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

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philosupliy, quustimis uf 1'f'iigi011 and erliics. uwtliing' of the lab0l'atu1 y scientific. This list is iiiure ur less a 1'eliec-tiuii uf the Presi1,leur's miucl. for Dr. Rice was an GXil'H0l'Klil1ill V man, mill The life of The Society was pretty well eo-te1'111i11u11s with his iiual wsimlciicv at Ilampilen-Siclueyf A. -T. Muimisox. fllr. Rim- was Prosiflent until his death. Septenilier 1831. :luring which time Mr. CllSllil1g was Vice-Presiilent. Frnm lS31 to 1333 Mr. Cusliing was President. and Albert L. Hullzulay tlater Presimlent-elect of the Collegei . Vice-Presieleut. These facts are drawn from the Minute Book of the Sm-ivty. mlepositml in the College Library several years ago. It is not L'F'l'i2lill that every meeting was mimiteil. The Recording' Secretaries were: 1824-1326. Jesse S. Armistead lelass of 1823? 1 18213-1828. Francis Banlett l'25i 1 lS2S'lS30. Hiram P. Goodrim-li: 1830-1331, John Burwe-ll F271 g 1831-1833, Geo. XV. Dame 1'29J. 23

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the club were to be any gentlemen in this state eminent fer literary er profes- sinnal attainments, all resident graduates at this College, and all whn, freni tinic te time, cemplete their ennrsf- of study here. provided they shall have been atl- mittetl tu the first degree in the arts. The members in rntatien must each present three subjects fer the eensideratimi uf the club, one of these to be tixed upon at each meeting fer subsequent discussion, the presenting niember tn ill- vestigate carefully the chnsen subject and bring fnrward his eenelusions in writing. and after his disenurse was read there was fu be a general discussion of the question. The eluh was tn subscribe for periodical works of literature and science, and 1nai11tai11 a reading-rtaiaiifi The fee for each active member was 285, to be paid in advance. There were ne fines er penalties at iirst. On the day after the annual college ctimineneement. the Society was to hold an anniversary ineeting' and be addressed by a mnninated uratnr and a noininated poet. Substantially, this cnntinued the basis of the club for four years, but during tl1e college year. September 1827-September 1828. there seem tem have been no meetings held. September INQS, the constitution was amended and given a inure ainbitieus form with heavy penalizatiuns. The Society was now to meet ence a month during the college terms at 11 tfcleck in the inorning tpresuniably en Saturdayl, hear a discourse, lecture, or essay read by one of the members, then adjourn until 2 tfeleek in the afterntmn, when a question previensly selected was to be formally tlebatetlui .X tine of fifty cents was imposed fer l1Ull'ill'lU11tl' ance. and a line uf 2145 for failure to deliver the written discourse after having accepted the assignment. By this new order nf procedure, tl1e morning sessions were tu be held in the Unllege Chapel, and the 2lflGl'l1OUl1 sessinns in the Phile- sephical Hall. The tirst tive anniversary meetings were held i11 the Pl1lltDSlb1Jh' ical apparatus iwmiiif' the last tive. in the thwllege Uhapel. The last year uf its life the Sneiety held its ordinary meetings in the Pliilosuphieal Hall, re- verting to its more practical lirst principles. It is uncertain what was the place of ordiiiary assembly frein ISQ4 to 1S2Sg possibly it was President Cushingfs I'O0111 . The list of subjects discussed by the Society is interesting-practical and thenrctical politics. literary and political history, literary criticism, pedagogy, xiPERIOIbIl'AI.S SVRSCICIIEEII Fon: Literary-lidinhurgh Review, Quarterly Review. Eclectic Review. North American Review. Blackwnotl's Magazine. Literary Gazette. Retrospective Review. Westminster Review. Revue lineyelopetlique. Seientitic-Silliman's Jenrnal. Philo- sophical Magazine. Rrande's Journal. Brewster's Journal. Religious-Missienary Register. Christian Spectator. Newspapers--Natinnal Intelligencer. Xatienal Gazette. iDnring 1827 the procedure was tu have an essay read at each fO1'llllg'lltly meeting on a subject distinct! from that assigned for the discussion. 22

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First Impressions X the fall of 1851, l, a verdant buy from the luxurious Valley of Virginia landed at old IIampden-Sidney on the Hill. I made the trip from Salem via IQ'l1ClllJlll'Q, by the Concord stage coach. and saw my first foal lire in Lynchburg. - The year before I had tried Washington Vollege, in Lexington, Ya., for the short space of three months. but the Faculty. at the expiration of that time, in- formed me that my father had more need of me in Salem than they had for me in Lexington: this kind hint was sutlieient, and l returned to my paternal roof- tree on the first stage. It was nine months after this that I sampled Hampden-Sidney. The haek ride from Farmville In the llill' was not exhilarating: broomsage, hen's nest grass, and ehinquapin bushes greeted me on every side-the clover, blue grass, and fat cattle of the Valley we1'e conspicuously absent. Midway be- tween the Hill and Farmville was the spacious and hospitable home of Henry E. XVatkins, with beautiful shrnbbery, broad aeres, plenty of servants: an old- fashioned Virginia home-the abode of culture and piety. When l reached the Hill the November outlook was dreary beyond de- scription: the grim old building, the wretched road, the dilapidated hack, the vigorous Scotch broom-the heart of the Valley boy went down into his boots. lint he looked around and saw a belfry and bell having the place of honor in the campus. Zllltl knowing that bells were made to be rung, he attached himself To one end of the rope, and thus the Valley boy announced his arrival. His elation vanished when one of the students called his attention to Tutor Meredith sitting at a window and watching the raid on the bell. My next business was to interview the President and professors, get my bearings and be assigned to classes. Rev. Lewis Warner Green. lil. D., was President-a scholar, a11 orator, a gentlenian, a Vhristian. He secured my eoniidenee and esteem from the first and retained them To the end. The students called Mrs. Green the Queen, and there were two danglitz-rs, .lulia and l.etitia-one of them now Mrs. M. T. Scott, I'resident-General of the D. A. H.: the other, the wife of EX-ViewPresident Stevenson. llow shall I describe my old friend Cll2ll'l0j'n Martin? Surely he was a daisyvjovial, optimistic. wise, taetfulg on the alert. his eyes always open: the 04