Where would we be without Hinton James?

Chapel Hill Herald, Feb. 12, 1995 - Letter to the Editor

In the old days, during the argument, mainly with the University of Georgia, over which state university came first, Frank Graham put it this way: the University of North Carolina was "the first state university to open its doors," and those are the very words on the state highway historical marker on East Franklin Street at the foot of McCorkle Place.

And it was on Feb. 12, 1795, that Hinton James, after his trek up from Wilmington, arrived in Chapel Hill, became the first student here, and thus initiated the active life of the University. After two hundred years of comings and goings, it is appropriate to acknowledge this anniversary and to express our gratitude to the two centuries of students who have provided the main reason for our town (and now for Carrboro too).

Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill