Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

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An Interesting Letter -3 ,Sl .8 .X 66 N. NVALNUT ST., EAST ORANGE, N. J., March 8, 1902. DEAR BROTHER! Your kind letter of February 27th was sent to me here. V I am in poor health, and not able to write much. 1 send you some few words which you can use as you think best. I love dear old Dickinson and would be glad to visit her again. My best wishes to you and all connected with you in your work. Yours affectionately, - Tnos. BOWMAN. at 5 8 .Al THE FOLLOWING SKETCH ACCOMPANIED THE ABOVE LETTER. In my bovhood days living near Berwick, Pa., we had very poor public shools. I had to walk nearly three miles to alla a-teacher that could instruct me in English grammar. When fourteen years of age I was sent to an Academy at XVilbraham, Mass. There I found things in a very fine condition and I began to prepare for college. At the end of the year, I returned home, and my parents having learned of a good school nearer our residence, I was sent to the Seminary at Cazenovia, N. Y. There I spent three very pleasant and profitable years. In 1835 when I left the Seminary I expected to go to the Wesleyan University in Connecticut. But my father, having learned that the Baltimore and Philadelphia Conferences of our church, had recently taken possession of the old Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., which had been transferred to them by another denomination, and feeling that we ought to be loyal to our church, decided that I should go there and graduate. I cheerfully consented and in 183 5 went to Carlisle and entered the junior Class. I found Carlislea nice country town, located in a be autiful val- ley, and occupied by a fine class of people. The College had been two years at work. It had but one building on its 27

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nice Campus. The building contained a Chapel, several recitation rooms, two Society Halls, a Library, and a number of small roo1ns used as dormitories for students. There were less than one hundred students in the Col- lege and Grammar School. But they were a bright and promising company of young people. The Rrculty was not large, but was a very able body of thoroughly educated men. They had no elective studies as tl1e colleges now have. But we had a thorough course of Latin, Greek and English which required much hard study and gave us good mental training. Our dear President, Dr. Durbin, and all the professors did excellent work for the moral, as well as the intellectual training, of the students. They were a body of noble Christian workmen. In 1837 our class was the first to graduate after we took possession of the old College. After graduating I spent one year in the Law School under the noble judge Reed. But having become deeply impressed with a sense of duty to enter the ministry I joined the Baltimore Conference in 1839. After one years, work on a large circuit, I was unexpectedly, at the request of Dr. Durbin, se11t to teach in the Grammar School of the College. After three years of pleasant wo1'k, my health declined Zllld I was obliged to retire. In the latter part of my life, especially since 1872, my official work has called me all over the United States and through many distant lands. Thus I have had the opportunity of visiting nearly all t11e old and valuable Colleges and universities in our own country and in many foreign lands and I am now pleased to say that Inever was ashamed of my old Alma Mater, and never regretted that I was sent to graduate in dear old Dickinson College. God bless l1er Trustees, her President and Professors, and all her students for ever. 28