GOVERNMENT AND CURRICULUM.

        The old plan of government was adopted for the present but a committee of the Faculty was appointed to examine the reports of institutions of this country and Europe and suggest changes.

        The salary of the President was fixed at $2,000 a year, and $120 house rent, that of the Professors at $1,500 per annum and house rent.

        The committee reported that in order to constitute a University in reality, as well as in name, there should be "the University system," viz.: (1) Instruction by lectures; (2) Free choice of studies; (3) Liberty to graduate in any school; (4) Independent character of the Schools. The following chairs

or departments of instruction were recommended, the chairs to be filled when the income would justify it:

• 1. Department of Latin Language and Literature.
• 2. Department of Greek Language and Literature.
• 3. Department of Modern Languages.
• 4. Department of Logic, Rhetoric, Political Economy, History, Ancient and Modern.
• 5. Department of Mathematics.
• 6. Department of Chemistry, Mineralogy and Geology.
• 7. Department of Natural and Mental Philosophy.
• 8. Department of Applied Sciences.
• 9. Department of Law.

        The Faculty agreed to deliver by turns lectures on Mental and Moral Philosophy, Astronomy, Physiology, Agricultural Chemistry, and Botany, to be open to members of the University and to graduate students. A Preparatory Department was constituted, running over four years. It was agreed that a mark of 75 should pass the student, but the Professor had power to pass on a less mark. The President was to appoint a student to take general supervision of the buildings. The first bell for prayers should ring twenty minutes before sunrise. The second at sunrise and should be continued five minutes.

        On June 10, 1869, a report was made of the work of the first term. The term ran from March 3. There were three students ranking as Sophomores and seven as Freshmen. The Sophomores passed examination in Algebra through Equations of the first degree, 600 lines of the Iliad, nine pages of Herodotus, sixty-four Odes (2 1-2 books) of Horace and ninety-two pages of Whately's Rhetoric.

        The Freshmen passed on Elementary Algebra through Equations of the first degree, and the first book of Milton's "Paradise Lost." Nothing is said of any other Freshman work. If they did any the report is lost.

        Two other students read six chapters of Xenophon's Anabasis and 844 pages of Georgics. Five studied Bingham's Latin Grammar through the third declension and four pages of Whitson's Greek Exercises. All prepared declamations and essays, and read through the Gospel of Luke, whether in the

Greek does not appear. The President adds "such labor, though not an occasion of boasting, is evidence of industry."

        The value and interest of the examinations, it was stated, were greatly enhanced by the presence of Superintendent Ashley. All Trustees were desired to imitate his example.

        The degree of Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) was conferred on Abdel Kader Tenny; of Master of Arts (A.M.) on James B. Mason, Prof. D. S. Patrick, Judge Wm. A. Moore, and Judge Samuel W. Watts. That of Doctor of Divinity on Revs. Neill McKay and Samuel M. Frost.

        Tenney was a student of 1863-'65; Mason of the Class of 1867-'68, State Senator; Patrick, an A.B. of 1856; Moore, a student of 1848-'51, a Judge and Speaker of the House of Representatives of this State; Watts a Judge of the Reconstruction period; Dr. McKay a prominent and influential Presbyterian minister of Harnett County, and Frost an able and esteemed preacher of Davie County and then of Pennsylvania--an A.B. of 1852.

        It will be seen from inspection of the report that a considerable portion of the students were in the Preparatory Department. In Mathematics at least the Sophomores were not equal to the Freshmen of the present day. A formal order adopted by the Faculty at the beginning of the next term shows the heterogeneous character of the attendance. "Students now reciting with College students may continue work." Also there were "nineteen entries and no college charges."

        At this time the President presented a complete plan for the reorganization of the University, in order to comply with the Land Scrip Act of 1862. It was as follows:

• I. College of Literature and the Arts.
• II. College of Philosophy, Chemistry and Natural History.
• III. College of Science and the Arts.
• IV. College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.
• V. Business and Commercial College.
• VI. Normal College.
• VII. Law.
• VIII. Medicine.

