Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

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Tke College of T esterda

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Scrub Faculty Ray Ward Fellow in Chemistry Ellis Travis Fellow in Chemistry J. R. Taylor Fellow in Chemistry Cecil West Fellow in Biology James G. Blaine Fellow in Biology P. L. Webb Fellow in Biology Robert Smart Fellow in Biology Tate Lindsey Fellow in Physics E. M. Stewart Fellow in Physics Charles Hughes Fellow in Mathematics

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A Common Campus Scene of the ’9o’s ONE HUNDRED YEARS 1AMSTEAD Academy, located at Clinton, Miss., was incorpor- i ated by legislature enactment on January 24, 1826. The school opened its first session in January, 1827, with G. F. Hopkins as principal, and enrolled during the term thirty pupils. Both boys and girls were admitted, but they were taught in separate rooms. In February following the opening of school the legislature submitted the charter, changing the name of the institution to Mis- sissippi Academy, and authorizing the trus- tees to raise $20,000 for buildings and en- dowment by means of a lottery. In 1 829 the legislature passed another act “for the benefit of Mississippi Academy, appropriating $5,000 to the institution to be expended in the erection and completion of its buildings. There is evidence that the school was at this time in a thriving condition. Daniel Comfort became principal in 1 829. By the aid of the loan from the state two new buildings were completed in 1 830, one for the girls and one for the boys. The legis- lature of that year again amended the charter, changing the name to Mississippi College and authorizing the trustees to con- OF MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE fer degrees. In June, 1832, the college conferred the degrees upon its first graduat- ing class, consisting of two young ladies. During the fall of 1836 the vacant posi- tion of president was filled by the election of Professor E. N. Elliot, a graduate of the University of Indiana, who arrived in Clin- ton in January, 1837. The female and male departments were divided into sepa- rate departments at this time, with the female department being the most prosperous. The curriculum of the female department at this time included Latin, Greek, French, Music, Painting, Gilding, Embroidery, Shell and Wax Work. After 1833, hdwever, the state govern- ment had taken no further steps toward mak- ing the college a state supported institution. The legislature controlled the college, in a measure, through its power to name new trustees, but state funds were no longer turned to its aid. After 1 84 1 , when the legislature had selected Oxford as the site of the University to which it expected to devote its funds, the trustees then determined to seek the backing of one of the great re- ligious denominations of the state. They turned first to the Methodist, but