Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

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I V19 gf ,CSA ,- X, f -.A , . Q gm. A . - , . . . :f ,W fu-i get . Dickinson if History - ' 31, 652-1414 , H'-fi ' J 1-13: L'-t-Kal' . A ....-idfl E, f' ff. 2' .gi fl - . 41,2 gh '::.i.'-1 ' .'- fi J0rT,Ux, N 1 O as-Li 4 NE hundred and twenty-five years ago the need of an institution of higher learning for the then frontier of our civilization was felt so urgent that the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed a bill on the Sth of September, 1783, reading in part tlms: Be it, therefore, enacted by tl1e Representatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the same, that there be erected and hereby is erected and established in the Borough of Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland, in this State, a college for the education of youth in the learned and foreign languages, the useful arts, science and literature , and also, In memory of the great and important services rendered to his country by His Excellency john Dickinson, Esq., President of the Supreme Executive Council, and in commemoration of his very liberal donation to the institution, the said college shall bc forever hereafter called and known by the name of Dickinson College. The establislmient of a college at some point west of the Susquehanna had been agitated before the Revolution by some very prominent gentlemen. And it did not require much effort to rekindle the desire among them and their friends after the war. At the time of the foundation of the College, Carlisle had less than 1,5oo inhabitants, with scarcely a stage connection with the outer world. This probably accounts for the dissatisfaction which President Nisbet felt after having been here only a few weeks. Chief justice Taney, now famous for his decision in the Dred Scott case, records in his autobiography that he went home only twice during his college course, and each time was compelled to walk from 12

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Representatives of Central Pennsylvania District Representatives of New CHARLES H. DIULLIN, lf?-Q., t'l'erln will expire 1908.1 HON. EDWARD W. Binnms, t'1'erin will expire 1909.1 ,IonN P. MI5LIC1i,l35Q., t'l'er1n will expire 1909.1 1V11.1.1AM 1-I. XVOODIN, ESQ., t'l'erm will expire 1909.1 JOHN BURSN, ESQ., . f'li01'1ll will expire 1910.1 Rxiv. XVILLIAM W. EVANS, D. f'l'erm will expire 1910.1 Rev. XVILLIAM A. S'rIiv1sNS, D. t'1'erm will expire 1910.1 C. Pierce Srmsu, ESQ., . t'1'crn1 will expire 1910.1 EnwA1m M. B11J1,lL1C,.lR., ESQ., t'l'erm will expire 1910.1 Representatives of Pliilatlelpliia District. CnA1u.ES K. Zim, ESQ., . t'l'crm will expire 1908.1 Baltimore District. G. LANE '1'ANm'nn.i., M, D., t'l'erm will expire 1911.1 Carlisle District. 'l'ASHllRY -1. CLARKE, ESQ., f'1'erm will expire 191 1.1 1Vilniington District. Hemw 1'. CANNON, ESQ., t'l'erni will expire 1908.1 - Deceascc1 Y l Mt. Holly Springs Carlisle 1'l2lI'1'lSl1l11'g New York City Carlisle D., Huntington D., , Clearlielcl. Cliatnluerslmrg. Carlisle Alumni Associations Pliilaclelpliia llaltiniore, Mil . 1vilL'L'l1l1g', XV. Va liriclgeville, Del. HoN. EDWARD C. S'ro1usS, . tTernx will expire 1911.1 NVILLXAM H, 15on1NE, ESQ., . tTerm will expire 1911.1 Rev. BIQNJ. C. l,I1'1'lNCO'1 1', D. D., t'1'erm will expire 1911.1 Rev. XVILLIANI P. DAVIS, D. D., f'l'C1'1I1 will expire 1909.1 Ricv. Graoimn 11. Wioirr, IJ. D., frfllflll will expire 1909.1 GEN. VIAMLQS lf. Rns1.iNo, 1.1.. D., . tTerm will expire 1008.1 D. I-Iltiuev CHANDLIQR, Esgg., t'1'erm will expire 1908.1 Jersey District . . Trenton, N. .1 . Williamstown, N. .1 Ocean Grove, N. J Red Bank, N. Ml Trenton, N. J Trenton. N. J Vineland, N. Representatives of Wilmington District CnA1u.i2S 13. Loren, Ll.. D., . f'l'erm will expire 1908.1 HoN. Rev, '1'noM.xs E. lWAR'l'1N11A1.15, D. D., t'l'erm will expire 1911.1 REV. CoRNi5l.IUS W. 1,RE'1 1'Y111AN, D, D., t'l'erm will expire 1911.1 HoN. joslsl-u E. 1'101,LAND, t'1'erm will expire 1911.1 REV. Louis E, liARRE'1 1', D. l1,, , t'l'erm will expire 1910.1 CHARLES 11. 1'ie15'rTx'MAN, ESQ., . f'ii01'Ill will expire 1911.1 NVILIJAM P. jAcNsoN, ESQ., . t'Yernx will expire 1910.1 . Wilmington, Salisbury, Snow Hill, Milfortl, Elkton, Pliilaflelj Salisbury, Del Md Md Del M11 Jliia Mil J.

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Q Carlisle to Baltimore, a two days' journey. Even the Board of Trustees didn't meet here until eight months after the founding of the College, and then they had to meet in the Courthouse, the college building itself being only a two-story brick affair. In Dr. Nisbet's time the monitors of the different classes, appointed weekly, called the roll upon every assembling of the class, not, however, until the professor had taken his place. Absentees were fined, at the discretion of the pro- fessor, from gd. to 6d. The moneys arising from this source were appropriated by the regulations for fuel and for keeping the buildings in an orderly condition. Quite a different plan from the cutting system of the present day. Another thing worthy of mention in the early formation of the College is the fact that there was no Sophomore class until thirty-one years after the founding of the College. The students were classified for the first time in 1796, and a regular course of study prescribed for graduation, but only three classes were formed, designated as Freshman, Junior, and Senior. And it was not until the War of I8I2 had been going on for two years that the Trustees and Faculty dis- covered the missing Sophomore link. And from recent developments we have little reason to doubt that they would be glad to lose it again. In this same year the greater part of the Senior class joined the volunteer ranks for the defense of Philadelphia, and the degrees were conferred in abscntm. The martial spirit seems to have clung to Old Dickinson from the Revolutionary days on, because, again, at the commencement of 1830, we find that the procession of students, faculty and alumni moved to the church, escorted by a troop of horse and several companies of volunteers. Coming on down to modern times, we see the class of ,63 going rather hastily from the college chapel at an early hour on com- mencement day, the usual formalities being dispensed with by reason of the rumored near approach of the invading army. Upon the occupancy of the borough, a few days afterward, not only the buildings and other property of the College were preserved from injury, but even the beautiful campus was left unmarred by the careful occupancy of the troops in gray, the loyalty of many of them to their Alma Mater proving a more unchanging passion than that to the flag of their country, When shells were distributed freely afterward, however, in an attack by Fitzhugh Lee, several fell within the grounds, one entering the President's lecture-room and another passed through the roof of South College. In all probability, it is well known that Dickisnon is an old institution, but one seldom thinks of tl1e great national interests she enjoyed in her early years. But few know that Thomas jefferson gave S100 toward her founding 3 that 13