        There were no Juniors or Seniors, though to them were assigned Engineering, Modern Languages, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy, Rhetoricals; to Seniors were assigned Engineering, Modern Languages, Intellectual Philosophy, Optionals and Rhetoricals.

        The last word, used as a noun, is new in our University language. It probably means Rhetoric as taught in the books, and also theses, declamations, and the like.

        For the Normal Department were prescribed: First Year, Advanced Geography, Chemistry, Natural History, Algebra, Geometry, Rhetoricals, including Elocution. The other years are not given.

        A plan of discipline was adopted which was a revival of ancient and obsolete methods. Every Friday afternoon the Professors reported publicly infractions of the rules. All but the guilty were ordered to retire. Excuses were then heard and the offenses graded. Tardiness was marked 1, absences 2, visiting other students or going to the village in study hours 1, being out of one's room after 8 o'clock p. m. 1, scribbling on the walls 1, spitting on the floor or disorder in the recitation room 1, indecorum at prayers 2, improper or boisterous noise in study hours or after prayers 2, other offenses not specified 1 to 10. Offenses repeated or glaring, double or triple the above penalties. The perfect deportment grade was 100, the demerits to be taken from this. If there should be 20 demerits the parent to be notified of the downward steps of his son, if 30 his removal to be requested.

        The Monitors were not bound to report other delinquencies than absences. Each student on entering was bound to sign a pledge not to disobey but to comply with all the rules, regulations and laws of the University, so far as he was capable, during his connection with the institution.

        We have a report of delinquencies which shows that they were principally from absences, one charged with eight, two others with six each, and so on.

        Notwithstanding meager numbers there were cases needing discipline. The old joke of ringing the bell contrary to the regulations was perpetrated. Four offenders were arraigned.

There being a deficiency of evidence, a student was called on as a witness. At first he declined to answer, but, being assured that no penalties would be inflicted, he disclosed the names of the offenders. These were at once pledged and pardoned.

        Other troubles ensued. One student did "not wish to live with Yankees," nor pursue the study of Greek. Guthrie shared this odium towards the divine language and irreverently affirmed that he had not learned three cents worth the whole session. Another announced his dislike of Greek though he did not measure the worth of the language in current coin. The disaffected were allowed to change to Chemistry, taught by Professor McIver.

        President Pool reported a new curriculum, as follows:

        School of Literature and the Arts: Freshman--Latin, Greek, Mathematics, and Rhetoricals. Sophomore--Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Rhetoric, and Rhetoricals. Juniors--History, optional, Mixed Mathematics, and Rhetoricals. Seniors--Political Economy.

        For the College of Science and the Arts, the Freshmen had Chemistry, Natural History, Mathematics, and Rhetoricals; the Sophomores, Chemistry, Natural History, Mathematics, and Rhetoric.

        The second session, or academic year, opened in the middle of August, 1869. The number of those entitled to be called University students was still small.

        In January, 1870, there were reported, Sophomores in the Literature and Art Department, 2; Freshmen, 3; Senior Preps (preparatory students), 5; Junior Preps, 8.

        In the College of Science and the Arts, Freshmen, 3, of whom one was on probation in Mathematics; Preparatory, 1. In the Normal Department there were Freshmen 1, and Preparatory 1, and one irregular. It thus appears that there were claimed to be 9 University students, and 15 Preparatory, with one irregular. A resolution prohibiting from joining the University those under twelve years of age throws a sidelight on the proficiency of those whose names were printed. But, while undoubtedly a number of these could not rank with University

students there were some good men, whose careers since have shed honor on their Alma Mater. I instance Col. F. A. Olds, editor; Wm. C. Fields, Senator from Alleghany; Isaac E. Emerson, wealthy druggist; Walter H. Guthrie, machinist in Boston; George W. McIver, Captain in the U. S. Army; Walter F. Pool, Member of the Legislature; George W. Purefoy, physician at Asheville.

