Elon University - Phi Psi Cli Yearbook (Elon, NC)

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Tke Gift of a People N the city of Burlington, on the evening of January 19, 1923, the day following the burning of the original Administration building here, Mayor Horner, of Burlington, called together in the City Hall, a meeting of the citizens to consider what might be ijAj! ' ' J3 ' ' - ' ) ' ' ' ' l ' P rebuild our college. jl vvTrlj ' .; , ' • ■ ' 3 cold, bleak, stormy night, but stout hearts were there, interested in the 1 == - =J only college in Alamance County, and ready to undertake measures to help her recover from what appeared, even then, to be a staggering blow. It was during this meeting of the citizens of Burlington and of the county that the late Robert L. Holt, after several others had spoken, arose and said: I am very sorry for Eloii. I am sorry for her $5,000.00 worth, and I herewith pledge $5,000.00 to the Alamance County fund to help Elon rebuild. Following this liberal subscription from Colonel Holt, Mr. John M. Cook, a graduate of the College, and a lawyer and business man of Burlington, moved that the Alamance County citizens undertake to raise $100,000.00, and that it erect an administration building, provided friends of the College elsewhere would raise $200,000.00 for additional improvements. This motion was unanimouslv adopted, and a committee consisting of Colonel Robert L. Holt, Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Opie, Colonel F. L. Williamson, Mr. O. F. Crovvson, Mr. J. M. Fix, Mr. D. E. Sellars, and Rev. C. B. Riddle was appointed as a steering committee for this enterprise. The Board of Trustees of the College met on January 24 and accepted this proposal from the citizens of the county of Alamance. Meanwhile, the county ' s steering committee, feeling absolutely sure that the trustees would accept their offer, had held a meeting and appointed a campaign committee to raise the $100,000.00. This committee consisted of Mr. V. E. Sharpe, chairman and general executive; Mr. V. K. Holt, Mr. J. M. Fix, Mr. O. F. Crowson, Colonel Robert L. Holt, and Dr. W. A. Harper. Mr. Sharpe, as the executive for the campaign, selected Rev. C. B. Riddle as secretarv and J. M. Fix as treasurer, and the following as team captains: Mr. R. O. Browning, Mr. H. Frank Mitchell, Mr. J. G. Rogers, Mr. W. K. Holt, and Rev. C. B. Riddle. The campaign committee acted as the flying squadron to serve under the direct management of Mr. Sharpe, associating with himself Mr. R. F. Williams, Mr. J. L. Scott, and Colonel E. C. Holt. With the energy characteristic of him, Mr. Sharpe arranged for a public meeting in the municipal building on Sunday afternoon, which was presided over by Colonel F. L. Williamson. At this time Hon. E. S. Parker, Jr., delivered an inspirational address, and Mr. Sharpe himself outlined the plan of the campaign. The people were enthusiastic and the work of raising the money began immediately. As a consequence, life and enthusiasm were given the College in the crisis which faced it. Friends elsewhere were encouraged by the loyal support of the people, who knew the institution best, to make large and liberal contributions for the rebuilding program. The Alamance building has been completed at a total cost of $150,000.00. It is a modern fireproof building 200 feet long, 68 feet wide, three stories high, and is especiallv designed for administrative and recitation purposes. It is safe to say that no college, anywhere, can boast of a more commodious administration building than the citizens of Alamance County have given their college under the leadership of the late Robert L. Holt as chairman of the steering committee, and Mr. W. E. Sharpe as the guiding genius of the campaign forces that actually raised the money. This is the first instance in the history of North Carolina education when a county voluntarily arose as a single individual to lend its support to a stricken college. The same spirit which inspired the Alamance Regulators to strike the first blow for American liberty inspired the present descendants of those Regulators to lead in this splendid benefaction. The students of Elon College pledge the citizens of Alamance County their solemn intention to make proper use of the magnificent gift our College has received at their hands, and we shall always hold in deep gratitude and in sincere appreciation the splendid men and women who made the Alamance building possible for our College; and, so, the rebuilding program a reality.

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PHIPSICLI VOLUME XI 1925 PUBLISHED BY THE SENIOR CLASS OF ELON COLLEGE NORTH CAROLINA tr .- ' j.iaiBa i am aaB 3 sfOBfammm

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DEDICATION WHEN ALAMANCE COUNTY CITIZENS NKKDED AN ORGAN- IZE R TO MARSHAL IHEIR STRENGTH TO RAISE THE MONEY FOR THE ALAMANCE HUI LDING. THEY r N A N I M f) V S L Y CHOSE MR. SHARPE. HE ISONEOFELONS TRUEST FRIENDS. THIS ANNUAL IS UNANIMOUSLY DED- ICATED TO HIM AND TO ALAMANCE COUNTY IN SINCERE APPRECIATION BY THE CLASS OF UH5. V. E. SHARPE Christian Lavin.ni and Business