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

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1925 The iisalcitluscnpe ll abouncling in the genuine old-time hospitality of the Virginia gentleman. As a friend, he is loyal and loving, grappling friends to him as with hooks of steel. Those who know him best think that they see in him the harmonious blending of the three rich streams of his ancestry-the polish and the poise of the l-luguenot, the conscience and the courage of the Puritan, the constancy and the courtesy of the Cavalier. W. H. WHITING, JR.

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l0 Erbs ittaleitlosrnpe 1925 stimulating energy and contagious enthusiasm. Then came Dr. H. R. Mcllwaine, now State Librarian of Virginia, and a historian of national by of repute. After him, for eleven years H907-l9l8j the work was carried on Dr. A. W. McWhorter, who, in l9l8, was shifted to the Department Creek. Thus Dr. Watkins sits in the seats of the mightyg for l suppose no department in the College has been presided over by such an unbroken line of scholarly and erudite men as those who have directed the Department of English from its organization. ln connection with the heavy work of his class-room, Professor Watkins was Librarian of the College from I9I8 to l923, and this is a position of serious responsibility and the faithful performance of its duties requires a large expenditure of time and effort and at times involves a large amount of drudgery. It would not do to omit the statement that while at College Dr. Watkins was a member of the Union Society and of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. l-le is, also, a thirty-second degree Mason-a Knight Templar. This brief outline of Dr. Watkins' life and work in no way reveals the man nor portrays his attractive personality. It requires a master's hand to catch the essence and the spirit of his fellows and to set them down in cold type so that others may feel and appreciate the charm which words so inadequately express. Dr. Watkins himself can do this to perfection-but obviously his aid cannot be invoked in his own behalf. I-le has a trick of using words which reminds one of the skill of Dr. Henry C. Alexander, that rare genius of half a century ago, and he excels as a writer of obituary notices. A friend once said of him that it would be well for the reputation of those whose lives he describes and whose characters he portrays and most comforting to the feelings of surviving friends if Dr. Watkins could devote his whole time to literary work of this kind-so light is his touch, so graceful is his diction, and so sympathetic is his heart. We have the authority of the poet for the statement that man Can live without poetry, music and art, but this is hardly true of the subject of this sketch. l-le realizes that one must be judged by the way in which one performs one's serious tasks in this work-a-day world: he understands that his vocation is preaching and teaching and he gives his time and strength unreservedly to these great dutiesg but he finds pleasure and profit and recreation in those avocations which have been quoted above as unessentials. l-le loves to count the Muses. He has written a volume of poems, as yet unpublishedg he knows and loves musicg in art he is a connoisseur. As a preacher he is analytical, logical, sound. l-lis matter is well thought outg his manner is earnest and impressiveg his words are carefully chosen- Hlike handfuls of pearls in a goblet of emerald. As a teacher, he is con- scientious, faithful, patient. As a host, he is courteous and thoughtful-

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The iiHlBiU05EUD2 1925 MISS ANN SIMMONS Roanoke, Virginia Sponsor of the Kaleidoscope, 1925