PRESIDENT KEMP P. BATTLE 
 
 COMMITTEE OF VISITATION, 
 
 Hon. W. L. STEELE, Ch AIRMAN, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 University of North Carolina, 
 
 JANUARY 20th, (887. 
 
\ 
 
 t 
 
REPORT OF PRESIDENT KEMP P. BATTLE. 
 
 University of North Carolina, 
 
 January 20th, 1887. 
 
 To the Honorable, the Board of 
 
 Trustees of the University of North Carolina : 
 
 I have the honor to submit the following report as to the 
 condition of the University, and also reports made by the 
 members of the Faculty as to their respective departments. 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
 The discontinuance of instruction in primary Latin and 
 Greek and the disastrous failure of crops in the State have 
 prevented that increase in the numbers of the University 
 which was anticipated. In the year ending August 15th, 
 1886, the number reached 204, of whom thirteen were post- 
 graduates, seventeen members of the Law school. 
 
 The number during the present collegiate year will be 
 about the same as last year. Inasmuch as many of the 
 counties in the State from which we chiefly draw our pat- 
 ronage, have experienced crop failures three years in succes- 
 sion the fact that we have not had a considerable diminu- 
 tion of numbers is a gratifying proof of the confidence of 
 the people. 
 
 The students as a body have shown a commendable de- 
 gree of study and attention to duty. Their conduct has as 
 a rule been remarkably good. As great freedom from vices 
 and rowdyism has existed as can be found in any institu- 
 tion in the land. 
 
 This statement is confidently made, and investigation 
 challenged, notwithstanding the deplorable killing of Jacob 
 
4 
 
 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 A. Freeze, a student from Rowan county in a row with 
 some negroes three of whom, Pat Brewer, James Harris and 
 Ed. Kirby are now in jail awaiting trial. I have already re- 
 ported the facts of this case to the Executive Committee 
 and as the trial of the slayers will shortly be held, I will not re- 
 peat them. The body of students, although greatly excited at 
 the death of their comrade, behaved as good citizens should, 
 lending their aid when called on, making no threats of lynch 
 law, leaving the matter to judicial investigation. Notwith- 
 standing the terrible tragedy, these circumstances show con- 
 clusively their general good conduct, and their obedience to 
 authority. 
 
 FACULTY. 
 
 Two new professors have entered on their duties since 
 the last meeting of the Board, viz.: Wm. B. Phillips, Ph. 
 D., Professor of Agricultural Chemistry and Mining and 
 Eben Alexander, Ph. D., Professor of Greek. Both of them 
 give eminent satisfaction. We have now a corps of profes- 
 sors, learned, thorough workers, successful teachers, and 
 commanding the respect and confidence of their pupils. 
 The Faculty, including the President, who teaches five hours 
 a week, now number fifteen, giving the University one of 
 The largest working forces of any institution in the South. 
 
 With so large a Faculty, the University offers the fullest 
 undergraduate instruction in all branches of Literature, 
 Philosophy and Science, opening up a wide choice of mental 
 training to suit the inclination and natural bent of the 
 minds committed to its charge. Continuous instruction is 
 offered for four years in Latin, Greek, English, Modern 
 Languages and Mathematics. In the sciences enlarged 
 facilities have been provided for work in the laboratory and 
 field ; and in these, as also in Mental and Moral Philosophy, 
 instruction extends over a longer peried than formerly. 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 5 
 
 Special opportunities for study are offered in the branches 
 pertaining to Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, in Engi- 
 neering and in Normal Instruction. 
 
 Post-graduate courses have been mapped out in all the 
 departments, leading to the advanced degrees of Master of 
 Arts, Master of Philosophy, Master of Science or Doctor of 
 Philosophy. The Law school has also been put upon a 
 surer foundation. The post-graduate courses are open to 
 students from any college, without tuition charges. 
 
 Additions have been made to the Chemical, Physical, 
 Mineralogical, Zoological and Botanical Laboratories, one 
 or more rooms being set aside for each of the branches 
 mentioned. The furnishings of these laboratories are of the 
 best, and superior advantages are offered for careful work. 
 The museums and collections in the different departments 
 of science are receiving constant additions and prove valu- 
 able aids in illustrating the instruction. 
 
 RECENT IMPROVEMENTS. 
 
