Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

Page 20 text:

destiny-deciding document, Dickinson was the only member of that body who immediately took up arms to face the enemy. He believed in the God of nations no less than in the God of individuals. Dr. Rush refers to him as a gentleman who unites with the iinest accomplishments of the man and the patriot, a sacred regard to the doctrines and precepts of Christianity. In this first Board of Trustees was another man whose name should ever be linked with that of Dickin- son 3 this man was Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of tl1e Declaration of Independence. He was active in the organization, and earnest in the perpetuation of the early interests of the college. At one time he was concerned about the healthfulness of location, at another time about the character of the men who should com- pose the faculty, and the equipment of the several departments. Governor Dickinson and Dr. Rush, at a later meeting of the Board, suggested the seal of the college which was adopted. It consisted of a bible, a telescope, and a cap of liberty. The suggestiveness of the symbols is readily interpreted. Among the 'first contributors to the college funds may be mentioned Hamilton and Jefferson, the French Ambassador CCon1te de la Luzerej, and seventeen members of Congress. It is also interesting to note that many Englishmen sent over funds to increase the offering to education. The first college building was of brick, two stories high, with four rooms. It was situated at the corner of Bedford street and Liberty alley. In this unpretentious building college exercises were conducted for twenty years. Repeated efforts were made to procure other accommodations, until finally the present college campus was purchased, and a building erected on it i11 1803. Fire destroyed this first edifice. Its destruction, however, roused to a flame the slumbering spark of interest in the hearts of people everywhere. Within twenty-four hours a subscription was started, and in August, 1803, the iirst stone of the present West College was laid. The first President was the Reverend Charles Nesbit, D. D., of Montrose, Scotland. On tl1e fourth of july, 1785, he arrived in Carlisle. A company of citizens met him at some distance from the borough and him to the town. Soon after his arrival, Dr. Nesbit was stricken with a fever. He became discouraged and regretted that he had ever left Scotland. He resigned his position, but upon his recovery from his illness he was reelected for the Presidency, and continued at the head of the institution until his death in 1804. For nineteen years hezlabored in the interests of young Dickinson, and by his untiringeiforts did much to place the college upon a firm footing. ' Associated with President Nesbit in the first faculty of Dickinson College were three other men. The Reverend Robert Davidson, D. D., was Professor of History, Geography, Chronology, Rhetoric, and Belles escorted .-IS-

Page 19 text:

