Vanderbilt University - Commodore Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

Page 22 text:

Surrounded by the comforts and luxuries of modern civilization, the Vanderbilt student of 1936 cannot readily picture the poverty and hardships that his forebears, in the South of two generations ago, had to face. The South was exhausted by four bitter years of war. Her lands and cities had been desolated, and, in the 1870’s, were in part still occupied, by a victorious foe. Her sons and daughters had to master the almost hopeless problem of reconstruction, with a complete lack of material resources, with little, in fact, but lofty cour- age and unswerving devotion. . . . I he needs of Southern education had been fully recog- nized long before the War. But the educational system was in ruins along with the planta- tion system. The bankrupt states and communities had no funds with which to rebuild it. . . . 'I’oo much credit cannot be given to the great religious institutions which, in this crit- ical situation, took a large part of the responsibility for educating Southern youth. The I ANDON CABFLL GARI AND First Oianot.lor oi Vanderbilt Univiihsitv BISHOP HOLLAND N. McTYHIRL! First President oi the Board oi- Trust sragraasre1 ■■■ v- h.ww-w.

Page 21 text:

THESE ARE THE WORDS OF THE GREAT FOUNDER, CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: IF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY SHALL. THROUGH ITS INFLUENCE CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING THE TIES WHICH SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN ALL SECTIONS OF OUR COMMON COUNTRY. I SHALL FEEL THAT IT HAS ACCOMPLISHED ONE OF THE OBJECTS THAT LED ME TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN IT.

Page 23 text:

Vanderbilt of today was bom in tlie heart» and convictions of the Methodist Episcopal Giurch, South. It took shape under the leadership of the church. The genius and j r- severance of a great churchman. Bishop Holland N. McTyeire, brought the plan for a university to the point of foundation. The g.nerous gift o? Commodore Vanderbilt made the foundation possible, and it is altogether fitting that the university should hear his name. Vanderbilt opened its doors October J, 18 5, with an enrollment of $0 ' students. I he faculty, though small in number, were devoted to thnr calling. The policies of the instttu non were wisely moulded bv the first Chancellor, Landon ( alvll Garland, of Virginia, who served until 1895. He was succeeded bv a gentleman from South Carolina, at that time professor of I.atin on the Vanderbilt faculty, James Hampton Kirkland, who has served as Chancellor continuously since 189$.