Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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I EDICATION Student, Philosopher, Friend. These words well characterize the man to whom the 1925 Qui s and Cranks is dedicated. He has been a servant, in the highest sense of the word, of the college for years gone by, and the stream of men constantly flowing from Davidson has car- ried with It a love of learning, a splendid hiloso- hy and a true value of friendshf; induced by the personality of Dr Mark Edgar Sentelle.

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EDICATION

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m P Peter Stuart Ney and tke Davidson Seal HE symbolism and originalky of the Davidson College seal has brought forth com- w mendations wherever it is seen for the first time. It is full of weaving and lacks that shallowness which characterizes the seal of many institutions. Not only is the veal in itself a thing of interest, but the legend that persists as to its origin is one that gives it a historical as well as sentimental value, for the legend claims as the author that leader of Napoleon ' s forces and a greater general than e ' en the Corsican himself — Marshal Ney. About the year 1840 the trustees of Davidson College appointed a com- mittee to draw up a design for the college seal. The committee, being unable to agree on any design, agreed to call upon a gentleman noted throughout this entire sector for his scholarship, They found him teaching school about eight or ten miles from Davidson. The committee rode up to the schoolhouse at the hour for recess and found the teacher at the spring. When he was informed of the business of the committee he at once drew on a piece of paper with a pencil the well-known design. An expert in heraldry has interpreted the seal as follows: There is the morning star with its full rays, and shining therefrom, the radiating light fills the upper part of the circular field. The inotto may be translated — ' Light is nourished where liberty has arisen. ' The bar on which is written the Latin motto, ' Ne I ' ltra, ' passes entirely across the field and separates the upper from the lower part. The upper part is filled with light, and the hand grasping the sword is illumined by the same. In the lower part is the rattlesnake transfixed by the sword and representing superstition, ignorance and sin. The particular form of vour seal intends to separate the light of learning and religion, and the baneful influences of ignorance and unbelief. The seal, in short, is a sort of picturing of the heaven powers and the hades powers, with the interposed horizon, beyond which the evil shall not come. Such is the interpretation given the seal. However, there is no authority on the identity of its author other than the fact that he was Peter Stuart Ney, and in the conjectures as to whether he was Napoleon ' s marshal or not lies the fascination. There are many assertions that he was, and there is inuch evidence given by people in this community that certainly tend to prove it. It has been asked why P. S. Ney tried to conceal his identity in America. The reason is obvious, as he himself said that some of the most prominent officials and highest families in France aided in his escape and for their safety his escape must he concealed. We cannot here go into details, but there are several statements that have almost the weight of authority. Hon. R. A. Henderson, an attorney at law in Kansas, is an Englishman by birth. He said that his grandfather served with Wellington and was present when Ney was ordered to be executed and witnessed the pseudo-execution. He has often heard the old gentleman say posi- tively that Ney was not shot — that he knew the whole affair was a fake. On this point the St. Louis Reptthlir of 1891 gives a bit of interesting information. It stat es that during the reign of Louis Phillipe, Mr. G. H. C. Melady, of St. Louis, spent several weeks in Paris. Some years before this, while the king was in exile, he had been shown many cour- tesies by Mr. Melady in St. Louis. It was now the king ' s turn to extend manv tokens of friend- ship. In the course of a confidential conversation during the visit Mr. Melady asked Louis Phillipe the question: Is it true that Marshal Nev was shot? The king replied: Mr. Melady, I know the fact that you are one of the highest Masons in America. I am known as one of the most exalted Masons in Europe. Marshal Ney held a position among Masons equal to that of either of us. The prisons were full of men condemned to be shot. Some other man may have filled the grave intended for Marshal Ney. Mr. Melady replied very quietly: May it pl ease ' lour Majesty, Marshal Ney was not shot. Records that would have proven whether Marshal Ney lived here or not have been destroyed, .ind to us is left only the pleasure of realizing that it is possible — even probable — that Napoleon ' s marshal designed our seal.