History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Part 28

[Ill.u.s.tration: LIBRARY HALL.--Built by the Washington and Franklin Societies 1872.]

President Duncan, in his annual report, said: "It is specially gratifying that I can congratulate the Board on the plan of fiscal management adopted at your last meeting. The experience of the last twelve months has demonstrated the wisdom of your action, and the same ill.u.s.trating your good fortune in securing an officer whose efficiency in a most laborious task merits your high commendation.... The large number of students have been generally studious and well behaved, a large proportion of them are Christians, and thirty-two are candidates for the ministry. During the year the reputation of the College has extended, and its patronage steadily increased. Both the patronizing Conferences manifest increasing interest in the College."

The degree of A. M., on recommendation of the Faculty, was conferred on Charles Carroll, of North Carolina.

Mr. Jordan W. Lambert, on behalf of the Building Committee of the Literary Societies, reported the Hall building as completed, at a cost of $12,954.40, on which the committee had raised $7,093.30, leaving a balance still due, $5,861.10.

A committee appointed to consider this report submitted the following:

"Your committee, after a full conference with the committee of the two Societies, submit a proposition made by them to secure from the Board of Trustees the necessary amount to discharge the existing obligations of the Societies, which proposition is made the basis of this report, and is most heartily recommended to the favorable consideration of the Board.

"It may be proper to state, in connection with this report, that the committee submitted in detail the accounts with the various persons from whom they had secured material, both by donation and purchase, and also the correspondence with various friends of education both North and South, all of which was most gratifying to your committee, as they exhibited on their face the evidence of great energy, system, and tact, which not only reflects credit on themselves, but also on the Societies represented by the committee as well as the College itself.

"In consideration of the foregoing facts, we offer for adoption the following resolution:

"_Resolved_, That the proper officers of the College proceed at once to raise $5,700, and if it be necessary, they be authorized to create a lien upon the property referred to, to secure the payment of princ.i.p.al and interest, and the Financial Secretary be instructed to pa.s.s over the amount thus raised to the Building Committee, to be used by them in liquidating the obligations created in the erection of the hall."

Accompanying this report was the following paper:

"ASHLAND, VA., _June 27, 1872_.

"In consideration of $5,700 to be advanced by the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College, the Washington and Franklin Societies will undertake and pledge themselves to use their best efforts to pay $1,000 annually upon the princ.i.p.al until the whole amount is liquidated, interest to be paid by the Board of Trustees. It is understood and agreed that if the Board of Trustees should find it necessary to create a lien upon the property to raise the amount so advanced, they will not in any way bind the furniture of the two Societies.

[Transcribers' Note: In the original text, the names of those belonging to each society were bracketted, and "Committee F. L. S." and "Committee, W. L. S." appeared on the right-hand side of the page, beside their respective brackets.]

_Committee F. L. S._

(Signed) "J. W. LAMBERT, "F. C. WOODWARD, "R. E. BLACKWELL,

_Committee W. L. S._

(Signed) "CHARLES CARROLL, "HERBERT M. HOPE, "W. B. PAGE, "H. C. PAULETT, "JOHN M. BURTON,"

[Ill.u.s.tration: WASHINGTON HALL, Randolph-Macon College.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRANKLIN HALL, Randolph-Macon College.]

To show the appreciation of the work done by the Societies, the Board, on motion of Rev. A. W. Wilson, adopted the following:

"_Resolved_, That the President be instructed to express in the chapel, during the public exercises of the day, the Board's appreciation of the energy and zeal of the Literary Societies in the erection of the Library building, and that the Secretary furnish the Societies with a copy of the action of the Board."

In the chapel the same day Maj. Sutherlin pledged the Board to a subscription of $500 towards the Library Hall.

The above record in relation to this worthy and remarkable effort--one that has found few, if any, parallels in the history of colleges--is given at some length to show the spirit of the young men of the period succeeding the war, and also to stimulate a like spirit in the young men who are now filling these halls and others after them. Such an example seems to be needed at this time to rekindle the interest in these most worthy Societies, which is not as great as it formerly was, and as it should be.

