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

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0m ilatron jHofter Ml!S IIahiiis When college opened last Scp- Iciiilicr vc found a new college friend in the person of Mrs. Ella I. Harris, wild at once filled a lonR felt want. As day by day we Itecame better ac- ([naintcd, we found in her a friend as true and as solicitous for our welfare as the mothers and dear ones we had recently left at home. Her genial dis- position and lier tender care of the sick soon transformed the hosjjital from a place of gloom into one of sunshine. Through the exciting times of gridiron battles her untiring efforts nev( r wav- ered. It was always with a feeling of true motherly sym])athy that she received each uiiroi ' lunale jilayer and so effective was her nursing that it can be truly said, More than one game was won by Mrs. Harris. Besides her interest in the hospital, Mrs. Harris takes an active interest in all sid( s of college life and e ' ery worthy effort for the Ix tterment of our institution receives her hearty connnendation. And although we have known her only one short year, we feel that she has helped to make i the hai)piest year of our college life, and it is with heart-felt regret that the t ' la.ss of 11)10 bids farewell to our Matron Mother. Page 8

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OTiUiam Ipfjongo OTitfterS Among those who have served our college long, ably, and faithfully is William Alphonso Withers, Professor of Chemistry. With one exeeption he is the onlj ' member of the original faculty elected in 1889. During these years of service. Prof. Withers ' zeal, energy, and efficiency have in no wise abated, but have grown with broadening experience and accumulating knowledge. Prof. Withers was born at River View Plantation, Mecklenburg County, in 1864. Both paternally and maternally he is descended from a line of thrifty, industrious, and influential men. After preparation at Bethel Academy, he entered Davidson College, and was graduated with the A. B. degree in 1883. In 1885 he received from his college the A. M. degree. After graduation he devoted two years to post graduate work at Cornell University. During his last year there he held a fellowship in Agricultural Chemistry. During his entire course as a student he was lal;orious, successful, and devoted to science and mathematics. Prof. Withers began his active work as Assistant Chemist in the North Caro- lina Experiment Station. In 1889 he was elected Professor of Chemi.stry in our newly chartered College, but he did not enter upon his duties until 1890. During most of these twenty years he has also been Chemist to the Experiment Station, and for two years was at the head of the Station. In addition to his collegiate work. Prof. Withers has been useful in both social, civic, and religious fields. He has been master of his Masonic lodge; Grand High Priest of the State and Grand Commander of the Knights Templars; member of the Colonial Wars Society; Secretary of the College Association; author of North Carolina ' s first Pure Food Law; member of the Executive Committee of the Na- tional Pure Food Congress; Chairman of the Committee on Pure Food Legislation of the American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations; President of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (1909); officer in the Presbyterian Church. He is the compiler of the Semi-Centennial Catalogue of Davidson College, author of several sketches in the Biographical Historj ' of North Carolina, and of numerous chemical studies published both in America and Germany. Some of these have been highly commendetl for originality of conception and activity of research. Prof. Withers has Ijeen twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Witherspoon Daniel, daughter of Rev. Eugene Daniel, D. D., of the Southern Presbyterian Church. Last July he was married to Miss Jane Hinton Pescud, of Raleigh. He has one living child, Master Banks Withers. Page 7

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