Dickinson College - Microcosm Yearbook (Carlisle, PA)

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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

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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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Robert Morris, the great Revolutionary financier, gave 51,8751 that NVm. Patterson, father of Madame Bonaparte, helped out with several hundred dollars, and that Chevalier-de-la-Luzerne, the French Ambassador, added S200 more in specie. Of course, you know that john Dickinson gave two large plantations, one of zoo acres in Cumberland County and another of goo acres in Adams County, as well as 1,500 volumes from his private library, a gift which was at that time considered almost priceless in value. Speaking of the national interest in the college, who knows that the plans of Old West were submitted to Latrobe, the Government architect in Washington? And that at his suggestion the entry was thrown to the north, the door in the east end not being in the building as originally constructed, but enlarged from a window in 1834 at Dr. Durbin's suggestion? By weighing carefully these facts one can realize how very old Dickinson really is. At the time of her founding the University of Pennsylvania was the only other institution of the kind in the State. Her first Board of Trustees under the act of incorporation was composed of forty members and embraced many men of the highest prominence in the State. . As to some of the other buildings, we must not forget to mention East College, the large structure within whose walls so much of the work on this book has been done. Iiast is a good example of the typical college dormitory. Unlike VVest, it has no long halls running from one end to the other, but it does have four sections, each independent and ex- clusive of the others. Of late years, the friendly rivalry between Second and Third Sections has inspired in the hearts of many a deeper love for the old building itself. First Section is acquiring greater prominence every year, while Fourth Section still remains loyal to her sisters. Directly across the street from the campus stands Denny Hall, that magnificent edifice of brown stone, which is without a superior in the country as a recitation building. Although not so old as the other members of the staff, Denny is a source of deep pride to all who feel an interest in the old college. lVithin her walls are the -spacious halls of the Union Philosophical and Belles Lettres Society, whose origin dates back almost to the founding of the college. Thus has the past dealt with Old Dickinson. The present is with us and speaks for itself. At no time in the history of the College has the love and veneration of alumni and undergraduates been at a higher pitch than now. With such support, the future cannot but be brighter, and the prestige of Old Dickinson is destined to increase with the coming years. May'she endure the strain of ages to come and continue to be a great landmark of learning. 14