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Chartering Carolina

Little did I know when our family returned to Fayetteville in 1962 that we were returning to a community whose history has been inextricably linked to the history of The University of North Carolina for nearly two centuries.

On December 11, 1789, in Fayetteville, the charter of The University of North Carolina was approved by the General Assembly. It is unlikely that any of those who participated in that landmark decision could fully appreciate the significance of what they were doing.

This action did not come easily. In 1784, a bill introduced in the legislature to establish “North Carolina University” was defeated. This was largely because of concern that such an institution would become aristocratic and would work against North Carolina’s common people. You will recall that similar fears resulted in North Carolina refusing to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1788. They feared that a strong central government might infringe upon the rights and freedoms of the public.

Thus, from the very beginning, The University of North Carolina was to take as its principal mission education and serving all of the people. The bill to charter The University of North Carolina, written by William Richardson Davie, bore the following preamble: “In all regulated governments it is the indispensable duty of every legislature to consult the happiness of a rising generation, and endeavor to fit them for an honorable discharge of the social duties of life, by paying the strictest attention to their education.”

Such language was consistent with the spirit set forth in the first Constitution of North Carolina, ratified in Halifax in December 1776, which provided that “all useful learning shall be encouraged and promoted in one or more universities.”

With this background, one can clearly understand why the Bicentennial Issues Forum that will be held on the campus of Fayetteville State University on December 11 takes as its topic “The Imperative for an Educated Citizenry in Preserving Our Rights Secured by the U.S. Constitution.” The forum will be televised live on WUNCTI at 7 p.m. and moderated by UNC Chancellor Paul Hardin. Panelists William Friday ’48, President Emeritus of the UNC system, Dr. Lloyd Hackley ’76, Chancellor of Fayetteville State University, Maya Angelou, Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University, Tom Wicker ’48, New York Times columnist, and Sandra Davis Rogers, North Carolina Teacher of the Year, will explore a topic that is as important today as it was two hundred years ago.

Just as Fayetteville and Carolina were linked in the 18th century, Fayetteville’s contributions to UNC remain important. The junior high school that I attended was named for Alexander Graham ’83, superintendent of schools and the father of Frank Porter Graham ’09. “Dr Frank” was born in Fayetteville. The high school that I attended, Fayetteville Senior High School, now bears the name “Terry Sanford Senior High School,” named for North Carolina’s education governor, whose legal and political career began in Fayetteville.

Sanford ’39 received both his undergraduate and his law degrees from UNC. And, the first professor at The University of North Carolina was Fayetteville native the Reverend David Ker, who in 1795 received the first student, Hinton James, and served as acting president.

As we observe the birth of The University of North Carolina, let us all note that we are also celebrating the birth of public higher education in the United States. Our celebration and our observance that gets an early start in Fayetteville next month is not merely a celebration or an observance for Carolina alumni and friends of UNC. All North Carolinians and all who value the importance of public higher education to our nation should note the significance of this occasion.

The Bicentennial represents a grand opportunity for all of us to reach out to those who may have attended college elsewhere or who may not have attended college. For our university is North Carolina’s university, and just as we celebrated North Carolina’s 400th anniversary and the settling of Roanoke Island, all North Carolinians should take pride in observing and celebrating the chartering of The University of North Carolina.

Yours at Carolina,

Doug signature

 

 

 

Douglas S. Dibbert ’70

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