home the dearest Spot on earth, the place most like heaven.“123 He praised the Kent Home work in a more practical way by saying that its students were highly sought after in the city, the state, and espe— cially the North.12h

During Peeler's years of leadership the college remained fairly stable in all respects. There were no significant changes in the sizes of the student body and faculty from the previous administration. The study and practice of agriculture, introduced and taught by Peeler, was an important addition to the curriculum. Relationships with Kent Home were good.

In addition to the above, Peeler had achieved the nearly impos- sible feat of removing the college from indebtedness and had inspired “the previously waning support of the North Carolina Conference. Yet, in l9l3, “the [Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society] Board at Cincinnati saw some reason for not continuing Dr. Peeler at the head of this institution.“]25 The suggestion has been made that Peeler‘s ag= gressive leadership and out-spoken manner may have contributed to dis— agreements with others.126 The replacement was a professor from l27

Peeler's own faculty, J. E. Wallace.

'The Presidency of James E. Wallace. Professor James E. Wallace

123Ibid., Twenty~Seventh Annual Report, 1907-1908, p. lll. 124

Bennett College, Annual Catalogue, l9l2, p. ll.

/ 125N. C. Conference, Minutes, l9l3, p. 30. l26

The Rev. Mr. Phelps.

127N. C. Conference, Minutes, l9l3, p. 30.