 The new laboratory 70x30 feet is well arranged for all the 
 needs of General, Industrial and Agricultural Chemistry,, 
 including rooms for qualitative and quantitative analysis by 
 students, and private laboratory room for the professors. 
 The specimens selected by Dr. Phillips from the mines in 
 Saxony, added to the large collection of minerals from 
 Europe and the United States, give best facilities for study 
 of Mineralogy. 
 
 A reading-room supplied with the leading periodicals has 
 been thrown open to the free use of the students, and the 
 library building so arranged with alcoves as to accommo- 
 date all of the Society and other Libraries, making a 
 total of more than 20,000 volumes. The combination of 
 these libraries has been completed and the step greatly en- 
 hances the value of the libraries and promotes the conveni- 
 ence of and habit of reading among the students. 
 
 The Mitchell Scientific Society gives full opportunity for 
 
6 
 
 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 original research and publication of results. The Shake- 
 speare Club composed of Faculty and students is stimulat- 
 ing the study of the great dramatist and of English Litera- 
 ture generally. 
 
 I confidently affirm that the University is now ready to 
 take its proper place in the front rank of educational insti- 
 tutions. It only needs the intelligent and zealous co-opera- 
 tion of its friends, to make this fact known and appreciated 
 throughout the land. 
 
 The University has been in operation eleven years since 
 Its re-opening in 1875. In that time it has, in spite of ex- 
 traordinary financial depression and disasters, by the en- 
 lightened liberality of the General Assembly, obtained an 
 attendance of over 200 students, a number superior to any 
 reached from its beginning up to 1851. It has been the 
 means of educating over five hundred poor boys. It has 
 furnished to the State hundreds of teachers. It was the 
 parent of summer Normal schools, which have done so 
 much for our State, and have been copied by all the South- 
 ern States. Through these Normal schools it has give im- 
 pulse to, and led to the inauguration of Graded schools in 
 so many of our towns. It has stopped the going out of our 
 boys to the institutions beyond our limits, and the conse- 
 quent drain of our money. It is no exaggeration to say 
 that it has saved the State hundreds of thousands of dol- 
 lars, besides preventing that loss of State pride which must 
 result from the spectacle of an inferior public institution. 
 
 Its position has been attained without diminishing the 
 numbers of the colleges of the State. They are all as pros- 
 perous, in several instances more so, than when its doors 
 were closed. 
 
 STATE APPROPRIATION. 
 
 The $7,500 from the Land Scrip Fund received by the 
 University is interest which the State agreed to pay, rather 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 7 
 
 than refund the principal to the United States Treas- 
 ury. Besides this, the State gives the University $20,000 
 annually. If we estimate what is paid by licenses, &c., 
 this is about five or six cents on the $1,000 value of 
 property. 
 
 IS THIS AMOUNT EXCESSIVE? 
 
 That it is not, is evident from the fact that from all the re- 
 sources, the total income of the University is barely sufficient 
 to support the institution with its present force. Every de- 
 partment we have should be retained, and pushed even 
 further. Large sums are needed for new books and instru- 
 ments. Until the State becomes more prosperous, receipts 
 from tuition fees cannot be increased. 
 
 Not only the great nations like England, Germany, France, 
 Russia, find it necessary to preserve and increase their great- 
 ness by supporting most liberally national Universities, but 
 the States of our Union eagerly follow their example. The 
 following list shows what they are doing for higher educa- 
 tion. 
 
 Virginia : 
 
 To University of Virginia $40,000 
 
 Military Institute 30,000 
 
 Normal and Collegiate Inst, (col.) . . . 20,000 
 
 State Female Normal School 10,000 
 
 Interest on land grant : 
 
 To Blacksburg 20,658 
 
 Hampton 10,329 
 
 $130,987 
 
 South Carolina : 
 
 To South Carolina College $23,500 
 
 Citadel 20,400 
 
 Claflin 5,750 
 
 Land Scrip Fund 11,508 
 
 $ 61,158 
 
3 
 
 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 A labama : 
 
 To University of Alabama $24,060 
 
 Agricultural College 20,000. 
 
