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

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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

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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 graduate of both college and seminary, was inducted into oiiice. Dr. Atkinson was confronted almost at the beginning of his administration by the troubles incident upon the breaking out of the late war and attendant upon the terrible ravages of the war itself throughout the entire section of Southside Virginia. In 1861 the Hampden-Sidney boys again responded to the call of their state, and just as in 1781, forming under their president as captain, marched away to service. That the College was successfully carried over these troubles, that it continued to afford the means of education, in what was left perhaps the most impoverished section of the state, to youth who have by their later lives of distinction and useful- ness vindicated the work done by its faithful teachers in this most trying period, that a peculiar social life of far-reaching iniiuence characteristic of the place alone in almost every feature, was given its young men, especially at this time and under these conditions, would alone be honor enough for this administration, the longest in the history of the College, extending over a period of twenty-six years H857-18833. Besides, the number of chairs and of courses was increased. The beginning of this administration had found them four. Even before the war, in 1855, separate provision was made for the teaching of Latin, the chair of Ancient Languages being divided, and the Latin course was soon developed into an independent department. After the war the studies of French and German were inserted as elective courses, a course in Bible studies was added to the chair of Moral Philosophy, and in 1882 a new foundation in an additional chair, for teaching English, History, and Political Economy, was established. just ten years ago, in june, 1883, the present incumbent of the Presi- dent's chair, Dr. Richard Mcllwaine, was inducted into oilice. Likewise a graduate of both College and Seminary he was further identified with the College connnunity by a connection of several years with the Board of Trustees. Through his untiring energy, material improvement has been marked in new buildings, new appliances, new efforts. The number of students has steadily increased, a new system of scholarships has been introduced, the endowment has been added to, and there is every desire in the management of the College to place and keep it abreast with the best impulses and the foremost spirit of the age. The erection of the new Memorial Hall, affording recitation rooms and a chapel, would alone remain a lasting witness of foresight and care. Nearly all the courses have 14