University of Virginia - Corks and Curls Yearbook (Charlottesville, VA)

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M 1905 CORKS AND CURLS 7 mm his life that he was called from the presidency of the University of N orth Car- olina to that Of Tulane. N 0 disparagement Of our nearest sister University is intended, when this is spoken of as a promotion. Counting it by emolument it was, but this is not the strongest attraction for a president. North Carolina University is one of the most successful and powerful of our Southern State universities, but it is a State uni- versity. Its patronage is overwhelmingly from one State, and its revenues as well as its services are largely due this State. Tulane is a municipal university by location, a private institution by endowment, and an aspirant for the patronage of a large section of our far Southern country. Over this institution Dr. Alderman presided from 1900 to 1904, adding to- its endowment, increasing its hold upon the cityis affections, and widening its sphere of influence. But his own influence was still wider. His close personal contact with the Southern Educational Board gave him the opportunity to. pay practical attention to the problems of the whole South. From this section his written reports were read with great conhdence and his advice in the councils of this Board was counted of immense import. Thus he had risen step by step from the schoolroom of a small town to! the council-room in which large matters for a large section were broadly considered. In each room he was a dominant figure. In 1904, he was elected to. the Presidency of the University of Virginia. The honor was enhanced by the fact that he was the first occupant of this newly created office. It was a promotion too, though not in honorarium. The Uni- versity of Virginia is a State university but unlike that Of North Carolina, its student-body is, by nearly one-half, from outside of the State. It is commonly re- ferred to as the leading Southern institution, and is thus identihed with that large area over which Dr. Alderman, as president of Tulane, exerted so strong an in- fluence. North Carolina University owes all to the State, Tulane all to private endowment, the University Of Virginia while aided annually by the State has re- ceived in all nearly two million from private sources. In this sense it partakes 0f the nature of both of the other institutions. But there is still a larger View. North Carolina University belongs to the State, Tulane to a section, the University of Virginia to the whole country. This is partly true in fact for its student-body in- cludes students from nearly every State in the Union. It is true too in the sense that our large donations have been from the N orth, though the South has given much. But it is more true in ideal. Nineteen hundred and seven will emphasize that the origin of our nationality was in Virginia, and that institutions that are Southern may still be national. By that good anniversary year our new President may Clemonstrate that the University of Virginia, in which University work in Amerlca had its origin, has her large and forceful place in the nation. Congress, . .Agxua um salvz'w i, 12.7w n;w 3V V

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M 6 CORKS AND CURLS VOL.XVIII M; and from the. schoolroom he was promoted in 1885 to the superintendentis office and put in charge of the cityis schools. In this position he became fully co.n- Versant with the problems of the city school. It was this information derived nrst 3 from his own experience but enlarged by the knowledge he is always drawing from i the experience of others that makes him so pointed and practical a speaker to i municipal audiences. His next promotion, in 1889, was again a significant step in his own education, With his warm personal friend, Charles D. McIver, he was made State Institute Instructor. T hose two instructors, elected by the State Board, Of Education and directed by the State Superintendent, began an educational crusade. Their mis- sion took them to every part of the Old North State and their devotion to- the work set aHanie the Commonwealth. It was in this daily contact with the people, in this - persistent study of the peoples problems that he was fixed in his catholic sym- pathies and in his desire to have some larger part in their struggles and successes. The value of this experience to a man soon to. become a college president was inestimable for no institution can be guilty of the folly of aloofness when its president has trod with true sympathy the pressed paths of the common people. In was but another step, and that logical, when he was summoned in 1892, from these irregular and sporadic class-meetings 0f the teachers to the daily round of the professoris career. But his pupils were still teachers or teachers to be. This position, however, of Professor of History and English in the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College, Of which his friend Dr. McIver is now president, he was permitted to hold but one session. His Alma Mater following with pride his career of large service and scholastic enthusiasm bade him to her circle in 1893 as a member of the Faculty. He was now Professor of Pedagogy, but he took no narrow view of this art of teaching. His theme was rather the history of human civilization as it revealed itself in the solution of educational problems. The course became very popular and his hearers caught some of his enthusiasm for the honored art of teaching. In 1896, there was a vacancy in the presidency of his own University. Per- haps the curators reached with hesitancy the conclusion that the young professor, but thirty-five years old and with but three years of professional experience was best suited for the position they had to iill. Over against their inherent timidity and reluctance was his successful career as teacher, superintendent, instructor, and professor in the order of climax. This gave promise and well nigh afforded the guarantee that the new duties would be performed with conscientious devotion and regnant common sense. It seems to have been characteristic of Dr. Alderman that he has filled every position with such abundant fullness as to break over its bounds into some larger and better place. It was in keeping with this history of -. Wwwwf;sktwuws V ,.---.1 ' '

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nu 8 CORKS AND CURLS VOL.XVHI W both House of Representatives and Senate, knows the University of Virginia by her sons within these legislative halls. Every arm of the Government service counts University of Virginia men by scores. The process of nationalization moves apace. How rapidly? The answer rests in part with the students, who by loyal and loving honor to their University and her President may aid her and him to realize the dream we cherish. For the student who thinks of some humble pllCS in the seho-olroom next 1 session, is there no encouragement in the rapid strides the young teacher made go toward the professoris Chair? Does the aspirant for executive duties not see clearly the steps by which the superintendent of a small City becomes the president in rapid succession of a State, a sectional, and a national institution? The achievements of a manis past when he approaches the meridian become the promise of his later attainments. We can but Cherish the hope that the future progress of our President will not be in some promotion to some other place but in the enlarged opportunities and unending growth of the University of Virginia. CHARLES W. KENT. i j i g, ?'g ' ae t ri- i