 Normal 25,500 
 
 $ 60,580 
 
 Mississippi : 
 
 To State University $32,500 
 
 Agricultural and Mechanical College.... 30,000 
 
 Industrial College for Girls 30,000 
 
 Alcorn Ag’l and Mech. College (col.), 11,000 
 
 Tongaloo University (colored) 3,000 
 
 $106,506 
 
 Georgia : 
 
 To State University $ 8,000 
 
 Land Scrip Interest 19,000 
 
 Other funds __ 3,000 
 
 To Atlanta University 8,000 
 
 $ 38,000 
 
 Louisiana: 
 
 To University, &c $32,035 
 
 Income on Land Grant Fund 45,234 
 
 ■ $ 77.279 
 
 Missouri : 
 
 To University $62,816 
 
 School of Mines 15,000 
 
 Normal Colleges 60,000 
 
 Lincoln Institute 16,000 
 
 $153,810 
 
 Improvements 118,000 
 
 Tennessee : 
 
 To University $25,500 
 
 State Normal College 10,000 / 
 
 $ 35.500 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 9 ’ 
 
 Maryland : 
 
 To various Institutions $22,890 
 
 State Normal School 10,500 
 
 Academic donations 27,600 
 
 $ 60,990 
 
 In this State is Johns Hopkins University, with its very 
 
 large income. 
 
 Ohio : 
 
 To State University $53,887 
 
 Normal Institute 32,270 
 
 $ 86,157 
 
 California : 
 
 To University $72,262 
 
 Interest on State, &c., bonds 82,316 
 
 $154,578 
 
 Normal Colleges 128,700 
 
 $283,278 
 
 Delaware : 
 
 Normal Colleges $ 3,000 
 
 Agricultural Colleges 3,000 
 
 Income on Land Scrip 4,800 
 
 Teachers’ Institute 3,000 
 
 $ 13,800 
 
 Iowa : 
 
 State University $52,000 
 
 Agricultural College 1 2,500 
 
 Land grant . 41,000 
 
 Normal College 25,000 
 
 ^$130,509 
 
 Illinois : 
 
 University $43,000 
 
 Southern Illinois University : 13,200 
 
 Normal Schools and University 31,000 
 
 $ 87,200 
 
IO 
 
 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 West Virginia: 
 
 To University 
 
 Normal School 
 
 Land Grant Fund 
 
 Colorado : 
 
 University and Colleges 
 
 Rhode Island : 
 
 Normal School 
 
 17.000 
 
 12.000 
 6,000 
 
 $ 35> 0 °o 
 
 $ 60,000 
 
 $ 11,000 
 
 This State has Brown University, with a very large in- 
 come. 
 
 Florida: 
 
 State College $7,500 
 
 Interest on Fund 10,800 
 
 Seminaries 6,700 
 
 $ 25,000 
 
 Wisconsin : 
 
 University $ 59>549 
 
 Income of University Fund 15,79 7 
 
 Normal Schools 100,778 
 
 $176,124 
 
 Maine : 
 
 Agricultural College $ 8,350 
 
 Normal College 19,000 
 
 $ 27,350 
 
 Connecticut : 
 
 Storrs Agricultural School $ 7,500 
 
 Land Grant Fund 6,386 
 
 $ 13,886 
 
 Yale University has an income of several hundred thou- 
 sand dollars. 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 I 
 
 Massachusetts : 
 
 To Worcester Institute last year $ 50,000 
 
 Harvard University has an income approaching half a 
 million. 
 
 Oregon : 
 
 State University $ 6,000 
 
 Agricultural College 2,500 
 
 Interest on Land Grant 70,000 
 
 $ 78,500 
 
 Kentucky : 
 
 Agricultural and Mechanical College. . . .$18,420 
 
 Land Grant 9,990 
 
 Colored Institutions 10,000 
 
 , $ 38,320 
 
 New York: 
 
 To nine Normal Colleges $162,000 
 
 Instructing Teachers. 30,000 
 
 $192,000 
 
 Six thousand dollars for books and apparatus to such 
 schools and colleges not exceeding 150 as may raise same 
 amount. 
 
 New York has Cornell University, Columbia College, 
 Union College, and other institutions, with aggregate in- 
 comes of over a million dollars. 
 
 Michigan : 
 
 University $57, 500 
 
 “ from Land Grant 38,536 
 
 Agricultural College 17,000 
 
 from Land Grant . . 29,939 
 4,287 
 
 Normal Schools 
 
 $147,262 
 
12 
 
 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 North Carolina : 
 
 To University — appropriation $ 20,000 
 
 Interest on Land Grant 7,500 
 
 Normal Schools 8,000 
 
 $ 35 , 500 * 
 
 Shall North Carolina ignominiously lower her standard 
 and have her sons pensioners on the bounty of Virginia and 
 South Carolina, Connecticut or New Jersey, Massachusetts 
 or Michigan ? If so she condemns herself and her sons to* 
 permanent inferiority. 
 
