History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Part 35

_Pace Medalist_.--JAMES M. PAGE, of Virginia.

At a called meeting, held in Centenary Church, Richmond, Va., May 19, 1886, the following letter of resignation was laid before the Board:

"Bishop A. W. Wilson, President of the Trustees of Randolph-Macon College:

"MY DEAR BROTHER,--The poor condition of my health through this entire session thus far admonishes me that I cannot continue to hold the presidency of the College. I am compelled, therefore, to hand you this, my resignation of the office, to take effect on the 1st of September next, which will give the Trustees a period of five months, though I am sure they will not need so much time, in which to secure a suitable person for my successor.

"It is a source of great gratification to me that I shall leave the College in good condition in every respect.

"Yours very truly,

"W. W. BENNETT.

"ASHLAND, VA., _March_ 31, 1886."

[Ill.u.s.tration: RICHARD HEBER BENNETT, A. M., _Of the Virginia Conference._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THOMAS F. SHERRILL, OF N. C., _Sutherlin Medalist, 1885._]

The resignation of Dr. Bennett was accepted, and a committee was appointed to notify him of the action of the Board, and to express to him the appreciation by the Board of the value of his services.

On motion, it was--

"Resolved, That at the annual meeting in June next the Board will proceed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Dr.

Bennett."

The President's annual report gave the attendance as 124 for the session ending June, 1886.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JAMES M. PAGE, A. M., PH. D., OF VIRGINIA, _Pace Medalist, 1885; Professor University of Virginia._]

On the recommendation of the Faculty, the following received degrees, viz.:

A. M.

F. P. HAMMOND, Maryland.

LANGHORNE LEITCH, Virginia.

M. L. SHACKELFORD, Virginia.

SYDNEY B. WRIGHT, Virginia.

A. B.

THOMAS J. BARHAM, Virginia.

JAMES S. CHAPMAN, Virginia.

FRANK L. CROCKER, Virginia.

ARTHUR K. DAVIS, Virginia.

F. V. RUSSELL, Virginia.

SAMUEL D. TURNER, Virginia.

D. D.

Rev. WILBUR F. TILLETT, Vanderbilt University.

Rev. H. MELVILLE JACKSON, Richmond, Va.

LL. D.

Prof. JAMES A. HARRISON, Was.h.i.+ngton and Lee University.

_Sutherlin Medalist_.--J. S. CHAPMAN, of Virginia.

_Pace Medalist_.--LANGHORNE LEITCH, of Virginia.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JAMES S. CHAPMAN, _Sutherlin Medalist; Attorney-at-Law._]

The Endowment and Investment Committee made the following gratifying announcement:

"We respectfully report that there has been raised, through the instrumentality of Prof. W. W. Smith, Dr. R. N. Sledd, and others, $43,000, $25,000 of which is in the hands of the local committee at Lynchburg, and the balance in the hands of Captain Richard Irby for collection."

Special credit ought to be given here to the liberal citizens of Lynchburg, who subscribed this amount of endowment, ever since kept separate, and designated Lynchburg Endowment Fund. This has brought into the current receipts each year about $1,500. It was the prophecy and forecast of greater liberality in 1891. From this time the professors and officers have always been paid their salaries promptly. The direct and material aid thus afforded was of great benefit, but the influence of such action on other communities and on individuals has been of far greater value. Lynchburg, therefore, deserves, and should have, the grat.i.tude of every Randolph-Macon alumnus and friend.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LANGHORNE LEITCH, A. M., _Pace Medalist; Missionary to China._]

In the election to fill the office of President the following nominations were made:

Rev. John D. Blackwell, D. D., by Paul Whitehead.

Rev. Robert N. Sledd, D. D., by W. E. Judkins.

Rev. Wilbur F. Tillett, by J. E. Edwards.

Rev. John A. Kern, by W. T. Chandler.

Rev. Paul Whitehead, D. D., by P. A. Peterson.

Prof. Wm. W. Smith, A. M., by Richard Irby.

[Ill.u.s.tration: R. N. SLEDD, D. D., _Cla.s.s of 1855; First Vice-President of the Board._]

On the first ballot Prof. W. W. Smith received ten votes out of twenty.

On the second ballot he received twelve, and was declared elected.

Inasmuch as the history of the College has been so intimately linked with the life of President Smith for so many years, it is not necessary to say much of him just here. He was born in Fauquier county in 1848.

His father, Richard M. Smith, afterwards moved to Alexandria, where he was a.s.sociated with the celebrated Benjamin Hallowell in his school.

Afterwards he became editor of the _Alexandria Sentinel_, which was removed to Richmond at the breaking out of hostilities, April, 1861. He afterwards edited the _Enquirer_. At the early age of sixteen William Waugh Smith volunteered in the Confederate service, in which he continued to the close of the war. After the war he was a.s.sociated with his father in the publication of the _Enquirer_, which had been revived.

He attended the University of Virginia one session. When the College was moved to Ashland, and his father became a Professor in it, he matriculated at the College and took the degree of A. M., with John Hannon, in 1873. After leaving College he became the a.s.sistant to his uncle, Albert Smith, at Bethel Academy, near Warrenton, Va., which rapidly grew into prominence as a school. Here he remained till 1882, when he was elected Professor of Moral and Mental Science in Randolph-Macon College. In 1885 he showed his great talent for raising funds for the College, by securing the "Lynchburg Endowment," in connection with Dr. R. N. Sledd and others. His energy and apt.i.tude for administration, in addition to the successful experience he had gained at Bethel Academy, pointed him out as the man for the vacant position, and subsequent events have justified the selection.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRESIDENT WM. W. SMITH, A. M., LL. D.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: RICHARD IRBY, SECRETARY AND TREASURER. _Elected June, 1886._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, LYNCHBURG, VA. Opened for Students 1893.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: [Five small pictures, displayed in a quincunx. Pictures are individually captioned, as follows: "REV. R.M. SAUNDERS, Chaplain", "PROF. KNIGHT.", "MISS LOUISE J. SMITH.", "PROF. SCHEHLMANN.", "PROF.

ADAMS." At the bottom of the page, the quincunx is captioned, "FACULTY RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, 1893-1898.]]

[Ill.u.s.tration: [Five more small pictures, displayed in a quincunx.