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\ ( U.UME IV.
ELON COLLEGE, N. C, JANUARY 19, 1923
NUMBER 18
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS BURNED
OLDEST Hi STATELIEST
BUILDING ON ClWyS
RAZED BY DEMON FIRE
Greatest Catastrophe in History
of Institution Occurs Yesterday
In the Early Morning Hours.
LOSS IS AROUND $123,000
Building Housed Library, Society
Halls, Class Rooms and Ad
ministrative Offices.
The greatest catastrophe in the
history of Elon College occurred
last ' Thursday morning, when
flames razed the Administration
Building of the college to the
ground. The origin of the fire is
unknown. It began in the early
morning, and had gained a head
way sufficient to make any at
tempt to save the building futile.
The Alumni Building was also
slightly damaged.
The Administration Building
was the first structure of the col
lege to be erected on the campus.
It was constructed in 1890. About
it has centered for 33 yeavs ttie life of
Elon. Witliir its walls the 440 alumni
have received their instruotion, and in
the chapel, winch w'as in this build
ing, tliey were graduated.
The burned building housed the li
brary of the college, the three literary
society halls, the class-room.s, and the
administrative offices. The loss is es
timated at $150,000, of which $27,000
is covered by insurance. The loss is by
far the heaviest that the college has
ever sustained.
As soon as the fire was ^discovered
the alarm was given and students be
gan to work heroically to save the other
buildings which were endangered by
the flames. It was early seen that any
attempt to save the burning building
would I)e futile, and efforts to save the
furnishings were in the most part vain.
The llames had the right of way
througiiout the interior of the building,
■and the equipment was doomed before
tho students could have begun the fight.
' The Burlington fire department was
-called early in the fight, but it was
found when they arrived that the fire
((Continued on page two.)
TO THE LEFT—The
historic and stately
Administration Build
ing which was com
pletely destroyed by
fire early yesterday
morning.
*«
BELOW is pictured all
that remains of this
handsome structure,
as seen by the staff
artist of Maroon and
Gold. The work of
dynamiting the tot
tering walls is pro
ceeding rapidly and
’ the spot where this
building stood will
soon be marked only
by a heap of ruins.
OFFICES ABE MOVED TO
EAST DOBffllTORY ROOMS
College Safe Cracked in Its Fall From
the Third Floor of Building
and Records Destroyed.
At a meeting at the lioine of Presi
dent Harper Thursday evening it was
decided to locate the administrative
offices of the college in East .Dormitory.
Dr. Harper’s oflicea ’will occupy rooms
two and four, while tlie dean's office
goes to room three. This arrangement
will effectively care for the offices of
the college, and will not seriously dis
arrange the present situation of room
ing for students.
The records were stored in an iron
safe in the President's office on the
third floor of the burnel building. Tn
falling the safe was cracked and all
records were destroyed. There were
three otlier safes in the building, and
none of them has beeu extracted from
the mass of smouldering ruins. Liter
ary society members and administrative
offi-cers are manifesting much interest
in tjfe probable condition of the snfes.
Junior Church Social
Secretary Is Selected
Miss Pattie Coghill Accepts Work—
M1S.S Helen Johnson to Direct Music.
DEATH OF LITTLE ADDIE
M’CAULAY GREAT SHOCK
Young Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam McCaulay Dies After
Short Illness.
PSIPHELIAN DECISION
AOAIIIST MODERN GIRL
Miss Pattie Cogliill has accepted the
■work of social secretary of the Junior
church. She ia well fitted for this work
-and hor succe.'^s was assured by the
-way shf handled the situation at her
first m«‘«'tiug with the children.
Miss Helen Johnson is to have charge
of the imisic, and under Miss Johnson's
leadership it is expected that the chil
dren will enjoy the ifuisical part of the
junior church program. Miss Coghill
will assist in this work as well as with
the social feature of the work.
So far no definite plans of work liave
been announced, and those in charge,
•are still at work formulating plans and
iiims for the church. The children’s
('ConticU'ed on page twa.)
Interesting P?per on Gene Stratton
Porter Read—Miss Hatsu
O’Hara Sings.
The Psiphelian program rendered
Monday night was very sliort. i
The first number on the program w’as
a paper read by Miss Florence Mosley
“The Life of Gene Stratton Porter”
and w'hat she considerel her best work.
Mrs. Porter being a favorite author
caused Miss Mosley’s paper to be espe
cially enjoyed.
The debate question was, “Resolved,
That the modern girl is in every w^ay
more sensible and practical than the
girl of tlie past five generations.” Ow
ing to the fact that the modern girl of
today is severely crticized by some, it
made the query for discussion a lively
issue.
Miss Elizabeth McCollum brought out
some strong points in defending the
modem girl, while !Miss Ohio Ito did
onually as well in condemning her.
However, the judges decided in favor
of Miss Ito.
The concluding number on the pVo-
gram was a vocal solo, “Go to Sleep,”
w'hich was sweetly sung by Miss Hatsu
O’Hara.
