Excerpt from The Phi Psi CLI, 1922, Vol. 8

F or Dr. Staley has been a trustee of our Elon since the called session of the Southern Christian Convention in September, 1888, made provision for the college under whose auspices this annual is now yearly sent forth and in whose name many splendid things are being wrought out for the Kingdom of God. He was nonresident president of Elon for eleven fateful years, years of grim struggle with reaction in the church and a load of debt, from 1894 to 1905, never accepted a penny for his services, and during all that time he was the busy pastor Of a growing congregation in Suffolk. And he has always led the way for giving in every financial drive. He was one of the original thousand-dollar men years ago when such givers were few and far between in the church, and during the recent stand ardization fund campaign, it was W. W. Staley who startled the brotherhood into the most unexampled achievement of giving in the church's history by proposing to give if ten others should be found to do likewise, the result being that twenty-one followed in his train. And so the Class Of '22 has honored itself in bestowing its highest favor upon this splendid friend and gracious benefactor.

The life history of Dr. Staley is an inspiration to all who have been priviliged to know the obstacles over which he has climbed to greatness and an enduring place in the affections of a people. Cradled in an humble Christian home, orphaned at the tender age of five, granted his freedom by his stepfather at seventeen, this Gamaliel in scholarship in the Christian Church in this generation, this Barnabas in generosity among us, worked his way, first, through the high school Of Rev. W. 5. Long, then through Trinity College (paying his tuition, though as a ministerial student he was entitled to have it free), then to the University of Virginia, by splitting wood, working gardens, caring for live stock, acting as man-servant in private residences and janitor in public buildings, rising from college janitor to college president and filling both offices with a rare fidelity and whole-heartedness of service, coming out of his experiences not embittered or resentful, but rejoicing that hardship had been his lot, as witness these words of his, the words of a twentieth century Paul: About the easiest task of my life was to work through college; and, if I may make one remark, it would be that the danger of schools is to make education too easy. The armor used by Roman soldiers in camp exercises was twice the weight of that which they used in battle. This made battle easy as compared with drill. It seems to me that college life ought to develop human powers by double strain so as to prepare for life's big task. Hothouse methods cannot make men of greatest endurance and usefulness. That is why so many men drop out suddenly in the prime of life. They cannot stand the strain of great public service.

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