Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

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X igiatnrg nf Eirkinann Glnllvgv , ., ,, HE erson who ori inall said The, en is mi htier than the sword,', was went one mi htier b P g Y P g g Y William Penn, who proved that Penn was mightier than the pen, by early proving the superiority of the pen over the sword, and because of his interest in the higher learning in the colonies, this same William provided educational facilities in this State, from which Dickinson College is a direct outgrowth. After the encouragement given by Penn to educational pursuits, a large number of infiu- ential men of Pennsylvania started a college. john Dickinson, Benjamin Rush, and a large number of the other leading lights of the Commonwealth, commenced to smoke a cheaper grade of tobacco in order to save money enough to start a fund for this important project, and in 1783, the progenitors V of the scheme got the charter,-and Carlisle got the College. For the number of oflices he had held, for his services to the State and Country, and for his great service to the college, john Dickinson was elected President of the Board of Trustees, and-for the liberal donations which he gave, the institution took its name after him. A With the prayers of the whole congregation, under the direction of Dr. Charles Nesbit and one james Ross, the College opened its doors in 1784, in a little two-storied brick bungalow down in the south-eastern part of the town. As the young idea commenced to shoot, the Trustees felt the need of a wider range, and in 1798 the present site of the College was purchased from the Penns for one hundred and fifty dollars, cash down. They celebrated the purchase a short time afterwards by V burning down an unfinished dormitory, but this loss was quickly made up by subscriptions and 1 - . Y Old West was built in its place. In 1835, when an influx of funds and students began to come toward the institution, South was built, and shortly afterwards, in '36, East was put together. In his history of the institution, the Major tells us that East College, built in 1836 from native limestone, is a massive structure, finely adapted for dormitory purposes, equipped with the best modern conveniences, and up-to-date in all its arrangementsgv but the Major has long served at an army post down in New Mexico, the land of caves, adobe huts, and holes in the wall, and with all due respect to his opinions, we rather prefer to consult his authority regarding the varying sizes of the ankles of tatooed circus ladies, than his authority on modern architecture. The other buildings were built at varying intervals, until the number reached twelve, at which it now stands. During the early days books were as scarce as stamps on Sunday, and instruction was mainly dispensed by means of lectures, or out of tomes, that would have given indigestion to a book-worm, but as books became cheaper, and the paper trust was as yet unorganized, text- books came into vogue, and to-day, they are as numerous as the spit signs of the Civic Club. Although a dim religious light struggled through the stained glasses of the chapel, owing to the unlucky fact that there were thirteen clergymen among the Trustees, no denomination spread its protecting wing over the institution nt'l ll l ' , u 1 we a ong in t e new century, when 25'

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HOLD WEST ONE HUNDRED YEARS Aco

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l in an even tenor until Dr. Jeremiah Atwater came down the Presbyterian inHuence quietly stole in. Under this influence the College ran a Ong n u from Middleburg College in Vermont, to take the Presidency vacated by Dr. Davidson. After assuming control of affairs, the Doctor dis- covered that the administration of discipline was jointly in the hands of the Trustees and Faculty. To such an arrangement, he naturally objected, and as the interference of the Trustees became more and more intolerable, Dr. Jeremiah talked plainly to these dignitaries. In ISIS, a clash ensued, hard words were used, and the Doctor and his colleagues took their books and went home. This was the origin of college scraps at Dickinson, and for some time after that, they used to fight, both day and night. john McKnight came on and tried a year of rough house with the Trustees, but, being more experienced in scrapping than he, they beat him out, and this time the College took a five years' vacation. They got together again' in 1821, when Dr. john Mason tooka try at presidenting. He strenuously endeavored to do his duty by the institution, despite the Devil and all his works-the greatest of these at that time taking he form of the College Trustees-but these latter didn't like the cigars the President smoked, and so, shortly after his arrival, he felt called to other fields. XVilliam Neill, who came next, did his best to promote the College interests, but he carelessly forgot to attend a tea given by the wives of the Trustees, and he, too, was ejected. joseph Spencer tried to give satisfaction by doing the dictates of the Trustees, but he gave the son of one of them a B. in Chemistry, and this proved too much for the old man, so Joe went back to the farm. Last of all came Samuel How, a good man and right- eous but when he said the Lordls Prayer he couldnlt pronounce trespass correctly, and after putting up with this for two years, one morn- ' ' ' l t n a strike, and the doors of the College were again ! ing in 1832 the Trustees quietly turned him out. On hearing of this, the Facu ty wen o closed. At about this time, feeling that a little learning is a dangerous thing, the leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church were trying to avoid danger in this regard by broadening their mental horizon. They heard of the result of the final scrap at Dickinson, and, getting together a lot of missionary money and pew rents, they bought the Trus :ees and the Presbyterians out, cleaned, house, and in 1834, again opened up the institution, with Dr. john P. Durbin at the head, and the Trustees and their sometime power at the foot. After giving the College a most successful start, john P. was followed by a lot of grand old fellows who were built of magnificent moral and mental fibre, and who guided the educational bark safely through both smooth and troubled waters until, in ' 1889, Dockie took the helm. Immediately he N d 'l d startin out under full sail, he hasn't had to cleared decks for action, shook out a number of reefs and long furled Jibs an topsai s, an g I heave to since,-not even to Dr. Swallow. He put i ' ' - ' ' nd its head hasn't once nodded a cannon cracker under the Law School and awakened it from a dope of thirty two years a 3 since. l k d t slee for anything but a dormitory, so he turned it into one, and built a fine, new wide-awake S70 ooo Prepara 7 y ' Prep. oo'e oo py tory School just up the line, and already they've commenced to send into the College, chaps who give promise of making the Xvorld gain 3 9 few extra revolutions before the leave it. As for the College, through Dockie it has been born again. He gave us one of our two Bills Big Mack and Little N1 k NI ' . Stevie, Monty, Harry, Leon, and most of the others, for whom we labor, and for whom We prayi In the buildin S 1 t acl, 1 ajoir drove nails and pasted plaster, until only their shells can be technically termed time-worn timbers. On and aro gd le Ore tlmgs up' u new-buildings, laid out paths, planted trees, and cut the grass, and to-day, look at us! With over twice the numblelr ofltsttizcfelfilfslililaif P previous administration has produced, the list is still increasing, and on passin . S the Campus on any mild evenin - g and hearing the clear tones of Noble Dickinsoniav ringing out, one cannot but truly feel that after all Old ' ' ' , , f- sf Dickinson . 1' ' . alWayS P1etate et Doctrzna Tuta Libertas. i B wing up to her Standards, and that with her S. 26