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

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DEN SYD Henry C. Brock, B. Lit., D. Lit., LL. D. Integer vitae scelerisque purus. N THE kaleidoscope of life the law of change prevails and the forces and actors, as a rule, reassemble themselves constantly and swiftly into new shapes. When, therefore, we find an institution like Hampden-Sydney that, with fair consistency, resists change and maintains for years its distinctive characteristics, we wonder. But when we remember that outstanding personalities have influenced and moulded the institution's life and policy for long consecutive periods, we, in a measure, understand its conservative attitude and tendencies. It is really remarkable how many of Hampden-Sydney's faithful teachers have stood by the old College for long years in spite of hard work and small pay. Charles Martin U847-18711 helped to carry it through some of the most depressing periods in its history, L. L. Holladay, for thirty-six years H855-l89IJ was a professor whom our students loved, Walter Blair H859-l896J was our ideal of a classical scholar: James R. Thornton, here for twenty-eight years H883-l9l l D, looms large in the memories of hundreds of alumni, H. C. Bagby's marvelous memory and straight thinking are the admiration of his classes to-day as they have been since l892. For a longer period C1886-F9281 than any of these Dr. Henry C. Brock served the College. As active and emeritus professor, he was here for nearly one-third of Hampden-Sydney's corporate existence. His life and work have been so frequently and fully set forth in the publications of the College, and in the press of the State, that recapitulation seems superliuous. The briefest outline must suffice. Son of Robert King Brock and Mildred Ragland, he was born in Rich- mond, Virginia, january 26, IS45. When the Civil War began he was attending Richmond College, IS59-l86l g later he was a student for a year at Randolph-Macon College, then located at Boydton, Virginia. As soon as he reached the age for enlistment he volunteered for service in the Confed- erate States Army, joining a troop of King William cavalry in General Rooney l..ee's brigade. Severely wounded at lVlalone's Crossing, in 1864, the young soldier was for months an invalid and was never again able to rejoin his command. When his health was sufficiently restored, in 1867, he accepted a position in King William County, where he taught a small neighborhood school, board- ISI

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ing around among his patrons, as was the custom of the time. He thoroughly enjoyed this work and his association with the good people of the county and with his old comrades of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry. ln the fall of 1869 he entered the University of Virginia and, in l872, received the degree of Bachelor of Literature, meantime holding the position of assistant to Colonel William E.. Peters, the professor of Latinq From this time on Mr. Brock was a teacher of young men: l872-l879, associate in the Kenmore Academy at Amherst, Virginiag I879-1881, associate in the Charlottesville, Virginia, High School, 1881-1886, head master of the University School in Charlottesville. In l886, when Dr. W. S. Currell resigned the chair of English, Political Science and History at Hampden-Sydney, Professor Brock was chosen as his successor. ln l889, when Dr. W. H. Bocock went to the University of Cieorgia, Professor Brock was transferred to the chair of Cireek and French, for which he was peculiarly fitted by his splendid training under Drs. B. L. Csildersleeve and Schele de Vere, his old masters at the University. This arrangement continued until 1911, when the French was given to Professor J. A. Clarke and the Greek was left in Professor Brock's hands. ln I9I8, having reached the age limit, he was made professor emeritus of Creek, and retired from active class room work. After this he lived quietly at E.stcourt, his home here, among his books and Howers, dispensing a courteous hospitality, mingling with his friends, interested in affairs-local, national and inter- national-the home always pervadecl with the atmosphere of culture and genial friendship which the master unconsciously created. After he passed his eighty-fourth birthday Dr. Brock's strength failed, gradually but markedly, and the end came April 30, l928. While teaching at Amherst, Dr. Brock married Miss Mary Carter Irving, daughter of Honorable R. K. Irving and Delia Eldridge, of Rolfeton, Buckingham County, Virginia, a lady who will be remembered by our older alumni as marked by rare charm of person and force of character. There were four children-two sons, Dr. H. l. Brock, of the staff of the New 'York Times, and Honorable R. K. Brock, of Hampden-Sydney, and two daughters, Mrs. H. C. Thornton, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Miss Delia E. Brock, the presiding genius of our Infirmary. Dr. H. C. Brock and Dr. R. A. Brock were brothers-a pair hard to match for literary taste and achievement-the one a scholar of wide attainments and cultureg the other an antiquarian and historian of national reputation. l9l