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

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nilod. TIk ' first tiling; I know I was back at the farm helping house tobacco with a masters degree. Except for the fact that Here it is where it ' s always been. the campus has changed tremendously during Fountain ' s years. He still visits campus occasionalh and sa s he ' s impressed with the students nowadays. The place to see where the students are at their best is the hbrary, Fountain said. And the same thing is true with the classrooms. I go over there sometimes to talk with some of the folks. I don ' t go into the classes and hang around, just up and down the halls, maybe into a man ' s office. I think the students seem to be earnest — very definitely working at their jobs. — Mike Mahan Student Life 13

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After Fountain graduated from State in 1923, he worked at Carolina Power and Light Co. His real am- bition was to write, though. He worked as a reporter at the Technician thoughout his four years at college and he was editor of the weekly newspaper during his senior year. Fountain got a scholarship soon afterward and returned to State to receive a masters degree in sociology. He wrote his thesis on people working at a cotton mill behind Peace College. It was during his graduate years that he wrote the words to State ' s alma mater. When I got my masters degree, I didn ' t have anything; all of my money was gone, Fountain recall- ed. He expected to go back to CP L and work his same job as before but found out his position had been Apparently there were other things for a N.C. State College student to do besides schoolwork. By looking closely at this unusual 1916 photograph (above) one may see an ancient automobile headlight and radiator, a cardboard battleship, a Cossack horseman, a faint Tompkins Hall in the left background and Ricks Hall in the right background. There is no explanation why this group picture was taken. Brooks Hall (right top), built in 1925, was once the college library. First, Se- cond, Third and Fourth Dorms, seen in this pastoral 1920 view (right bottom), were located near the pre- sent Quad area. 12 Student Life

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L.H. Overton, Class of 1931 When Lemuel Hill Overton entered State College in 1927, he was required to wear a freshman cap — a red beanie — to signify to the community at large he was a freshman and inferior to the up- perclassmen. The North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering was 38 years old when Overton started atten- ding. The total enrollment for the school was around 1,800. During my first two years I knew prac- tically every student by either his surname or nickname, 72-year-old Overton recall- ed. As new students arrived it became im- possible to learn the names of all the newcomers. About two weeks after he came to State he was walking between Holladay Hall and College Court and saw the president of the college. As they passed each other the presi- dent said, Hello, Mr. Overton. I didn ' t know how he knew who I was, Overton said. He still doesn ' t know. Overton now resides in Matthews, N.C., with his wife Lucille. Their son. Hill Jr., graduated from State and two of their grandchildren are currently undergraduates at their Pawpaw ' s alma mater. But Overton ' s college years were very different from his grandchildrens ' . Everyone ate together in the dining hall for $18 per month. The dining hall was Leazar Hall but was sometimes called Bull Hall or Lizzard Hall by students. On Sunday lunch, Overton said, you got a brown bag for supper that would be suffi- cient to hold you till 7:30 breakfast. What we call work-study today was call- ed self-help in Overton ' s day. Self-help students worked at the dining hall, he said. On (ROTC) drill days they ' d have to change from their blouse to an apron and wash their hands, I hope, to earn their board by waiting on tables. Because State was a land- grant college, all physically fit freshmen and sophomores had to take ROTC. Our shoes were issued to us, he said. Our first year we were issued World War I surplus uniforms. What is now the Court of the Carolinas was the drill field for the 3rd Battahon, ROTC, according to Overton. We drilled two times a week and also had ROTC lab, he said. On rainy days a flag was flown to signify an assembly to discuss matters of general military interest. Overton was among the small percentage of students who went on to advanced ROTC. The ad- vanced students were accepted on the basis of fitness and grades. In advanced ROTC we were measured for a tailored uniform to wear our junior and senior years, he said. We were also given the U.S. Army allowance of 30 cents per ration, which paid for half of board in the dining hall. 14 Student Life