Auburn University - Glomerata Yearbook (Auburn, AL)

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fgsediclenf paadea . . . The Death of Luther Noble Duncan, Who Guided Auburn Through the Depression Years and the War Years, Leaves Auburn to Dther Hands. On fhe lazy summer morning of July 26, I947, Auburn awoke 'ro begin anofher summer week-end, iusf as if had begun ofher summer week-ends for generafions. lf was Safurday. Mosi' of fhe 6340 sfudenfs had already leff for +he shorf holiday. While fhe school he had loved so well and worked so faifhfully for awoke fo a new day, Lufher Noble Duncan closed his eyes and quiefly died. .A long and fruifful career of work for Auburn had come fo a close. An in- sfifufion he helped make greaf mourned. As was his wish, fhe funeral was conducfed from fhe pine-shelfered amphifheafer which had long bee'n his favorife spof of all fhe beloved campus. Gafhering fhere fo pay fheir lasf respecfs were many of fhe greaf and near-greaf of Soufhern polifical and educafional circles. The deafh of Presidenf Duncan marked fhe end of a glorious and inspiring era. In I934, fhe counfry was fighfing fo recover from 'rhe mosf severe depression in ifs hisfory. Under fhe confidenf leadership of a new chief, fhaf fighf was being won. No less fhan fhe resf of fhe nafion, Auburn, foo, had suffered from 'I-he awful crash of fhe lafe 'rwenfies and fhe hopeless bewilclermenf of ifs frying affermafh, fhe early fhirfies. Enrollmenf was low. The financial condifion was chaofic. lnsfrucfors were paid somefimes pariially, somefimes in scripf, some- fimes noi' af all. Collapse seemed emminenf. Morale mafched fhe fimes for a new low. On February 22, I935, fhe Board of Trusfees, led by T. D. Samford, appoinfed Lufher Noble Duncan presidenf of Alabama Polyfechnic lnsfifufe. Polifically wise and endowed by an alacrify born of necessiiy, Dr. Duncan was quick fo acf. As clirecfor of fhe Exfension Service, he had learned fhe value of connecfions on Capifol Hill. In an incredibly shorf fime, he had --'reesfablished fhe confidence of fhe faculfy. Behind his energefic leader- ship, Auburn began fo emerge from fhese unsfable days of fhe fhirfies. The campus was expanding. New build- ings were going up. And, mosf imporfanf, enrollmenf began climbing. If was parficularly in fhe agriculfural field fhaf Dr. Duncan made fhe greafesi' progress. When, during fhe depression, many Soufhern schools were forced fo aban- don parfs of fheir agriculfural curriculum, he sfrengfhened fhaf of Auburn. lf was during fhis fime, foo, fhaf fhe Soui'h's foremosi' school of Animal Husbandry was ini- 'riafed and developed. His posifion as head of fhe Alabama Exfension Service aided and facilifafed in many of fhe improvemenfs he secured for fhe school. To sfeady an insfiiufion feeiering on fhe brink of collapse was a sfruggle rapidly assuming unmanageable dimensions, and 'noi a mere job. To fhaf greaf sfruggle he gave unsfinfingly of his fime, energy, and hearf. Noi' safisfied wifh iusf helping Auburn back on ifs feef, he was ever seeking fo furfher fhe inferesf of Auburn. lf was of fhis rennaissance fhaf fhe Birmingham News said, His devofion fo his 'task was exemplified by his confinuance in a very ardous posf even fhough he was well advanced in years and physically nof very well. The success of his adminisfrafion is perhaps besf mirrored in Auburn's ever increasing enrollmenf. Less fhan i800 in l935, by I947 if had exceeded 6,000. This, fhen, was fesfimony enough fo fhe abilify of Lufher Noble Duncan. Characferisfically, he was af his deafh busy on a program of sfill a greafer expansion fo make room for an even greafer sfudeni' body. Tenacious yef knowing when fo yield, and yielding only when fhe school's inferesfs could fhe beffer be furfhered, he could look back on a job well done. He had led Auburn from her darkesf hour fo fhe momenf of her brighesf success and iusi' rewards. Of him fhe Moni- gomery Adverfiser said, I+ was his fo be a breadwinner, fo prop Auburn up fo survive fhe depression, fo hold fhe faculfy fogefher, provide buildings and fhus make possible ai' some 'lime . . . sfill in fhe fufure . . . fhe fulfillmenf of Auburn's academic desfiny as an insfifufion second fo none in fhe U. S. From fhe pasi' he had inherifed a school shori' in fhe maferial fhings, whose fufure was darkly uncerfain. To fhe fufure he leff a school financial- ly healfhy, looking forward fo a period of expansion un- parallelled in ifs hisfory. In his passing Auburn had rea- lized fhe incomparable loss of a guiding spirif, buf looked ahead wifh fhe assurance he had leff if. 16

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HUMIDMH HBA Ml DUCUMENTS AUBURN JOHN PARKER SHAFFER, JR. . . ....... EDITOR O. H. lBUGSl MIMMS .... . . BUSINESS MANAGER This liffy-firs+ volume of fhe GLOMERATA is an edi+ion of 5800 copies published by and for 'rhe sludeni' body of Alabama Poly- fechnic lns+i+u+e a+ Auburn, Alabama. Bolh +he business and ediforial works were accomplished enfirely by fhe all-sludenl' sfaffs. The Ediror and Business Manager were chosen by campus-wide popular vo+e, and 'lhey in +urn appoinfed rheir respecfive s+aFFs from lhe sfudenl' body a+ large. .Acfing in an advisory capacify was lhe Publicalions Board composed of appropriare members of +he adminisfrafion plus four sludenls appoinred by +he Sludenf Execufive Cabinet Publicarion of +he GLOMERATA is financed annually by funds collec'l'ed 'lhrough The Sfudenl' Aclivily Fee supplemenfed by 'Phe sale of space lo adverfising and +0 organiza- fions. .This volume was engraved by Alabama Engraving Com- pany, Birmingham, Alabama, and prinred by Benson Prinling Company, Nashville, Tennessee.

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