University of Maryland College Park - Terrapin / Reveille Yearbook (College Park, MD)

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BARRACKS.

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Our President — R. W. Silvester. THE subject of our sketch was born in Norfolk, Va., September 16th, 1857. Having entered the Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington in 1873, he was graduated four years later. The following autumn he was appointed assistant in Mathematics. German and Natural Sciences in Char- lotte Hall Academy; beginning in this way to practice that profession to which his life has been devoted, — namely, education. In ' 79 he was placed in full charge of his work at Charlotte Hall, and in 1885 was elected Principal of this venerable and highly respected institution. In 1892 he was called to the Presidency of the Maryland Agricultural College, and has been hon- ored by unanimous re-election eight successive terms. Down whatever lines his energies have been directed , our president has lent an intelligent, practical and persistent enthusiasm ; consequently, his efforts have uniformly achieved success. As an instance of this we may note his administration at Charlotte Hall Academy; through his efforts, during his term of office as Principal there, the number of students was more than doubled, and the standard of scholarship was raised to a point highly gratifying to his friends and the friends of the Institution, — and so when the administration of the Agricultural College was reor- ganized in ' 92, Captain Silvester ' s name was presented as a consequence of his splendid record, and the wis- dom of his election has never been questioned. He brought to re-enforce him in his arduous responsibil- ity, the three requisite accomplishments for the emer- gency; namely, talent as an instructor; ability as a financier and executive ; and successful and practical experience as a farmer. From the outset Captain Silvester resolved that the sphere of the College must be widened, and that the College would not reach its maximum degree of usefuUness until it should be recognized as the Farmers ' College of the State, as it is to-day. Ac- cordingly, largely through his efforts, the following State Bureaus have been organized and established as adjuncts of the College : State Chemical and Fertilizer Department (reorganized). Department of Farmers ' Institute.

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State Horticultural Department. Department for Inspection of Dairy Food Stuffs. In addition to this, he was a pioneer in champion- ing the introduction of Nature studies in our public schools, and detailed members of his faculty to lecture at Teachers ' Institutes for the encouragement of this work, now becoming so important a factor in modern education. Captain Silvester was active, too, in promoting the creation of our State Geological Survey, and has been its Secretary since its organization in ' 96. Indeed, in whatever reforms that tend to benefit our agricul- tural interests, he has alwaj ' S been found at the front. Thanks to his indefatigable energj ' , five handsome structures for educational purposes have been erected at the College, and the old building itself refitted and enlarged; while four new branches of instruction have been established. President Silvester commands the esteem and con- fidence of the State to a marked degree, and his talent for conceiving eloquence in advocating, and tact and ability in executing, make him well merit the encom- ium : Suavier in inodo, fortiter in re . For eight years he has presided with efficiency and dignity over his Faculty, by all of whom he is re- spected and beloved ; the same may justly be said of his students and their parents. Mrs. Silvester, his accomplished wife, presides with charm and grace over his home, which is a center of social pleasure, and the cordial reception here accorded the student reassures him that his president desires to be, and is his best friend. — By a member ot tlie Faculty.