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

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OREWORD We would think that the HampdenfSydney graduate faces the world with a precious set of values. Cherished among these is the realization that a happy life must have some purpose. It is such a realization that Hlls the HampdenfSydney man with the desire to give something of himself to the world and civilization-to he of some service. And this in but four fleeting years. Uur col' lege becomes hut a gateway which we have chosen and through which we must pass in our journey to the future. So for us Hampf denfSydney stands as a GATEVVAY TQ SERVICE. 9'

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l .RETRO PECT: by JOHN LUSTER BRINKLEY . . . in order to preserve in the minds of the students that sacred love and attachment which they should ever bear to the principles of the present glorious revolution, the greatest care and caution shall be used in electing such prof fessors and masters, to the end that no person shall be so elected unless the uniform tenor of his conduct manifests to the world his sincere affection for the liberty and independence of the United States of America. -The HampdenfSydney Charter, 28 June 1783 It has long been a proud assertion that Hampf denfSydney was born with the Nation, that her principles and our country's principles are every' where the same. It is our proud boast, too, that HampdenfSydney's sons have never let their motherland's cries go unheededg they have res' ponded to every call to arms since the Revolution itself. That first struggle saw as brave fperhaps even rashj a bunch of boys as might be imagined, forming into a company here on the Hill, with John Blair Smith as Captain. This was an en- tirely voluntary elfortg the boys drilled religiously, and adopted a uniform for the HampdenfSydney militia : a hunting shirt dyed purple fthe dye reputedly being obtained from pokeberry bushesj. They didn't see any action until September, 1777, when all the volunteers over sixteen marched off to the defense of Williamsburg. Since there was no need of their services, the boys were thanked and dismissed, most of them going straight home, since the fthen customaryj autumn vacation was at hand. Many never came back to school, but joined the regular Continental forces. We had numerous alumni and supporters in the Revo' lution. One of these fand he is merely an arbi' trarily chosen example from the many which could be citedj was Peter Johnston, son of the Peter Johnston who contributed the land on which the College stands. Johnston's father was a Tory, and would not let his son join the revof lutionary armyg his son, intrepid by nature, ran off to join Lighthorse Harry Lee, in 1780. Later he became a prominent lawyer, represent' ative, and judge in this area. Again in the War of 1812, when there was some danger, and more apprehension, that Virf ginia would become a battleield, the boys of Hampden-Sydney rallied to their country's cry. In the Indian Wars of the nineteenth century, various of our brothers served with valour and distinction, not the least, of course, was the Hero of Tippecanoe, W. H. Harrison, '91, who later became HampdenfSydney's first President of the United States. Again in the Mexican War, and, in great climax, the Civil War, Hampden'Sydf ney's sons gave what they had. Dr. Robert L. Dabney was Stonewall Jacksons Chief of Staff, probably the most prominent HampdenfSydney man in the war, perhaps excepting Stephen L. Bocock, '38, who was Speaker of the Confederate House of Representatives. More Indian Wars,