Vol. 17.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL, H. C, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1908.
). 7.
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
COL R. B. CREECY DEAD
DIED LAST THURSDAY IN ELIZ
ABETH CITY
Oldest Alumnus of the University
and Oldest Editor in the
World
Last Thursday morning" : at . nine
o'clock, Colonel Richard Benbury
Creecy, father of North Carolina
journalism, Nestor of the press,
and oldest alumnus of the Univer
sity, died at the age of 94 years,
at his home in Elizabeth City, to
the great sorrow of the people of
the state. Nowhere was there
sorrow deeper than in Chapel Hill,
the seat of his Alma Mater. At
twelve o'clock the college bell toll ec
in respect to this honored son; a
hush came over the campus; anc
the whole University sorrowed in
his death
Though cheerful to the end Col
onel Creecy has been in poor health
for several months and his death
was not altogether unexpected
University day, October 12th, he
was able, however, to act as toast
master at the annual banquet of
the Elizebeth City University
Alumni Association.
Richard Benbury Creecy, son of
Josiah Skinner and Mary Benbury
Creecy, was born December 19,
1813 in Greenfield, Chowan County
Job Creecy, the progenitor of his
family in America, was one of five
Huguenot brothers who fled from
France 'to seek an asylum from
persecution in the wilds of Ameri
ca." His great grandfather,
Thomas Benbury, was a member of
the Provincial Congress which
framed the Constitution of the
State and was for four years speak
erof the General Assembly. Wil
liam Skinner, auother great grand
father, was a brigadier general of
the North Carolina line. Josiah
Skinner Creecv, his father, was a
business man and planter and never
entered into public life.
When a small child his parents
moved to Edenton where he was
reared. He was prepared for col
lege at the Edenton Academv and
later at Warrenton under the pri
vate direction of Rev. John H.
Saunders. He entered the Univer
sity in 1831 and graduated in 1835.
He studied law and began to prac
tice in 1843 in Elizabeth City. The
next year he married Miss Mary
Perkins, of Pasquotank." He prac
ticed law several years but gave it
up to attend to his farming inter
ests which were very extensive and
remunerative.
The war. however, left him pen
niless and he turned to his pen
which stood the South in good stead
in the day of the carpetbagger and
scalawag. He became widely
known through his correspondence
to the leading newspapers. In 1870
he established the Elizabeth City
Economist which he published and
edited for 35 years. In 1901 he
published "Grandfather Tales of
North Carolina History." Before
the war he wrote "Child's History
for the Fireside." He has written
many pieces for the University
Magazine on such subjects as "Old
Time Hazing- at the University,"
"University Reminiscences," and
"University Days." All his writ
ings are possessed of literary merit
and his editorials have been quoted
from Maine to Florida.
Colonel Creecy never sought
public office. Before the war, he
was a Whig and was defeated once
for the State Senate, having been
nominated against ; his will. He
was member of the Court of Quar
ter Sessions for Chowan County.
During Clevelands' first adminis
tration he was collector of the port
of Eli :abeth City. He was a mem
ber of the North Carolina Press
Association and atone time was its
president.
On December 19, 1905, at a ban
quet given by the people of Eliza
beth City in his honor, he spoke
thus of his life:
"My span of life has been longer
than that allotted to most men. It
has been passed mostly along the
cool sequestered vale. No laurels
won on tented fields have decked
my brow, no triumphs of forum or
rostrum have won plaudits for me.
My life has been simple: it has had
its vicissitudes. It has had its
enmities, its friendships; whose has
not? But its friendships have been
written in marble; its enmities in
dust."
The funeral services were con
ducted ; Saturday afternoon in
Christ's Episcopal Church of which
Colonel Creecy was a devoted mem
ber. He was buried in the Holly
wood cemetery of Eliza beth City
without ceremony or'pomp but with
the simplicity which characterized
his unpretentious life.
Dr. Meade's Farewell
The Chapel of the Cross was
taxed to the utmost capacity on
Sunday morning by the large num
ber of townspeople and students
who, anxious to honor Dr. W. H.
Meade, had come out to hear him
preach his farewell sermou. The
services were very impressive
throughout. The music surpassed
its usual high standard. Solos were
song by Dr. Charles H. Herty and
Mr, C. T. Woollen. Dr.1 Meade
preached a strong sermon from the
text found in John 6:68. "Then
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to
whom shall we gfo? Thou hast the
words of eternal life." Ten years
ago last Sunday Dr. Meade preach
ed his first sermon here. He has in
the ten years ministered well and it
was with sadness that his audience
heard him preach, his last. Dr.
Meade will be succeeded by Rev, R.
W. Hogue, of Wilmington, who will
occupy the pulpit next Sunday.
The Columbus Conference echo
meeting" will be held next Tuesday
nig"ht. Messrs. Barnett, Ramsaur,
and Thompson, delegates to the con
ference, did not get back until yesterday.
