
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 22, 1991                   TAG: 9102220118
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG HIGHER EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

$50,000 GIFT TO W&L STILL PAYING OFF, BY GEORGE

For 195 years now, George Washington has been chipping in a few bucks toward the education of each student attending Washington and Lee University.

In 1796, he gave Liberty Hall Academy a gift that kept on giving - James River Canal stock, valued at $50,000. At the time, it was the largest gift ever given to higher education, large enough for the Lexington school to change its name to Washington Academy. It later became Washington and Lee.

"At the time he made that gift, it pretty much saved the institution," said Brian Shaw, director of communications.

The gift became a part of the university's endowment. This year it's paying $3.91 toward tuition costs for each of the university's 1,998 students. W&L's annual tuition is about $10,800.

"I think the kids are aware of the contribution," said Evan Atkins, assistant news director for the university. "We tell them they're still getting a little money from Washington."

Last week, school dining officials drove to Mount Vernon to participate in a cherry pie bake-off. They honored the nation's first president, whose birthday is today, by earning second place for their two 20-pound pies.

No lie.

"We're a little miffed that we didn't win, but I guess it's OK," Shaw said Thursday.

One of W&L's pies was topped with a dollar bill made of dough. The other pictured the university's colonnade and bore this quote in pastry: "To promote literature in this rising empire and to encourage the arts have been amongst the warmest wishes of my heart."

The words were spoken by Washington when he donated the stock to the university.

The contest was a promotion dreamed up by Fredericksburg and Alexandria, both of which claim Washington as a native son, although he was born in Westmoreland County. Last year, the contest was held just between the two cities, Shaw said. This year, it was opened to institutions across the state that are connected with George Washington.

A group from Washington, D.C., tried to slip in, Shaw said, "but they weren't allowed because they were Yankees."

by CNB