Washington and Lee University - Calyx Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

Page 7 text:

Although Liberty Hall was actually constructed in 1793, this building is im- portant because it represents the first permanent roots of an institution which has long since outgrown the slight boundaries of its decaying stone walls. This era may be said to have truly begun with the coming of Reverend William Graham in 1776 to assume the direction of Augusta Academy at Mount Pleasant. The Hanover Presbytery had previously decided to establish a permanent school at Timber Ridge. Samuel Houston, Alexander Stuart, and other public spirited citizens do- nated the necessary land; and the college trustees, imbued at the time with the spirit of the Revolution, changed the name of the school from Augusta Academy to Lib- erty Hall Academy. Understandably, the unsettled years of the Revolution put a handicap on the initial development of the institution. Both students, teachers, and trustees were very much involved in the war; and the course of affairs at Liberty Hall Academy was, at most, of minor importance to them. Under Graham ' s lead- ership, however, the institution was finally given a firm foundation with the construc- tion of the first permanent buildings. Three years after Liberty Hall was raised in 1796, William Graham left the Academy to go west. His impetus, however, was a vitally important one, and one which should not be forgotten. Liberty Hall constructed in 1793

Page 9 text:

It was during the Nineteenth century that Washington and Lee assumed the form by which we recognize it today. George Washington ' s historic gift to Liberty Hall Academy of $50,000 in James River Canal Stock provided much needed income for the institution. In remembrance of this generous endowment, the Academy was renamed Washington College; and in 1824 the Washington College Buildings were constructed from the endowment of many friends of the institution. The Central building was named in honor of Washington. The two buildings flanking it were named for John Robinson and John Barton Payne. Robinson, a local financier, farmer, and successful businessman, served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Washington College. Payne, a native of Virginia, served as Secretary of the Interior under Woodrow Wil- son. Although he was not an alumnus, he was sincerely interested in the school. The building constructed during this period which has perhaps the greatest intrinsic value is, of course, Lee Chapel. The building was built in 1867 under the supervision of Presi- dent Robert E. Lee. Although Lee ' s term of service to the University was cut short by his death, the man ' s contribution is an unforgettable one. The Chapel, which was later extended to house the recumbent statue of Lee as well as the Lee family crypt, is a constant reminder of the debt of gratitude which the institution owes the man whose name it bears. The Washington College group, ccmstructed in 1824.