CAROLINA AND GEORGETOWN POLK MILLER MONDAY NIGHT
PLAY TO A STANDSTILL MONDAY
!N WASHINGTON
Captain Thomas of Carolina and
Shea of Georgetown Were
the Stars
, Monday afernoon Carolina and
Georgetown battled to a tie on the
latter's gridiron for the second time
in the history of the two institutions.
The first happened some half a do
zen or more years ago in the days of
Graves, Oldham, Bennett and others
of like calibre whose prowess on
that day is still the pride of their
Alma Mater. With a defeat, based
on comparative scores, of thirty odd
to nothing staring them in the face
the then crippled Tar Heel eleven
played the vaunted sous of George
town to a standstill. The George
town eleven reached the one foot
line but no further. The second
draw battle, which was played last
Monday, was like unto it. With ex
perts predicting a Carolina defeat,
with newspapers proclaiming a
Georgetown walkover, the mem
bers of the Carolina team of 1908,
though swept off their feet at the
first rush, came back into the g"ame
to stay and they stayed. Full of the
fire of their coach and the spirit of
their captain they took Georgetown
by surprise and in turn rushed down
the field and pushed Thomas over
for a touchdown making the score
6 to 6. For the remainder of the
half and the game the two elevens
made determined but ineffectual
efforts to score. Once or twice
Georgetown became dangerous but
Tar Heel line always rallied in time.
Both teams played hard consistent
ball. For Carolina the bright par
ticular star was Captain Thomas
whose punting arid line plunging
were timely and strong. His punting"
excelled any seen in Washington
this season. Wiggins' playing was
also conspicuous. He captured an
onside kick which aided materially
in making the touchdown. Belden
made a spectacular 40 yard run.
Ruffin was injured early in the
g"ame and had to go out. For
Georgetown Shea was a. tower of
strength on defense and his line
plunging was an outstanding
feature.
When Georgetown made her touch
down a dispute arose as to who was
referee and who was umpire. Caroli
na had protested several rushes and
it developed that both officials were
acting as referees. Coach Greene and
Captain Thomas protested the score.
The touchdown was ruled valid by
theofficials who had now agreed
upon their respective positions and
the game continued without further
hitch.
The game in detail:
Georgetown received kick at south
goal. Thomas kicked off 30 yards
to O'Rourke who was downed in
his tracks. Maher on off tackle
play gained 15 yards, and Miller
(C on tinned from first page)
DELIGHTED LARGE AUDIENCE
IN CHAPEL
His Negro Quartette Scored a IHt
with Old Time Negro
Songs
The first entertainment under
auspices of the Y. M. C. A. scored
a big success last Monday night,
Polk Miller and his negro quartette
entertained a large and exceedingly
enthusiastic crowd for about two
hours. The entertainment consisted
of stories in negro dialect and banjo
solos by Mr. Miller and intermittent
songs by the quartette. The quar
tette was undoubtedly negroid. The
rendition of old popular Snitlurn
songs was just what we should ex-;
pect should we be carried back a'
half century into the midst of a plant
ation. Mr. Miller's stories were all
good and told so naturally that one
had to look at him to be sure he was
not listening to an old negro man.
Mr. Miller's banjo solos were also a
very pleasing feature, he being called
on to give several beyond the usual
number for the evening. The quar
tette delighted the audience more, if
possible. Their ''Baseball Song"
and "Laughing Sou" were a special
delight to every one while their in
dividual singing was also good. The
success of the entertainment depen
ded on one thing: the songs were
not coon songs but negro songs.
The Medical Society
The Medical Society, of the Uni
versity met Saturday night, Octo
ber 24th. Dr. Charles S. Mangum
addressed the Society having as his
subject: "The . Development of the
Brain from the Standpoint of Com
parative Anatomy. " Mr. A. Sha-
maskin made a talk on. 1 he Fur
pose of the Society and how to ac
complish It." At this meeting
the following men w.:re initiate!;
Messrs. Bowers, Cutchin, Havves,
Johnson, Page, Tucker and Warren.
Dr. Mangum was elected honorary
president for the year.
During the short time of the soci
ety's existence it has grown steadily
and is now a force for sound scholar
ship and individual thinking among
the medical students. The member
ship of the society is comprised of
second year medical students and is
based ou proficiency in schola -ship.
Every spring the first year men
who are eligible are initiated.
Last Spring the initiates were:
Flagler, LeGvvin, Jacocks, Leonard,
Cummings, Judd, Payne, Powell,
Washburn, Harrison, Kerns, and
Wilkins. On Octobet 3rd the follo
wing men were initiated: Messrs.
Bernard, Beasley, Shamaskin, Bron
fin, Kernodle, and Hackney. At this
time the Society elected ol ficers for
the year as follows: President, J. B.
LeGwin; Vice-President, T. C.
Kerns; Secretary, W. P. Jacocks;
and Treasurer, C. F. Flakier.
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