Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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Upon Dr. Hoge's death i11 1820, Jonathan P. Cushing, the Professor of Sciences, was chosen President. He was a native of New Hampshire and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He was the iirst President of the College not a minister and indeed, was not a Presbyterian, but connected with the Episcopal Church. There was hence complete severance of the Presidency from the pastorship of the surrounding congregations: the Theological School was developed into all independent and fully equipped institution, and a new period in the history of the College itself begins. Everything i11 Cushing's administration of fourteen years betokens the wonderful energy of the 111311. He succeeded in raising the e11dowment, he erected the present College building, he provided apparatus for the physical laboratory, making it one of the best for its day in the country, he lent every aid and encour- agement to Dr. Rice in establishing the Theological Seminary. Further still, he entered with avidity upon every scheme for promoting the culture Hlld welfare of the State. Not only did he found the Philosophical Society of Hampden-Sidney-an active institution for many years-he was a chief instrument in organizing the Virginia Historical and Philosophical Society in 1831, and in an address the most valuable publication of this society, sixty years ago, he laid down the same principles of historic investigation as adduced by the latter-day advocates of tl1e modern school of American History. His death in 1835, while he was hardly more than in his fortieth year, was a great blow to both college a11d state. Dr. George A. Baxter of the Theological Seminary filled out the remainder of the collegiate term and, for the next three years Dr. D. L. Carroll, distinguished for unusual gifts as a11 orator and for his interest in the cause of American letters, held the Presidents office. The most marked event in the history of the administration was the organization of the Medical College in Richmond in 1837 under the charter and seal of the College. This official union between the two institutions was not dissolved until 1853. As Cushing's successor in the chair of Physical Science, the distinguished scholar, Dr. john XVilliam Draper, laid at this time at Hamp- den-Sidney the foundations of his future fame, by his lectures, his experi- ments and his discoveries. Another patron of letters, the Hon. VVillian1 Maxwell of Norfolk, succeeded in 1838 to the Presidency, being the second incumbent who was not a minister. Dr. Maxwell is best known for his charming memoir of I2

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a noted judge in Kentucky's pioneer days, and another graduate, George M. Bibb, a Prince Edward youth, became Kentucky's Governor and Supreme Judge, and the nation's Secretary of the Treasury under Tyler. A class- mate of Bibb's, Moses Wacldel, numbered among his pupils in South Caro- lina and Georgia, Calhoun, Legare, MCDl1l:l:16, Pettigru, A. P. Butler and A. B. Longstreet. Another student, William Henry Harrison, became governor in the Northwest territory and the first Whig President of the United States. The great revival of 1787-S, which swept throughout south- ern and western Virginia, began at Hampden-Sidney, as the work of her President, John Blair Smith, and two pupils, Drury Lacy and Nash Legrand. It was a former student, Joseph C. Cabell, who lent such splendid aid to Thomas jefferson in founding the State University in Virginia. John Blair Smith resigned in 1789 to accept a pastorate in Philadel- phia, and later became the first President of Union College in New York. He was succeeded by Drury Lacy as Vice-President: but he likewise pre- ferring pastoral relations to the professors duties, withdrew in 1797. The next President was Archibald Alexander, and it was at Hampden-Sidney that this remarkable man laid the foundations of his later usefulness. John Holt Rice and Conrad Speece were associated with him as teachers, and from the sympathetic labors and fruits of this intercourse grew the two ancient seminaries of American Presbyterianism. Archibald Alexander left Hampden-Sidney to be instrumental in founding the Princeton Theological Seminary, of which he was Senior Professor for nearly forty years. To the energy and courage of john Holt Rice was due the origin and endowment of the Union Theological Seminary at Hampden-Sidney. A worthy successor, as President, was found in Dr. Moses Hoge, the grandfather of the present distinguished divine, both an alumnus and a trustee of the College, in Richmond. john Randolph of Roanoke, who was in frequent attendance on Dr. Hoge's worship, has left the highest testimony of his excellence. A former President of the College, john Blair Smith, had already instructed theological students, in lack of better opportunities for ministerial training. In pursuance of a resolution of the Virginia Synod favoring a synodical Theological Seminary, Dr. Hoge began in ISIZ to form a special class of students into a Theological School as a special department of the College. This was the beginning of the present Union Theological Seminary at Hampden-Sidney, endowed a11d organized a year later. II

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Dr. John Holt Rice, whose intimate friend he was. He possibly did not find his Presidents duties so congenial as he had perhaps hoped, and after six years of service, resigned in 1844, moved to Richmond, opened a law school, and in imitation of President Cushing's example, revived the Virginia Historical Society, which had rapidly declined after Cushing's death. Dr. Maxwell became Corresponding Secretary of the reorganized society, 'William Cabell Rives, a former student at the College, being its President, and for six years fIS4S-18545 conducted its ofhcial publication. The Virginia Historical Register. A strong practical energetic man was now demanded by the needs of the College, and 11o11e was at first forthcoming. Through this neglect the College for a time languished and this is the period of the most serious decline in its annals. For two years the Pastor of tl1e College Church, Dr. Patrick J. Sparrow, filled the place until he went south for the beneht of his health a11d to accept a pastorate call. Another year was tided over with the assistance of Dr. Samuel B. Wilsoxi of the Theological Seminary. The year 1848 at length brought the right man for the place, as Dr. Lewis W. Green, a Kentuckian by birth, with splendid endowments as a scholar, preacher, teacher, speaker and man, was secured for the office. Dr. Green raised the College at once to the point of its palmiest days. A system of scholarships was instituted, the endowment was thus increased, tl1e number of' students from a mere handful ran up to about 150, catalogues were for the hrst time issued regularly, the records were more carefully preserved, a11d the spirit of the institution was raised to the highest level. His per- sonal influence was everywhere felt and among the students under him are to be found many of the most prominent names in church and state and educational work. His resignation after this most successful administration of eight years C1848-18263 was prompted by the feeling that duty called him to the work of education in his native state, where he became succes- sively President of Transylvania University a11d of Centre College. The Rev. Albert L. Holladay, a former Professor in the College, who had become distinguished as a scholar and missionary in Persia, was next chosen President, but l1e was already O11 a sick bed and died within a month after his election. For another year there was a forced vacancy, the classes in moral philosophy being placed under the instruction of Dr. Robert L. Dabney of the Theological Seminary 3 but in 1857 Dr. John M. P. Atkinson, 13