University of Georgia - Pandora Yearbook (Athens, GA)

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To the Memory of Walter Barnard Hill this Volume of Pandora dedicated as a token of the love, honor and respect which we felt toward this great and good man during his life, and as a token of the deep and universal sorrow we feel in his loss to us.

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Chancellor Halter JJarnarb J|tU Walter Barnard Ilill was born in Talbotton, Ga., September 11, 1851, and was in his fifty-fifth year at the time of his death. He was the son of Judge Barnard Hill, a Georgian of distinction in his day, and Mary Clay Birch Hill, a cousin of Henry Clay. Mr. Hill first attended school in an institution of his home town, and from there came to the University of Georgia, where he graduated with third honor and with an A. B. degree in the class of 1870. Subsequently he received both the degree of Master of Arts and that of Bachelor of I .aw from the University. In 1878 lie formed a law partnership with Hon. X. E. Harris of Macon and for many years this law firm ranked as one of the ablest in the State. Later the firm became Hill, Harris Birch and so continued until Mr. Hill was called to be chancellor of the University of Georgia. In July 1809, the trustees of the University met in Atlanta for the pur-jiose of electing a chancellor. W hen the people of this State heard the news that Mr. Hill had l een elected to this place, with one accord they agreed that the choice was an admirable one. We all know that Mr. Hill was one of the greatest chancellors this or any other University of this country has ever had. Under his leadership and direction, this University has become one of the leading institutions in the South, and of the country. The fruition of the great plans for the future will make this great educational institution a monument to his memory more enduring than one of stone. He was a very prominent meml er of the Methodist Church and always took a prominent part in church affairs, serving twice as a delegate to the conference of the Methodist Church South, and was also a delegate to the Evangelical Alliance of the Churches of America. He was also very deeply interested in Young Men's Christian Association work. He was a finished scholar and a very able writer. Among his literary productions were the Revised Code of Georgia; the Memoirs of the General Conference of the M. E. Church South 1880-04. He also contributed articles to the Century, the Atlantic Monthly and other magazines. He was honored with the degree of UU. D., by Emory College in 1800 and in the same year received the same degree from the Southwestern University. As an educator, he had no superior in the country and was generally regarded as the leader of the great educational movements in the South. He was for some time president of the Southern Educational Association. His death was a great blow to this University. He had reached the full maturity of life and had he lived, it is certain he would have earned an international reputation as one of the ablest educators of our country. He has gone from among us but the memory of his pure life, his true worth and his Christian character will remain with us always, and will ever be an influence for good in the lives of the youths of the State he loved so well.