University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Yackety Yack Yearbook (Chapel Hill, NC)

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f Mi 0| i B f islnri| of tbe ' Glnivcrsitv ' ot Tllortb Carolina. HE fouiKlation stones of the University of North Carohna were hiid in the darkest hour of the Revolution, after the defeat of the American army on Long Island, before the victories of Trenton and Princeton shed a ray of light into the general gloom. In enacting the fundamental law of the new free State, the patriots of 1776 saw that liberty could not exist among a benighted people. Hence we find in the constitution ratified in December of that year, All i ;,v useful learning shall be duly encouraged and promoted in one or more Universities. They realized the impossibility of ha ing public schools without teachers. They further realized that no government can be intelligently conducted without instructed leaders. Owing to the troublesome times of the war and the po ' erty which was its heritage, the University charter was not granted until 1789. The convention of the people sitting in the same town of Fayetteville, where the ( jeneral Assembly was legislating, in the same month voted to make North Carolina a member of the American Union. The Draughtsman of the charter was William Richardson Davie, an eminent lawyer who had been a gallant cavalry officer in the Revolution, after- wards Governor and Minister to France. By his influence, the land warrants granted to the Revolutionary soldiers, who had died without leaving heirs, were set aside on an endowment for the new institution. As these were to be located in West Tennessee, on lands then claimed by the Chickasaw Indians, it was long before they

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m ' E fet ' l that a peculiar responsibility devolved upon us in the duties of the I)ublication of this sixth volume of The Hellenian. With no experience in such an undertaking, we ha ' e used our feeble powers as well as we were able to do under the circumstances, and if we can add one laurel to the former editions we will not have toiled without reward. Whatever may be its imperfections, we have endeavored faithfully to avoid mistakes. We are glad that our task is done, and proffer our most earnest thanks to those who have given helpful advice and contributed in any way to the subject-matter and appearance of this annual, thus aiding in anything of merit it may possess. In the brotherly spirit of college fellowship we present this volume, trusting that the facts given shall prove interesting and the jokes furnish enjoyment. We invite a perusal of our labors in kindliness to our deficiencies, and sincerely hope that in coming days this souvenir of college life— its scenes, sports, and achievements — during the year ninety-five will serve as a pleasant and inspiriting reminder of college days gone. Proud of the prosperity and progress of our Alma Mater, chronicled in the annals of educational history, we rejoice in the year ' s benefactions which will add to her great usefulness and power. In this centennial year may the alumni and friends rally to her support by extending the scope of influence. Her past success only gives promise of the possibilities of the future. We believe that the student-body is bound together by such friendly ties of regard and common sympathy that the best interests and welfare of the University are upon their minds and hearts. We are, with cordial respect and every good wish for the highest personal happiness and success of our readers, The Editors.

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became a source of revenue. It was through Davie ' s powerful advocacy that the Legislature loaned |io,ooo (afterwards made a gift) to be expended in buildings. The Trustees met for organization December i8, 1789, Charles Johnson, of Chowan, grandtather of the late eminent Dr. Charles E. Johnson, of Raleigh, being the chairman of the meeting. Davie handed in warrants for 20,000 acres of West Tennessee lands, the gift of Benjamin Smith, a Revolutionary hero, afterwards Governor. At the next meeting, November 15, 1790, Col. William Lenoir, Speaker of the Senate, was made President of the Board of Trustees. It so happens that this excellent man, having on him scars received at King ' s Mountain, was the last survivor of the forty of North Carolina ' s best citizens who constituted the first Board of Trustees. At the meeting of the Board in August, 1792, held at Hillsborough, steps were taken to locate the Uni ersity. It was agreed to elect one commissioner from each of the eight judicial districts whose duty it should be to select a site within a circle ot thirty miles diameter. The center of this circle was to be chosen by the Board by ballot. The following centers were voted for : Raleigh in Wake County, Hillsborough in Orange County, Williamsboro in Granville, Goshen in Granville, Pittsborough in Chatham, Smithfield in Johnston, Cyprett ' s Bridge in Chatham. Cyprett ' s (or Cipritz) Bridge, now Prince ' s Bridge, on the Raleigh and Pittsborough road, over New Hope Creek, was adopted. The Commissioners of Location were Wm. Porter, of Rutherford ; John Hamilton, of Guilford ; Alexander Mebane, of Orange ; Willie Jones, of Halifax ; David Stone, of Bertie ; Frederick Hargett, of Jones ; Wm. H. Hill, of New Hanover ; James Hogg, of Cumberland, afterwards of Orange. Of these, Hargett, Mebane, Hogg, Hill, Stone, and Jones acted. They reported in favor of New Hope Chapel Hill, in Orange County, at which point 1180 acres had been donated by Col. John Hogan, Benjamin Yergin, Matthew McCauley, Alexander Piper, James Craig, Christopher Barbee, Edward Jones, Mark Morgan, John Daniel, and Hardy Morgan. The great-granddaughter of one of these (Mark Morgan), Mrs. Mary E. Moore, has recently donated to the University his old homestead and about 800 acres of valuable land. The first buildings were the Old East, the Old Chapel, or Person Hall and the President ' s dwelling, now o ccupied by Prof Gore. The cornerstone was 9