muzzle free speech nor to choke
off discussion, but we are here to seek
the truth, and we decline to dlsrhargo
this man."
How many universities In this coun
try can boost of a like record for broad,
minded conservatism? Who does not
recall with a sense of humiliation and
with, a blush of shame fur his kind, the
summary discharge of a professor at
the Chicago University, und of another
at Stanford University In California,
la-cause these men were free sliver ad
vocates, and glared to say so In their
public utterances? The writer has al
ways been a sound money man and op
posed to free sliver, but he believes that
the white-robed goddess of truth re
ceived n cruel If not a fatal stab when
these two men were discharged. Who
does not recall the discharge of a pro
fessor from Johns Hopkins and the still
more recent discharge of the two pro
fessors In the Jewish Rabbinical Col
lege, all because these teachers had
the courage of their convictions? This
list of victims might be extended, but
It Is sufficient to emphasize the con
trast I wish to point out.
The Impression prevails with some
thnt Sewanee Is a theological semi
nary primarily, and that Its efforts at
Instruction in other, directions are sec
ondary. This Is wholly erroneous. Har
vard. Yale and Princeton were started
as divinity schools; Harvard by the
Unitarians. Yale by the Uongregatlon-
allsts and Princeton by the Presbyte
rians. Each has sent out able preach
ers to teach the tenets of their faith,
but that fact does not make them the-
ologtral seminaries. ' And so It Is with
Sewanee. She may well be proud of
the men of the cloth whom she has
trained, and yet the record shows that
less than 4 per cent of her matriculants
have entered the theological' depart
ment. The university has Its school of
theology Just as It has its school of lav;
and of literature, of medicine and of
mathematics and of philosophy.aad of
physics, and from each of these schools
there have gone out men who arc con
spicuous for their attainments In tln-ir
chosen professions, and some of whom
are leaving their Impress on the life of
the nation. It Is not denied that the
university Is under the supervision of
the church, but that supervision stop i
short of any militant Interference with
the worit of the university Itself. The
Influence of the church Is there anil it
Is a refining and elevating Influence
Just as the atmosphere which sur
rounds the center where enlightened re
ligious teachers gather—be they Budd
hist, Jewish or Christian—Is elevating
and refining, but beyond this the super
vision does not go. In fact, the great
founders of the university seemed to
anticipate the dangers of eccleslns-
tlclsm. In their letters, their circulars
nnd addresses they repeatedly dis
claimed any Intention of establishing
a theological seminary per se and were
emphatic In their announced wish to
found a great Institution of learning In
Its broadest and highest sense. In the
very organization of the board of trus
tees, to which reference has been made,
they seemed to anticipate this danger
and to guard against It by giving to the
lay side of life such great numerical
strength In that body. It may be asked
why the ten Southern bishops should
liavo been so active nnd Indefatigable
In their efforts to establish the uni
versity If Its principal object were not
to train ministers? Let theso noble
nnd holy men answer this question as
they did In an eloquent address signed
Jointly and sent out to tho citizens In
their different states In 1858. I quote:
And we call upon men of tho South
to rally around us; not upon church
men only, but upon all good men and
true of whatever name and profession.
We have undertaken tills thing as a
church because there was no other way
of doing It. The government of such
an university must bo an unit, har
monious In Its principles. Views and
feelings. Hut It Is In no sense Intended
to be sectarian. Its curriculum will
extend through every branch of learn
ing nnil science—Its doors will be open
to students of every name and sect —
Its conduct will bo catholic In tho very
highest sense of the word. Jf tho states
could have done this work we would
have let It alone, but they could not
accomplish It, for there can bo no unity
In a state Institution.
It remains for you to rally around us,
and by your wealth, your counsel, your
active co-operation to enable us to
build up a university which shall offer
your sons tho highest literary culture,
which shall surround your homes with
tho refinement of scholarship and
piety, und which shall vindicate the
Southern states from the obloquy of
ignorance and barbarism."
