North Carolina State University - Agromeck Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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THE AGROMECK Can TEXTILE BUILDING ' park that he had given to the city of Raleigh. This generous giR fixed the establish- ment of the college in Raleigh. 1$

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THE AGROMECK Justin Smith Morrill, the venerable senator from Vermont, heard the demand and came forward in Congress with a bill as an answer. This bill, subsequently enacted into law, gave to each state public lands for the endowment, support and main- tenance of at least one college whose leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life. This bill was passed by Congress in 1842. Pan of the money INFIRMARY arising from the sale of t he lands given to North Carolina was lost during reconstruc- tion days. The interest on what was left was for some years given to the State University, but in 1385 a bill was introduced into our legislature by A. Lcazar, Esq., of Iredell county, which in 1887 was passed and became a law, providing for the transfer of those funds to aid in the establishment of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. This name was given the new college to emphasize the kind of instruction that Congress intended to be given in these institutions. At this stage of affairs R. S. Pullen, Raleigh ' s most progressive and benevolent citizen, gave a valuable building site, with sufficient land for a farm. This land adjoins the 7

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a9aaa) THE AGROMECK EEEFECrfe At last, on Oct. I, 1889, the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts was formally opened for students. The College at that time consisted of only one brick building and a corps of five instructors, appointed by a Board of Trustees. Too much honor cannot be accorded this band of earnest men who as directors and as faculty went forward so quietly, but faithfully, with small capital and amid many dis- couragements, to build up a college whose scope of work and whose purposes were alike new to our people. To the call for students about fifty responded. A majority of these were farmers or sons of farmers. The college commenced growing from its very birth; not too rapidly, but slowly, surely increasing year by year. When found absolutely necessary, money for buildings and apparatus has been appropriated by the Legislature from time to time. The college met with opposition at first from some quarters, as it was thought to be antagonistic to the University and the other colleges of the state. But as it pursued its way. it became evident that it did not antagonize other colleges, but simply supplied what could not be obtained there. The men who were guiding it held it strictly to its proper sphere. It stood then, .it has always stood, for strictly technical education. This fact was at last clearly recognized, and all opposition to the institu- tion died a natural death. As time passed students were graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering. These young men were eagerly employed by different in- dustrial concerns in this and other states. The young graduates stood the test of commercial life and made their marks as men trained and worthy. The eyes of the people were opened. They saw that what had been ridiculed as an experiment had been tried and not found wanting. They saw the great need over the whole country for educated industrial workers. They saw the harvest reaped by men able to do the world ' s industrial work. They saw the great opportunity presented to their sons and eagerly took advantage of it. Since that time the College has been crowded and its capacity taxed to the uttermost. To meet this growth great expansion became nec- essary. The corps of five teachers in a few years became a faculty of eleven professors, assisted by nineteen subordinate instructors; where one building stood, thirteen now proudly lift their heads, among them some of the best in the state. The one first constructed—the main building, as it is called, being about the center of the group— Is still used for class rooms, laboratories, and the upper floors for dormitories. Primrose Hall (named in honor of Mr. W. S. Primrose, one of the founders of the institution, whose wise counsels and fidelity have contributed so greatly to its success) is a two-story building with modern appliances, containing the Horticultural depart- ment. This building with its greenhouses adds much to the beauty of a very attrac- tive campus. The Mechanical and Electrical buildings arc plain and substantial, containing laboratories, shops, drawing and recitation rooms. The dairy and barn are frame buildin gs, admirably adapted to their purpose. The Textile building, just completed, is a modern, up•to•date cotton mill, containing all modern machinery. t9 •