Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

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the Emporium qfflrts and Sfz'enccs. He also edited an American edition of ACCllll1,S Chemistry, and Tll0ll1S01l,S Chemistryj' to both of which were added copious 11otes. Difficulties, external a11d internal, now began to interfere with the continued prosperity of the college. In 1816 the exercises of the institution were suspended, but were resumed again in 1821, after the election of john B. Mason, D. D., as president. Between 1824, the time of Dr. Mason's resignation, and 1832, whe11 the college was closed for a second time, there were three presidents and two complete changes in the faculty, all the professors resigning in each instance. ' 1 . 1 , . f , In 1834, Dickinson Collegeentered upon the epoch -of church control. Up to this time the institution had not been a denominational school, though it was generally supposed to be Presbyterian. At this juncture, however, the. Methodist church was beginning to manifest an. interest in educational movements. Augusta College, in Kentucky, Wesleyan University, in Connecticut, had been established by it, and now the Baltimore and Philadelphia Conferences entered into negotiations by which the control of Dickinson College came into their hands. , With wise forethought, john Price Durbin, D. D., was taken from the editorial chair of the Chrz's!z'a1z Advocaief' and placed at the head of the rejuvenated college. Dr. Durbin surrounded himself with men who were not controlled by mercenary motives, but who, like himself, had a personal interest in the prosperity of the institution. Consequently his administration wasqthe most successfulithe college had yet seen. The char- acter of the work done in the early history of Methodist control is manifest in the careers of graduates of those days, many of whom have become distinguished in church and state. Doctor Durbin resigned in 1845, a11d was succeeded by Dr. Robert Emory. Then followed tl1e genial Dr. Peck 5 the scholarly Collins, who brought order out of chaos 3 the energetic Johnson, who guided the col- lege through the troublesome days of civil warg after Dr. Johnson ca111e Dashiell, the first graduate of the college to be elected its president, following him came Dr. McCauley, of 'whom Carlisle citizens tell many stories of great interest g then Dr. Charles F. Himes assumed control until the election of Dr. George Edward Reed in 1889. . Since the -presidency of Dr. Reed, Dickinson has been making a new epoch for itself. Under the present administration-ua law school has been established, and each succeeding year brings a11 increasing attendance to its instruction. ' The handsome and commodious Denny Hall has been erected, and most of the other buildings have been enlarged or improved. The Faculty of the college continues to increase by the addition of new members, and the number of students in attendance is more than double the number enrolled in any previous - 20 -

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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....

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year in the history of the institution. The curriculum has been remodeled and made more interesting, and 11ow embraces a wide range of electives. President, faculty, alumni, and student-body, consider Dickinson's life their life, and a steady growth has been the gratifying result. The history of the tenth oldest college in the United States is one of which her sons and daughters may well be proud. The traditions of the past are only such as to inspire reverence and devotion. The thousands of alumni whom Dickinson has graduated are filling important and honorable positions in life. The only President Pennsylvania ever gave the Union was a graduate of this college. From its walls went Chief Justice Taney to honor his alma wafer. In contests, athletic and intellectual, the red and white has reflected the trained genius of its followers. As we pass from day to day within the shadows of these college walls, we l-:now not whether to raise our voices in one glad hurrah for college successes, or whether to bow our heads and lift our hats in veneration and respect. V 0 ...2f1