History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Part 10

The degrees conferred at the close of the year were:

A. B.

GEORGE B. JONES, Virginia.

THOMAS B. GORDON, Georgia.

ROBERT C. GILLIAM, S. C.

WILLIAM H. DENTON, S. C.

WILLIAM H. Ba.s.s, Virginia.

MARCELLUS STANLEY, Georgia.

THOS. S. ARTHUR, S. Carolina.

THOS. H. CAMPBELL, Virginia.

THOMAS H. JONES, Virginia.

WM. W. HEREFORD, Mississippi SAMUEL B. SCOTT, Virginia.

EDWARD WADSWORTH, N. C.

OLIVER P. WILLIAMS, S. C.

A. M.

CHARLES W. BAIRD, Virginia.

THEOPHILUS STEWART, Georgia.

JOHN T. BRAME, N. Carolina.

EDWARD H. MYERS, Florida.

JAMES M. FITTS, N. Carolina.

HENRY E. LOCKETT, Virginia.

JAMES R. THOMAS, Georgia.

EZEKIEL A. BLANCH, Virginia.

GEORGE W. BLAIN, Virginia.

YEAR 1841-'42.

At a called meeting of the Board held April, 1842, Prof. E. D. Sims tendered his resignation. The law of Virginia at that time prohibited a person from marrying the sister of his deceased wife. The Professor was about to marry Miss Andrews, the sister of his former wife, daughter of Prof. Andrews, author of Latin Grammar, and therefore was compelled to leave the State to marry her.

The loss of a Professor so capable and eminent as Professor Sims was much regretted by the trustees and the friends of the College. Under the circ.u.mstances, it could not be remedied, for there was no one to take his place in the special English course. He had been elected to take the chair of English in the University of Alabama, which he accepted. At this inst.i.tution he formulated a course of instruction in English based on Anglo-Saxon, similar to the one he had taught at Randolph-Macon. Here he proceeded with the work on the Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Dictionary.

This work he was not long permitted to prosecute. He died in 1845. Forty years after his death the ma.n.u.scripts of his Anglo-Saxon works came to Randolph-Macon in an unexpected way. Rev. Mr. Stephan, of Missouri, found them at a second-hand bookstore in St. Louis, and noticing the name of Professor Sims on the t.i.tle-page, he purchased the lot, embracing other papers, and sent them to the writer. Prof. Sims labored faithfully, but "others have entered into his labors."

[Ill.u.s.tration: SAMUEL D. SANDERS, A. M., M. D., _Professor Southwestern University, Texas._]

Rev. Dr. Capers, of South Carolina, was elected to fill the vacancy, and also president of the College, President Garland having tendered his resignation.

In the annual report in June, 1842, the Faculty say: "Our pecuniary embarra.s.sments are becoming serious, and unless effectually relieved, it will be impossible to keep up the operations of the inst.i.tution much longer. The trustees cannot give this matter too much patient reflection; and if it be practicable to sustain the inst.i.tution in this respect, we have no fears for its success in all others."

The reorganization of the Faculty was recommended, also some modifications in the course of study; also, the establishment of a "School of Law." This school was established, and Edward R. Chambers, an eminent lawyer of Boydton, elected Professor.

The degrees conferred June, 1842, were:

A. B.

THOMAS C. JOHNSON, Virginia.

JOSEPH SUTTON, Virginia.

ALEX. B. PIERCE, N. Carolina.

BENJAMIN Z. HERNDON, S. C.

WILLIAM G. CONNOR, S. C.

SAMUEL D. SANDERS, S. C.

IRA I. CRENSHAW, Virginia.

THOMAS R. EPES, Virginia.

JOSEPH T. REESE, Georgia.

LUCIEN H. LOMAX, S. Carolina.

GEO. E. WYCHE, N. Carolina.

A. M.

ISAAC C. CROFT, S. Carolina.

WILLIAM H. BATTE, Virginia.

JOSIAH F. ASKEW, Georgia.

CHARLES F. BURNLEY, Virginia AMOS W. JONES, N. Carolina.

JAMES W. WIGHTMAN, S. C.

JAMES R. WAs.h.i.+NGTON, Ga.

Rev. DAVID S. DOGGETT, Virginia (honorary).

Rev. David S. Doggett was elected to the chair vacated by the resignation of Professor Sims.

1842-1843.

This year the second decade of the College commenced. The year was marked by great financial pressure, which was partially relieved by the sale of some of the funds of the College. A part of the proceeds of the sale was used to pay off a debt on building account and the rest for current expenses. At the low rates of college fees, the current receipts failed to meet salaries and other expenses.

In the annual report of the Faculty mention is made of a decrease in patronage, caused by the financial condition of the country and the establishment of colleges in other Southern Conferences; so that it was again necessary to ask the Board to do something to increase the income of the College.

This year a French course was introduced for the first time, and E. A.

Blanch was elected tutor of French.

At the annual meeting, June, 1843, a committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Chambers, Rogers, Alexander, Leigh, and Early, to recommend a plan for the relief of the College from financial embarra.s.sment. This committee reported as follows:

1. That it is absolutely necessary to raise a permanent fund of $20,000 to sustain the inst.i.tution, and if we fail in doing so, _it must and will go down_.

2. That the Agent be instructed to endeavor to obtain one hundred subscribers of $500 in money or in bonds, the interest to be paid annually at the sessions of the Virginia and North Carolina Conferences, and the princ.i.p.al within a period not to exceed ten years, no subscription to be binding until $10,000 shall have been subscribed, the princ.i.p.al to be kept as a permanent fund.

The Faculty of the College showed their spirit of liberality and self-denial by the following communication:

"The Faculty, with a view to contribute all in their power toward the establishment of the College, propose to give to the Board of Trustees the sum of five thousand dollars, the same to be paid in five years by a relinquishment annually of $1,000 on their salaries upon the following conditions, viz.:

"1. That the balance of their salaries be paid promptly.

"2. That the donation shall cease before the expiration of the five years, unless the exigencies of the inst.i.tution shall require it."

[Ill.u.s.tration: GEORGE W. BENAGH, A. M., _Professor, University of Alabama._]

It being necessary to raise funds to pay the professors, Messrs. H. G.

Leigh, D'Arcy Paul, Dr. Archibald A. Campbell, George Rogers, and Edward R. Chambers offered to loan the College $500 each, and Messrs. H. B.

Cowles and Landon C. Garland $250 each, on the 25th of December next; and Rev. W. B. Rowzie, Agent of the College, offered, that if the amount of his collections should fall under $500, to make up the deficiency in a loan.