History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Part 12

The closing "Valedictory" was delivered by the first-honor man, who in a manner represented the whole cla.s.s. Then each graduate received his "sheep-skin," delivered by the President, who, in Latin, said, "_Accepe hoc diploma_," as he handed the diploma.

The graduating cla.s.s was complimented by a "party" given in their honor by the students at the Steward's Hall, which was largely attended. This closed the Commencement.

So great was the interest in the Annual Commencements that parties came for long distances, even as far as South Carolina. Some of them came in coaches drawn by four horses with out-riders.

COLLEGE YEAR 1844-'45.

The tendency in patronage this year was still downward. The number of students was smaller than ever before.

A movement was made to carry out the project to raise $20,000 for endowment. The salaries of the Faculty were reduced, so that the President only got $1,250; the professors, $1,000; Tutor, $600; Princ.i.p.al of the Preparatory School, $600. This was done in the face of the fact that the dues to the Faculty at this time amounted to $7,000.

This unfortunate condition of affairs was brought about and aggravated by several causes. The poorly paid officers worked without hope of remuneration. Students failed to attend because the impression was becoming prevalent that the College would be forced to close its doors.

Besides, the farming community were receiving low prices for their crops. In 1845 the severest drought prevailed in Virginia ever known since 1816.

At the Commencement, June, 1845, a case of smallpox was reported on the morning of the first day. This threatened the total suspension of the exercises, and many visitors did return home. The exercises were held at Boydton, and the address of Rev. Dr. William S. Plumer, one of the greatest men of his day, served to put all in good humor and restore quiet. The next day the services were held in the chapel.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TURNER M. JONES, A. M., D. D., _President Greensboro Female College, N.C._]

Degrees were conferred as follows:

A. B.

CHARLES B. STUART, Va.

JOHN G. BOYD, Va.

THOMAS T. BOSWELL, Va.

JAMES T. WRIGHT, Va.

WILLIAM F. BLACKWELL, Va.

JOHN W. SHELTON, N. C.

TURNER M. JONES, N. C.

A. M.

JOSEPH T. REESE, Ga.

GEORGE E. WYCHE, N. C.

THOMAS S. ARTHUR, S. C.

At the close of this year I. I. Crenshaw and H. N. McTyeire resigned their places as Tutors. The former went to the Buckingham Female Inst.i.tute, and the latter took work as an itinerant on a circuit till Conference.

[Ill.u.s.tration: O. H. P. CORPREW, A. M., LL. D., _Professor in Randolph-Macon College and Central College, Mo._]

Williams T. Davis was elected Princ.i.p.al of the Preparatory School.

COLLEGE YEAR 1845-'46.

The drought referred to continued till late in the summer. Many farmers had to buy corn at one dollar per bushel, and in some cases had to go as far as thirty miles to get meal.

At the close of the year in June, at the meeting of the Board, great financial embarra.s.sment was reported. A bond to be secured by mortgage on the real estate of the College for $5,000 was authorized to raise funds to meet pressing indebtedness.

The following received degrees June, 1846:

A. B.

JOHN DAVIS, Va.

OLIVER H. P. CORPREW, Va.

FRANK X. FOSTER, S. C.

EDWARD T. HARDY, Va.

SAMUEL HARDY, Va.

WM. G. de GRAFFENREIDT, Va.

OLIN M. DANTZLER, S. C.

BENJAMIN F. LOCKETT, Va.

THOMAS J. LOCKETT, Va.

THOMAS P. JERMAN, S. C.

GEORGE HOWARD, Va.

A. M.

JAMES F. DOWDELL, Ga.

WILLIAM F. SAMFORD, Ala.

JOHN F. RIVES, Miss.

THOMAS H. CAMPBELL, Va.

WILLIAM G. CONNER, S. C.

JOHN C. WALKER, Va.

D. D.

Rev. W. M. WIGHTMAN, S. C.

EDMOND W. SEHON, Ky.

The session of the College, 1846-'47, opened very inauspiciously. In addition to (and probably in large measure growing out of) the financial troubles which had been thickening for years past, a want of harmony and co-operation between the President and some of the members of the Faculty began to be shown. This led to disorder and insubordination among the students. To inquire into the matter at issue a meeting of the Trustees was called in September, 1846, at which, after reciting a history of the troubles, President Garland tendered his resignation, and requested the immediate acceptance of the same. This was followed by the resignation of their positions by Professors D. S. Doggett and David Duncan, and Tutor Thomas H. Rogers.

The resignation of the President was not accepted for prudential reasons. That of Professor Doggett, to take effect at the close of the session, was accepted, as was that of Tutor Rogers. Professor Duncan was induced to withdraw his.

The Board then adjourned to meet in the succeeding November, at the session of the Virginia Conference, which was to meet at the College.

At the adjourned meeting held November 13, 1846, the Board accepted the resignation of President Garland. Rev. Wm. A. Smith, D. D., of the Virginia Conference, was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of President Garland. The Faculty, as re-organized, was as follows, viz:

REV. WM. A. SMITH (_President_), _Prof. Moral and Mental Philosophy_.

REV. CHARLES F. DEEMS, A. M., Prof. _Latin and Belles Lettres_.

EZEKIEL A. BLANCH, A. M., _Prof. Pure and Applied Mathematics_.

DAVID DUNCAN, A. M., _Prof. Greek Language and Literature_.

JAMES W. HARDY, _Prof. Experimental Science, Astronomy and Optics_.

The severance of President Garland from the College, after a service of fourteen years in various capacities, was a source of great sorrow to his old pupils and friends. However deficient he may have been in some qualifications for the presidency, which from the first he not only did not seek, but frequently declined, he preserved all along the unqualified respect of all as an able professor and scholar. So devoted was he to the prosecution of his favorite study, Astronomy, that he generally broke himself down every year by attempting to perform the arduous work of the president and also of full professor. Added to this he was for years Treasurer. To a sensitive nature like his, the demands of creditors made on him when he could not meet them was a burden of itself heavy enough for any one to bear. If the College had had an endowment fund large enough to pay the expenses as they were incurred, and had allowed him to retain a professors.h.i.+p at a fair salary, with a president taking on his shoulders the duties which in most colleges devolved on the president, his valuable services could probably have been retained--certainly if the dissension had not arisen in the administration of the College. It is proper here to state that this dissension was only with Professor Hardy, and was not partic.i.p.ated in by the other members of the Faculty, and did not lead to the resignation of several of them.

President Garland accepted the Chair of Mathematics in the University of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa. He never returned to his native State except on visits. The whole of a long life was spent, first, at the University to which he went, then at the University of Mississippi, from which he was called to take the Chancellors.h.i.+p of the Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, Tenn., which he accepted and filled for many years. Here in connection with his old pupil, Bishop McTyeire, he did valuable work, till age and feebleness forbade active work. Then he was made _Chancellor emeritus_. He died suddenly, but not unprepared, at the Vanderbilt University.

The closing years of President Garland's administration were the darkest in, the history of the College. Many of its friends were hopeless of its ever rallying again. Others gathered new hope, and their faith "staggered not" in this dark hour. All the older Methodist colleges had gone down, or were tottering to their fall. So much the greater faith was needed at Randolph-Macon.