These forceful words might well be
accepted atf the chart of the university
today, since the catholic character iff
Its work Is all that Is here outlined.
Unhampered by the dominating dic
tates of dogma, unfettered by the
cramped creed of the cloister, but
clinging tenaciously to Its own noble
Ideals, the University of the South pur-
of * 1,0 l.ool V111 I _
sues Its way, abreast of the best
versifies In the land as a great searci
after truth.
From Its mnjestlc dwelling pin
Among th'- Clouds Bew.-llico looks I,A
upon a retrospect of which it may w
be proud, nnd forward to a future f
of promise.
MAN BURNED TO DEATH
IN HIS HOME AT NIGHT.
•Impel.' recited* the apostles' creed.
chanted the "Gloria In Excelsls" anil
declared the work of the school begun, j
Lukes Memorial Hall now stands
where’ this cross was planted. It was
not, however, until September. 1868,.
that the Junior department of the unt- |
verslty proper was formally opened,
S tiere were only nine students In at-
'
— ndance. which was Increased, later In
the year by live more, but the number
was sufficient to comply with the terms
of the charter, and to perfect the title to
the university domain. One year later
the university had In operation a school j
of mathematics, of ancient languages,
of modern languages, of English litera-
gperlal to The Gcorglnn.
Spartanburg. 8. C.. April 13.—With
his head and face horribly burned, tho
skull exposed, his hands, feet nnd kne <
burned to a crisp, Robert A. Hancock,
formerly a guard of the chain gang ,.f
Union county, was found dead In hi <
room. In South Union, Thursday morn
ing. The body presented a most grue
some sight.
The deceased, who lived alone, being
In bad health, had engaged a small
colored boy to stay In tho house wltn
him and attend to his wants. The boy
stated that he and Mr. Hancock were
sitting up Wednesday night and Mr.
Hancock told 1dm to take a nap. He
went to his couch. leaving Mr. Han
cock In a chair In front of the fire, and
when he awoke ho found Mr. Hancock
lying on the floor with his head In the
fireplace.
CHANGES IN OFFICIALS
OF CENTRAL OF GEORGIA.
Speclsl to fhe Georgian.
Columbus, Ga., April 13.—Several
changes have taken place In the per
sonnel of the Central ot Georgia rail
road officials here. Eugene Daniel,
who has been trainmaster of the Co
lumbus division, succeeds Mr. Woodall,
of the Macon division, with headquar
ters In that city, und J. R. Herndon,
who has been trainmaster at Albany,
has been transferred to Columbus.
MACON PRESBYTERY
TO MEET AT COLUMBUS.
Special to The (f orglsn.
Columbus, Ga.. April 1 J.—Local Pi>-
bytertana are busy arranging for the
entertainment of the delegates to the
Macon Presbytery, which holds Its
spring session In this city on Tuesday
next. A committee on entertainment
has been appointed by Dr. Me El ror,
pastor of the First Presbyterian
church, consisting of the following: E.
P. Dlamukes, J. P. Kyle, Richard How
ard und Dr. J. H. McDuffie.
Medical Journal Incorporated,
kpeilnl to The G.-orxIao.
Montgomery, Ala, April 13.—The
Medical Journal Company of Birming
ham hus been Incorporated. The capi
tal stock Is 33,000 and the Incorp o aten
ure W. H. Bell. C. R. Bell nnd R. U.
Bmyer.
Conte
I .Montgomery, Ala.. April 1 I. s„, ro
tary of Stato Frank N. Julian hi.-
reived Information from .b.hn It. Knox,
ulonel It. O. .v'hi In
| E. \V. Barrett nnd Co
II. delegates
I attend the Natl,
tratlon con la rem
Vork April it t
Intention uf att
be Appointed -S'”
'• in. am' A-bP
. h meets In Nety
signifying U lit
a-j V . fciOrE '.ii
ill