 BENEFITS TO POOR YOUNG MEN. 
 
 The University is especially needed for the aspiring poor 
 men of the State. The rich can send their sons beyond our 
 limits. They are independent of the bounty of the State- 
 But our poor young men need an institution near at hand, 
 among their own people. No one knows as well as I the 
 inestimable benefits we have already conferred on such. 
 We have now many worthy men, at least one hundred, with 
 hands brown with toil, some cooking for themselves, others- 
 hiring their own cooks, some on county appointments free 
 of tuition, others going into debt for it, with thread-bare 
 clothes, in the coldest weather without great-coats, hovering 
 over scanty fires, but with the flames of noble resolutions 
 burning in their breasts. There is one, whose left arm was- 
 withered in infancy, who left his mother’s roof at twenty 
 years of age, as a farm laborer at $6 per month, then taught 
 an humble sehool, then made his way to the University, 
 whose doors have never been closed to the needy. Amid 
 great privations he spent a few months in our classes. 
 When the spring sun rose he started out on the thankless 
 but most honorable business of a book-agent. He returned 
 in the Fall with his hard-earned gains. He has intelligence.. 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 13 
 
 H e has pluck. He is still at his studies, supporting himself 
 largely by his vacation work. He authorizes me to give his 
 name, L. W. Lynch, of Rutherford. 
 
 I give another case of a young man of Burke county, 
 whose graduating speech at the University was received 
 with roars of applause, who was then for two years principal 
 of the High school of Marion. Bishop Lyman, having seen 
 some of his drawings and being struck with their merit, ad- 
 vised him to take a course in the New York Academy of 
 Design, and on his consenting procured admission for him. 
 He won rapid promotion in that school and has been chosen 
 on recommendation of his principal teacher, instructor in 
 drawing in a city school. He has just sent me an account 
 of his successful struggles for an education written at my 
 request and as it throws light on the manners of our stu- 
 dents, and is so creditable to him I give it entire : 
 
 MR. RANDALL’S EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 The middle of November, 1879, f° un d me an awkward 
 farm boy of nineteen, I had worked on the farm since I was 
 large enough to use a hoe and I plowed a .summer or two 
 before I could lift the plow around at the end of the fur- 
 row, dragging it around. Till I was seventeen, I had only 
 attended free schools a few months during the winter, some- 
 times walking as far as three and a half miles through rain 
 and snow. I was at last fortunate enough to be able to at- 
 tend a good private school (at Table Rock) pretty regularly 
 for nearly two years, working during the making of the 
 crops. Concluding that I was getting older faster than I 
 was getting an education, I determined to go to the Uni- 
 versity and see what I could do. I intended, if I could do 
 no better, to get work in the village during the day, study 
 at night and recite to any of the Professors who might be 
 willing to help me in my studies. Having a cousin who was 
 of the same mind as myself, except he had chosen to go to 
 
14 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Trinity, we got some bread and meat for lunches, bundled 
 up some clothes, and set out to walk, late in the afternoon 
 of Tuesday. We walked about ten miles, and slept on 
 some planks in an unfinished school-house by the road-side. 
 We could not afford to pay lodgings, as my cousin had only 
 three or four dollars, and I had about three. Next morning 
 we passed through Lenoir, Caldwell county, and walked 
 about thirty-five miles. At dark we were so tired and feel- 
 ing in low spirits we tried to get a bed at some of the 
 houses on the road and were turned off again and again, till 
 at last about nine o’clock we were taken in and slept in a 
 bed that night. The next day we passed Wilkesboro, and 
 went into Yadkin county. We found that the train which 
 we intended taking at Winston, left during the afternoon 
 for Greensboro, and if we did not reach Winston Friday in 
 time for it we could not reach our destination Saturday. 
 This meant that we must walk most of Thursday night. 
 About dark I gave out from walking and carrying a heavy 
 valise. We started a fire in the woods by the road 2nd lay 
 down in a pile of shavings where shingles had been made 
 till about midnight. By that time my legs had quit aching 
 and I felt well enough to go on. We walked on and crossed 
 the Yadkin river about day-light. I think that it was about 
 two or three o’clock when we reached the depot at Winston 
 tired and foot-sore. We parted in Greensboro that night, 
 my cousin went on the train for Trinity and I was left alone. 
 He staid at Trinity about a month and returned home. I 
 found a grove not far from the depot, scraped up some leaves 
 and lay down with my valise for a pillow at the foot of a 
 large oak. I did not sleep soundly, I felt the chill and 
 heard the shrieks of the Novemberwind even in my dreams. 
 