        In his report made November 12, 1869, Professor Patrick complains that the former Bursar, Professor Fetter, had not turned over to him any of the books or records of his office, the omission caused admittedly, not by delinquency, but by careless bookkeeping. He gave a sad account of the depredations of late on University property. He says that he has been informed that at the time of the suspension of exercises the opinion prevailed in Chapel Hill that the University property belonged to the people. Books were taken from the libraries and all working utensils abstracted. Some have returned their borrowing with the request that "no questions be asked," while others still retain their spoliations under the impression that "something may turn up."

        The efforts to procure Commencement orators were quite discouraging. Gen. S. C. Abbott, then a Senator of the United States, one of the officers of the Union Army who made this State their home, was secured; Dr. S. S. Satchwell, who always talked good sense on medical and allied subjects, was invited but declined. Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Pritchard agreed to preach a serman before the University, Judge Wm. B. Rodman to make an address before the two literary societies. Governor Caldwell, Gen. M. W. Ransom, Attorney-General Coleman, A. Haywood Merritt, R. W. York, Capt. C. B. Denson, and Rev. Dr. Willis M. Miller, found it not their duty to prop up the struggling institution.

        An effort was made to give the University a potential influence among the educational forces of the State by inviting the teachers to exchange views with regard to having a Normal Institution at the University. President Pool appointed a Committee of Correspondence to invite speakers on the subject. The Convention was not held.

        It is recorded that "it be placed on record that an invitation to deliver an address had been given to Judge A. W. Tourgée, which seems to imply that the Judge, or his friends, deemed that he had been neglected in the distribution of oratorical opportunities.

        President Pool seems to have found one or more members of the Faculty too free with University property. He therefore procured from the Executive Committee an order that no member of the Faculty can bind the University, and no Professor use part of the University property except what has been assigned him. Professor Patrick protested against the order.

        A catalogue of 1869-'70 was issued. Nominally the students were fifty-five in number, but it is impossible to ascertain the facts in regard to their proficiency. The names are in a list in alphabetical order, those more advanced appearing in the same column with those in the Preparatory Department. There is no differentiation of classes. The tradition is that small boys were accorded places and thus swelled the number. The public evidently did not accept the number as indicating the prosperity of the institution. The catalogue did not delay the closing of the exercises.

        It was stated that lectures had been given to all the students on the Theory and Practice of Teaching, on the Constitution of the United States, Astronomy, Philosophy, Physiology, Botany, and Chemistry. On the whole, doubtless, the Professors performed their duties as faithfully as the difficulties of their position allowed.

        An entry in the minutes seems to imply that there was some friction between the President and his staff. This was that the President may question any member of the Faculty individually. This privilege, since the beginning of the University, has always been exercised without question by the Presidents as appertaining to their office.

        A peculiar arrangement was adopted in the practical work of instruction. A class was assigned solely to each member of the Faculty. The President was responsible for the recitations and discipline of the Junior class; Professor Patrick of

the Sophomores; Professor Brewer of the Freshmen; Professor McIver of the Preparatory. Each member of the Faculty was the medium of communication between his class and the Faculty as a body.

        On November 15, 1870, President Pool submitted his annual report. He gives the number as 36 who have received instruction in the Junior, Sophomore, Freshman, and Preparatory classes of the University. The Juniors had studied three books of Juvenal, Tacitus, Ancient History, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Differential and Integral Calculus, and Chemistry. The Sophomores were engaged in the study of the Odes of Horace, Homer's Iliad, and Geometry. The Freshmen devoted their time to Vergil's Georgics and the Æneid, Xenophon's Anabasis, and Algebra. The Preparatory classes studied Cæsar's Commentaries, Bingham's Latin Grammar, Rhetoric, Whitson's Greek Lessons, English Grammar, Arithmetic, and Algebra.

        Bible instruction was given each Sunday afternoon and occasional lectures on literary and scientific subjects were delivered before all the students.

        Two prizes of $20 in gold were offered to the best students, but were not to be awarded until the Commencement of 1871, which was never held. The scholarship of the Collegiate classes was stated to be good as a rule, as was also of the Preparatory Department. The frequent rumors circulated by the enemies of the institution were asserted to be not only untrue but tended to distract the attention of the students, impede their progress, and render discipline more difficult.

