University of North Carolina Greensboro - Pine Needles Yearbook (Greensboro, NC)

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i J A SHORT HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COLLEGE At this milepost in our journey, the twenty-hfth anniversary of the founding of our College, it is interesting to review the splendid progress made from time to time, and to note the forces at work from year to year in the evolution of our institution into a real college whose name we mention with a feeling of pride. Perhaps the most satisfactory way of making this review at least in regard to the essential facts, is to make a chrono- logical study of events and their significance. 1891 The North Carolina State Normal and Industrial School was established by an act of the General Assembly. This was accomplished only after a hard struggle of ten years ' duration. Greensboro, with her favorable location, her offer of thirty thousand dollars and ten acres of land, donated by R. S. Pullen, R. T. Gray, E. P. Wharton, and others, was chosen as the school home. 1892 On October 5th the school first operied its doors for the reception of students, with Dr. Charles Duncan Mclver as President. During this year two hundred twenty-three students were enrolled. Out of this number there was a graduating class of eleven, all of whom, with one exception, were graduates of other colleges for women in the State. To train the minds of these two hundred twenty-three students, coming from sixty-eight out of the ninety-six counties, there was a faculty force of fifteen members. The dormitory capacity and equipment this first year were very meager, there being room for only one hundred fifty boarders. On the whole campus there were only six buildings. 1893 The school received its first appropriation since the ten thousand dollars donated in 1891. This appropriation amounted to twelve thousand five hundred dollars. This year the Young Women ' s Christian Association and the Cornelian and Adel- phian Societies were established. 1894 Was notable as being the year in which a young Nebraskan, William Jennings Bryan, delivered the Commencement address. This was the first appearance of the young Con- gressman in North Carolina.

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' TRIBUTE List well to me, and I to thee Will sing a wondrous lay. Of a good fight made by a knight— A knight of yesterday. No glittering armor did he wear. No shining blade he bore; But just as valiantly he fought As those good knights of yore. Who in the days of chivalry. Had nobly gone before. His foe was not of humankind. His fight was not with man. But ' gainst the power of Ignorance He boldly raised his hand. And right and left did smite amain, And fearlessly did stand. He strove that every little child Whate ' er its lot might be. Should not in mental darkness dwell. But look abroad and see The beauteous light that knowledge gives. And giving, makes man free. And God be praised, the yielding foe He ever backward drove. Nor turned aside, nor e ' er forgot The end for which he strove. Strong in the strength that always comes From an abiding love. —A Knight of Yesterday, by R. D. Douglas, in the State Normal Magazine, 1906.

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WT 1895 The enrollment had increased from two hundred twenty-three during the first year to four hundred forty-four in 1895. To accomodate the ever increasing number of students making application each year, two wings were added to the dormitory, a brick dining hall was erected, and a seven-room infirmary built. There was also a purchase of one hundred twelve acres of land north of the campus during this year. Perhaps the most remarkable addition was the establishment of a new public school consisting of six grades in charge of expert teachers, used as a practice and observation school. 1897 One of the conspicuous changes of this year had to do with the name of the school. It was now changed to the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College. The first edition of the College Magazine came out in March of this year. More improvements were made. This year witnessed the erection of a new barn, a dairy building, and a greenhouse. 1899 The College was closed from November 21st through January 30th, on account of a typhoid epidemic. The Sarah and Evelyn Bailey Memorial fund was established by Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Bailey. They gave, also, one thousand dollars to furnish a memorial room in the contem- plated Students ' Building. This room was to be used at the discretion of the Young Women ' s Christian Association. 1901 In June, 1901, a fifteen thousand dollar practice school building was erected. June also was the month in which the college received a gift of ten thousand dollars from George Foster Peabody of New York. Five thousand dollars of this money was to be used on an educational park, consisting of one hundred twenty-five acres. 1902 The Students ' Building fund was started in 1902, and the corner stone of this building was laid. 1904 The event in the year that stands out most vividly is the fire which occurred on the early morning of January 21st, when the old brick dormitory, the kitchen, the dining room, and the laundry — eighty thousand dollars worth of property — were totally destroyed. However, a modern brick laundry was built during this year to replace the one destroyed by fire, and plans were made for other new buildings.