 Next morning I walked out of the town and found a little 
 stream where I could wash my face, I was ashamed to be 
 seen washing at any of the town pumps. My provisions 
 being out, I bought two ham sandwiches for ten cents and 
 had a feast preparatory to entering the University. I 
 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 15 
 
 bought a ticket to Hillsboro and walked over to Chapel 
 Hill, getting there about four o’clock in the afternoon. I 
 had heard such great tales about students at Chapel Hill 
 that I expected to be tarred and feathered as soon as I made 
 my appearance. I walked in through the gate and up the 
 walk towards the New East, with my heart in my mouth. I 
 saw a little negro picking up hickory nuts and called to him 
 to know where McCall’s room was (McC. being an old 
 school mate I wanted to find him as soon as possible for 
 protection). The little negro did'nt stop to answer me but 
 ran away. I was surprised at not seeing a single student ; I 
 afterwards found that they were all on the play ground. I 
 came across a college servant and he directed me to the 
 room and McCall came in just at that moment. 
 
 I had just thirty cents in my pocket and this was all I 
 had in the world and I did’nt know where the next was to 
 come from. I was dressed in homespun jeans, a hickory 
 shirt, no collar and an old flopped hat and home-made shoes. 
 That night it got noised abroad that there was a new stu- 
 dent in college and before I knew what was up the room 
 was full and the passage outside. They yelled and sang 
 “’Freshman don't get weary you're going to get a blacking 
 by and bye.” They teased me and tried to get me to 
 dance. All was in a good humor and I enjoyed it as much 
 as any one. That was the only Freshing I got except be- 
 ing whistled at a few times in passing groups of students. 
 One boy in the crowd remarked, “ Freshman, why don’t you 
 wear a collar?” The others hissed and shamed him. 
 
 Though I dressed very badly the first year, I never heard 
 an allusion to it except on one occasion. A party of us 
 were coming from Stroud’s pond, after having taken a bath, 
 and a pupil noted for his length of tongue and lack of brains, 
 pointed to a scare-crow and said, “There is Randall’s hat.” 
 He wore ragged flannel under his good clothes, and so 
 
 I turned the laugh on him by saying, “And there is ’s 
 
 shirt.” A student at Chapel Hill is not obliged to dress 
 
3 0112 105874959 
 
 1 6 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 above his means, and his fellow-students are so courteous 
 and kind-hearted that he is never made to feel hurt or 
 slighted on that account. McCall took me in the room 
 with him, encouraged me, and loaned me some money. 
 Monday, President Battle made me feel quite at home, and 
 I felt as if he had been waiting for the opportunity of mak- 
 ing me welcome. I knew the moment I saw his face that I 
 would get sympathy and encouragement. I clubbed with 
 three or four others that were living very cheaply, and from 
 November till June we averaged about $5.00 per month for 
 our board — sometimes a good deal less. 
 
 An uncle loaned me some money, and I got through till 
 J une, bought clothes, and my ticket to Morganton. I worked 
 on the farm till the latter part of August — then walked to 
 Winston again, took the train, rode to Hillsboro, and walked 
 over to the Hill. 
 
 I got a county appointment, borrowed money of the Deems 
 fund, managed a club, and at the beginning of my Soph year 
 was elected Librarian of the Dialectic Society, it beingthe first 
 year that the Librarian got a salary. When I was elected 
 to this place, the opposite party was in power, and a man 
 who belonged to their party wanted it. Members of his 
 own party voted for me simply because they knew I needed 
 the money and he didn’t. The other man was a rising Se- 
 nior, and I know more popular at the time than I was. I 
 held the place three years, till I graduated, through all the 
 changes of power and party. I know it to be a fact that 
 the party leaders, and those elected to the offices were as a 
 rule the boys of limited means, county students, &c. I be- 
 lieve that at least half of the students come at a great sac- 
 rifice, and one-fourth, I should judge, pay their own way, 
 with the help given by the county appointments and the 
 aid from the Deems fund. I know from experience that 
 any young man of sound mind and body, and energy and 
 determination can get through the University. The Faculty 
 will not let a young man of the proper grit and industry be 
 •compelled to give up for want of means.