ppl.-uqqxg 5' 'iw' at if 'W ' ami' W 'W' h K K, X ,E SS ,. 7 ,UWM ,Q I Z I W . l T X LDZJT 'h'?,'3xx-L.--:Q-f-:-1 if KENHAINN 1 xi 1 ', ' , T it K .X K i .L ,. T laitlnsan I if X Xia- :ff ' 2:2711 X .i ' ,i 'P Q 'tl- 0 w as ' A31 .iw ' Q- , W- X o if .. .x Q ll' t l Qi 4' N X 'Z'I'fv Q F kff. T' dia S: 'I I I K I X , X ' X 1, M V s li ,qi Y' 4 l f A I '- l, Q, 5 . F .1 'till ffff I ll' f N :gy 3' ' ,psf I nu .ii Q in ii, . ff , 4 Q 5 , ta., s' 0 ' 1 if tr : M11 -, - X ' 'Lag' I 5 A 2 iii: it Q Nr N 5 Xl , I 'ff N-1' A 'M vi ll 'lf ' ' V HA in , 1 l .e , ,W4,a, 9-ff-. . yy it 33. ll -fn' - 3 1. ' , - xt II- X., , S X H5 -.11 1 -mini x xy 1 f I Z 'If' , 3 J -v 1 Jill A fi ll ll u i ' ll m lily' ji ix ,grai M., i x I 4? ll: ff JI I N 1, 1 sg 4,1 i, 4:6 1 1 Q tzq I , I Q W .Vl t ia.. . X It , X J , t. or , Q.. - . X --xv, 1 f .,,' ' ' 'u,g.-v 'Q ll'ac'e llulh her rzfclorrts, Nu li-ss rcnozwu-d than war. -Mu.'roN. HE BOOM of cannon and fl. 'l 'tsl of sabre enforced the Declaration of American Indepen- Q dence. The iron throat was loud in prolestation l h Pt.. 3 v u h , anc t e sharp sabre cut deeply, until the Q ' 'W u Treaty of 1783 marked a victory for war. Immediately the human voice and the human .E if Sli hand began to restore the waste of war, and to preserve the liberty so clearly bought. f ' Xi f ii The mind was substituted for the cannon, the sabre was laid aside for the pen, and the . , XX establishment of Dickinson College by the Charter of 1783 marked a victory for peace. J ' - ' The early history of Dickinson College deals with the beginning of things. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held at the house of Governor Dickinson, in Philadelphia, on the 15th of September, one week after the charter had been granted. The Governor was elected President of the Board. The first words spoken, the first plans laid, tl1e first contributions offered, in this the first meeting of the Board of Trustees, were the foundation stones upon which was to rise a superstructure of future greatness. The character of the first President of the Board of Trustees should be interesting to us, because by him the college was founded, and from him the college takes its name. The few words allotted to this sketch would be inadequate to paint even the outline of the true portrait of John Dickinson, Governor of Pemisylvania, a Deputy to the First Colonial Congress, active in State affairs, tas Jefferson says he wasj one of the most accomplished scholars that the country has produced. He was known to the literature of his time by the signature of A Farmer, and Bancroft writes 1 The Farmer's letters carried conviction through the Thirteen Colonies. Dickinson's opposition to the Declaration of Independence is characterized by Hildreth as an example of moral courage, of which there are few instances in our history 3 but, after the si - ,7 .. gning of this

Page 21 text:

Lettres. He was, at the same time, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Carlisle. James Ross, A. M., was Professor of Greek and Latin, and a Mr. Jait was appointed to teach the students to read and write the English language with elegance and propriety. The first curriculum of the college was especially strong in Latin and Greek. The study of the first year seems to have been devoted entirely to these languages and arithmetic. Lectures were almost exclusively employed in imparting instruction, until objection was made both by students and trustees. Thereafter recita- tions and examinations were more frequent. The students were first classified in 1796 as Freshmen, Juniors, and Seniors, and remained thus until 1814, when the Sophomores came into existence. The first public commencement was held on September 27, 1787. On that date nine young men, who composed the first graduating class, received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. There was no established course of study for the degree, nor was there a fixed day for commencement. When in the opinion of the faculty a. class was qualified to graduate, the Board of Trustees convened, and a,day for tl1e graduation exercises was fixed. The commencements were held with great ceremony g the trustees, faculty and students, accompanied the graduating class in formal procession to the church were the exercises were to be held. Ill our recital of the beginning of things we must not neglect our college campus 5 made sacred by the footprints of many distinguished men. It was purchased directly from the Penn family for one hundred and fifty dollars. During the Civil war the campus was occupied by the troops in gray, but it was left undese- crated by the invading army. However, in an attack by Fitz Hugh Lee, several shells fell within the college grounds, and one entered the President's lecture room, while still another passed through the roof of the present Preparatory School. Thus the college campus has an historic as well as a personal interest for Dickinson's loyal sons. Let us pass from these first events of this first epoch of Dickinson history and review the happenings of epoch two. Within this period, which may be said to extend from the death of Dr. N esbit until the inaugu- ration of Dr. Durbin, the career of the college was a checkered one. Dr. Davidson had been appointed Princi- pal pro tem., and continued in this position for five years, when Rev. Jeremiah Atwater, D. D., was elected President. Prominent among the many eminent men who were members of the College faculty during this time was Dr. Thomas Cooper. He was a man of wide learning and great versatility. He was distinguished as a jurist, and his opinion was regarded as authority by Madison and other Americans of that day. He was, likewise, distinguished as a scientist and was an intimate friend of Priestly. He edited for a number of years -.f9....