At this meeting Major William T. Sutherlin, of Danville, who had manifested his interest in the College by agreeing to pay three hundred dollars annually towards the current expenses of the College for five years, submitted the following proposition:

"_To the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College_:

"I propose to place in your hands good eight per cent. securities to the amount of four hundred dollars ($400), the interest to be collected by you, and invested in a suitable medal, to be presented at each annual commencement to _the best orator_ connected with the college who shall contend for the same, to be decided by three competent judges who have no official connection with the College, to be selected by yourselves, whose decision shall be final. The fund hereby donated shall be held by you and appropriated to the above purpose in perpetuity, and to no other. Respectfully,

(Signed) "W. T. SUTHERLIN."

On motion of Rev. A. W. Wilson--

"_Resolved_, That the proposition be accepted, and that the thanks of the Board be returned to Major Sutherlin for the generous donation, and that the medal be styled the _Sutherlin Prize Medal for Oratory_."

Rev. A. G. Brown, Financial Secretary, made the following review of the financial operations of the year:

"1. That the current expenses of this session have been promptly and fully paid to June 1st.

"2. That means are in hand to meet obligations to July 1st.

"3. That we rely princ.i.p.ally upon the a.s.sessments and special donations to the College for the succeeding three months.

"4. That the a.s.sets of the College have been improved in value and in the amount of interest they yield.

"5. That the liabilities have been materially reduced.

"6. That the financial interests of the College are freed from legal or legislative embarra.s.sments.

"These are gratifying results. I mention them for your information and encouragement. They are the sign of a better day. Let us consecrate ourselves to this n.o.ble inst.i.tution, and, with the blessing of G.o.d on our duty faithfully performed, we may expect to see it what it ought to be in the scope of its usefulness and the development of its resources, a strictly first-cla.s.s College.

(Signed) "A. G. BROWN,

"_Financial Secretary Randolph-Macon College_."

This gratifying report, the best that had been submitted for years, caused the Trustees to adjourn in a cheerful mood.

[Ill.u.s.tration: G. E. M. WALTON, _Founder of the Walton Greek Library._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJ. W. T. SUTHERLIN, ELECTED TRUSTEE, 1860. _Founder of the Sutherlin Prize for Oratory._]

A called meeting of the Board was held in Richmond October 13, 1872. A letter was presented from Prof. Thomas R. Price, which was as follows:

"_Rev. James A. Duncan, President_:

"DEAR SIR,--As Professor of Greek in our College, I feel great pleasure in informing you, and through you the Board, of the n.o.ble act of generosity by which Mr. George E. M. Walton, of Hanover county, Va., has planned a lasting benefit to the School of Greek.

"Mr. Walton was, as you know, the father of Mr. Andrew Minor Walton, who, with rare learning and diligence, discharged until his death, in September, 1871, the duties of a.s.sistant Greek Professor in Randolph-Macon College. In order, then, to foster in the College the studies that his son loved so well, and at the same time to keep alive in the College history and traditions the memory of that son, Mr. Walton has offered to give to Randolph-Macon College the sum of one thousand dollars to create and endow what shall be called the _Walton Greek Library_. This donation Mr. Walton desires to see, without delay, put into the proper legal form. His own wishes and intentions, as given to me in conversation, are:

"1. That the money shall, in consultation between him and the agents of the College, be securely and permanently invested.

"2. That ten dollars of the annual income shall be used to buy, in the shape of a valuable Greek book, or other appropriate gift, as the Faculty may decide, a prize that shall be called the _Walton Greek Prize_, and bestowed on the student that, in the judgment of the Faculty, has made during the session the best progress in Greek studies.

"3. That the remainder of the income arising from the investment of the fund shall be annually expended, under such regulations as the Board and Faculty may establish, in the purchase of Greek books, including the texts of Greek authors, Greek lexicons, Commentaries on Greek authors, works on Greek history, Geography, Grammar, antiquities, etc., and all direct auxiliaries to Greek study, to form a special and distinct collection, to be called the _Walton Greek Library_.

"4. That this Library shall be carefully guarded by the College authorities and secure adequate protection from theft and fire.