        It is noticeable that this report does not give the numbers in each class. It was generally understood at the time that there were very few genuine College students, the majority being what are known as "school boys," or Preparatory students.

        Professor Brewer's report on the Library was scholarly. Extracts from it were given in the first volume. The pamphlets, about 1,000 in number, were classified and tied into bundles. Donations were solicited. The whole number of books added as gifts amounted to over 300.

        On the 1st December, 1870, President Pool submitted a plan for continuing the University, ambitious but impracticable, providing that a Committee of Trustees confer with the authorities of the colleges of the State, with the view of bringing them under the State University, they retaining their present chartered rights and to receive such aid as Colleges of the University as may be agreed upon.

        It was further provided that the property of the University at Chapel Hill be leased, the lessee to give bond for its security and its safe return at the expiration of the lease. Free tuition to be given to fifty youths of the State. The leading religious sects of the State to have representation and party politics to be excluded. The affiliating colleges to submit reports of their operations to the Trustees of the University when called on.

        The Board of Trustees appointed a committee of three to carry out the recommendation as to the proposed lease and a committee of five to confer with the colleges and report to a subsequent meeting.

        The first committee were Rev. James Reed and Messrs. James B. Mason and Henderson Adams. The committee to confer with the colleges were President Pool, and Messrs. R. P. Dick, S. F. Phillips, John Pool, and S. S. Ashley.

        The committee on the lease reported on the 1st February that they doubted the propriety of carrying out the plan under the laws in regard to the University, and at their request were discharged.

        President Pool, on behalf of the Committee on Affiliations, reported that he had not called the committee together, because that on the lease had done nothing. It thus appears that he had in mind probably the leasing of the University to a combination of the colleges. The scheme, however intended, was plainly chimerical, as the denominational colleges were wedded to their independent spheres, and it was impossible to induce them to enter into entangling alliances.

        At this meeting was chronicled the donation of a thousand pamphlets and periodicals by Rev. Josiah Brewer, Missionary to Turkey, through Rev. Fisk P. Brewer, his son.

        On October 5, 1870, Mr. Martling obtained leave of absence.

Although he hinted at a possible return it was generally felt, and so it proved, that the leave was perpetual. The entry on the records was, that "in view of the financial difficulties we can not refuse consent to any application." It is stated as late in the session as October 10th that Mr. Martling had not heard any class during the entire term except the Junior Preparatory in English Grammar; that he met his classes, assigned lessons and then left the room, his reason being that the textbooks had not arrived. A student would then hear the lesson. After he left Chapel Hill the other Professors divided his work among them.

        On November 2, 1871, the Treasurer reported that the only income for 1870 and 1871 was $1,607.53. As there was no charge for tuition, nothing came in from that source. The Treasurer further stated that of the amounts due by individuals only $1,819.96 was collected or could be collected. This could not be used for present purposes as it was subject to a lien incurred for bonds to pay the former Faculty, and must be applied to those bonds. Of the uncollected debts, some were due by insolvents, some by actual bankrupts, fifty-five bonds of the City of Wilmington, valued at $4,000 (par $5,000); three Virginia State bonds (par $11,200), valued at $6,600, and twenty old North Carolina bonds (par $20,000), valued at $6,000, were hypothecated with the Board of Education for the payment of salaries to the Faculty and other expenses.

        In fine, all the efforts to support the institution resulted in failure. Appeals for legislative aid were not heeded. When the General Assembly of 1868-'69, Republican by a large majority, refused to appropriate money for its relief, it could not be expected that subsequent legislators, of opposite politics, would be more liberal.

        It had now become evident to all that there was no hope of the University to succeed under existing conditions. The General Assembly still refused to pay interest on any of the bonds of the State and declared null and void a large portion alleged to have been fraudulently issued. The Land Scrip Fund was therefore still unproductive. Nothing could be expected from

public or private benefaction. A handful of students had been enticed by the promise of free tuition, but even if they had paid tuition it would have liquidated only a small fraction of salary dues. Unable to live on airy promises the Faculty were resigning. The time was ripe for closing the doors and ending the experiment.