Duke Brothers Donate $50,000 for Science Building at Elon College, Oct. 31, 1923

Duke Brothers Have Donated $50,000 for Science Building as Memorial to Their Mother. . . Building Named. . . Mrs. Duke Was a former Alamance County Girl—Building to Bear Her Name. . . Work Is Already Begun. . . Donors Have Long Been Friends of Elon and Have Contributed Much to It at Other Times

It was officially announced on October 27 from the President’s office that two distinguished sons of North Carolina, Messrs. B.N. and J.B. Duke, had decided to erect the science building here, which is a part of the rebuilding program, in memory of their mother. This announcement has brought joy to all members of the College.

Mrs. Duke, in whose memory her sons have decided to erect this science building, was born in Alamance county on June 28, 1829. She was a member of the distinguished Roney family of this county, who have from its earliest days been prominent in Alamance. Her maiden name was Artelia Roney. Mrs. Duke passed to her reward August 20, 1858, and lies buried in her native county soil at the Roney burying ground at Haw River.

It is significant that W.H. Trollinger also lies buried in the same cemetery immediately adjoining the grave of Mrs. Duke. Mr. Trollinger donated to the College the site for the present campus, and now the sons of Mrs. Duke arise as benefactors of the College in its affliction and erect on the site which he gave a modern science building.

The Artelia Roney Duke Science Building is the fifth of the buildings in the rebuilding program for Elon necessitated by the fire of January 18. This building is to be 120 feet long, 64 feet wide, three stories high, and with basement. The first floor is to be given over entirely to physics, lecture room and laboratories; the second floor is assigned to biology and geology, and the third is for the chemical department.

The building is so constructed that 120 pupils in each department can be on duty at the same time. The architect, Herbert B. Hunter, in making the plans for the building, was assisted by Professors Brannock, Hook and Powell, and made a careful study of recently constructed science buildings. It is believed that the Artelia Roney Duke Science Building will readily take rank among the most efficient college science buildings in the country.

For a generation the Duke brothers have been signal friends of Elon College. When the Administration Building was burned on January 18 a telegram was sent to them giving the sad intelligence of the fact, and immediately they wired $5,000 each in the rebuilding program. Now they have decided to enable the College to complete its rebuilding program at his time by contributing the science building.

The people of Alamance County rejoice with the College that these brothers have decided to make this contribution to the College in memory of their mother, who was well known and loved in this county during her girlhood days and the brief years of her married life.

B.N. Duke, one of the donors of the building, is the father of Angier B. Duke, who graduated from Trinity College in 1905, and who was drowned some time ago.

From the front page of Maroon and Gold, Elon College newspaper, Oct. 31, 1923