One of the saddest deaths that ever
came to this coniniunity occurred Mon
day about noon when Audie M. McCau.-
Ifiy the only daugl\ter of ^fr. and Mrs.
William McCaulay. died. -The little
girl, who was'about 14 years old, had
boej! ill only a few dnys. and her death
was a shock to es-eryone. She is .sur
vived by her father and motl-er and
three brothers.
• Addie was a faithful w^orker in the
religious life of the community, being
an active member of the Christian
church, the Junior Christian Endeavor
and the Young People’s Missionary So
ciety. She was popular in her school
life and much loved by her schoolmates
and -teachers. She had a remarkable
intellect, always making a high aver
age in her studies. She w’as bright and
cheerful and w’as ever making others
happy by her kind spirit and pleasant
smile. Her life, though short, w'as fill
ed with a loving service which came
naturally from a lov'ing heart and a re
fined nature. Gentleness was her out
standing characteristic.
The touching and impressive funeral
service w'as conducted by Dr. N. G.
Newman, the college pastor, assisted
*by Dr. Atkinson. Miss Florence Fisher
sand a beautiful solo; and a selection,
j“Beautiful Isle of Somewhere,” was
sweetly rendered by the girls of the
Junior Glee Club, of wdiich Addie was
a member. The pall-bearers were Messrs.
I (CoDtinued on page two.)
PHIL0L06IANS MEET FOR
LAST TIME in OLD HALL
AT A MASS MEETING
FOLLOWING CALAMITY
Many Pledges of Loyalty Given—
Elon Spirit Made Real in
the Present Crisis.
TIME OF STERN TESTING
Members of Faculty and Student
Body Give Evidence of Re
newed Devotion.
Dnly One Program Given Since Holidays
—Hall Was Destroyed by
Recent Fire.
Tlie last meeting ever held in the old
Phi” hall was the first held after the
Jiolidays. Variety was the feature of
the program. The following program
was rendered:
Life and Works of William Shake
speare—G. C. Crutchfield.
My Summer’s Vacation -K. D. ('lem-
ents.
Flanders Field—F. L. Gibbs.
Humor—J. H. Dollar.
History of the Phi"Society, 1900-1902
—M. I. Crutchfield.
Current Events—Bruce Bowlin.
Life of Woodrow’ Wilson—A. T. Brax
ton.
Debate: “Resolved, That capital pun
ishment should be abolished.” Affirma
tive—Jack Corbitt, J. R. Barker; nega
tive—J. M. Fix, H. E. Crutchfield.
The decision was rendered in favor
of the affirmative, with J. R. Barker
as best speaker on the affirmative and
J. M. Fix best on the negative. R. D.
Clements was voted best speaker ora-
torically.
No definite plans have been made
for meetings of the society since the
loss of the hall by the fire, but the
society wnll resume its usual work
somewhere.
The much-talked-about “Elon spirit”
was never more clearly manifested than
it was Thursday morning at a mass
meeting held in the boys’ gymnasium
after the terrible catastrophe of the
early morning. Students, faculty and
friends from far and near were there.
In the beginning there was an atmos
phere of deep sorrow and depression,
but before the crowd dispersed, hope
and courage reigned high in every heart.
After a devotional service was conduct
ed by the college pastor, Dr. N. G. New
man, stirring and touching speeches
were made by Doctors Harper, Law
rence, Atkinson, and Wicker, of the
faculty; Messrs. Scott, White, Bray and
Stoner, and Misses Bailey and Goff,
representatives of the student body.
Mrs. Crawford and other alumni and
visitors present assured the faculty of
their loyal support in this crucial hour.
Telegrams were read from friends
throughout the country assuring the
college of their support and cooperation
in rebuilding a bigger and a better
Elon.
It was made clear in these addresses
that the real Elon is not in the material
equipment of the college, but within
the heart of every student and friend
of the institution. It has been said
that a university consisted of Mark
Hopkins at one end of a log and a boy
at the other. The log is burned, but
the boys (and girls) are here, the Mark
Hopkinses are here, and with the help
of the loyal friends of Elon College
they’ll find another log!
Necessity is conducive to resource
fulness, and sometimes it takes a crisis
to show the latent material in students.
Everyone pledged his loyalty and sup
port and the students love 'their alma
mater too mucli not to make any sac
rifice for her that is possible. They
will pro^■e true-blue, support the col
lege to the last degree, and prove that
they are worthy of tlie trust reposed
in them.
Schedule Arranged
For Continued Work
People Generous With Buildings—Class
Rooms Provided in Village.
The fur market of Paris is flooded
with specially prepared rabbit hides
masquerading at high prices as rare
Hudson Bay and Russiaa furs.
Ju the meeting held in the boys’ gym
nasium Thursday morning in whick such
a wonderful spirit of college loyalty
was displayed by everyone. Dr. Harper
announced that another meeting would
be held at 4 o’clock in the same place.
In this meeting the faculty presented
the plans which they had formulated
by which all classes might begin on
time Friday morning. It was the fac
ulty’s desire that classes should begin
as soon as possible in order that no
more time be lost than necessary.
The citizens of the town responded
(Continued on page two.)