History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Part 3

In order to extend the influence and patronage of the College, the Board took steps to secure the cooperation of the Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, offering a representation on the Board of such as should be nominated to it by the Conference.

SIXTH MEETING OF THE BOARD, JULY 4, 1832.

Rev. Martin P. Parks, professor-elect, requested by the Board at its last meeting, appeared and delivered "a learned, eloquent, and patriotic address" before the Board and the public.

The same gentleman, who had been appointed by the Board to visit the South Carolina Conference to invite their cooperation in the College enterprise, made a report of his mission, and laid before the Board the response of the Conference, which was as follows: "The committee to whom was referred the address and resolutions of the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College, report:

"That they have had the same under consideration, and been favored With an interview With the esteemed agent of the Board, Brother Parks, and from all that has been presented to them, and which they have duly weighed and examined respecting the College, have come unanimously to the conclusion that the Conference ought to regard it with favor, and accordingly do recommend the following resolutions:

"_Resolved_, That the establishment of a well-endowed college, purely literary and scientific, in a desirable place in the Southern Atlantic States, and under the direction and control of a Faculty and Board of Trustees, consisting, and perpetually to consist, of members and friends of our church, is an object of first importance, vitally interesting to our Zion, and deserving of the best wishes and a.s.sistance of all our friends.

"_Resolved_, That Randolph-Macon College, of Virginia, inst.i.tuted under an ample charter, of the State of Virginia, and now shortly to be opened under the auspices of the Virginia Conference, possesses every reasonable prospect of soon becoming in all respects all that the friends of literature and religion, and those of our own church, especially, could desire, and is ent.i.tled to, and ought to receive, the preference and patronage of this Conference.

"_Resolved_, That we earnestly recommend the Randolph-Macon College aforesaid to all our brethren and friends of the South Carolina Conference, and will cordially receive an agent and second his efforts when such an one shall be sent to solicit aid for the College.

"_Resolved_, That we accept a share in the supervision of the College approved by the Board of Trustees, and nominate six suitable persons of the ministry and membership of the church indifferently within our Conference limits to be elected into the Board of Trustees on our behalf.

"All of which is respectfully submitted.

"(Signed) W. CAPERS, _Chairman_.

"On motion, it was resolved unanimously that the above report he adopted.

"The Conference then proceeded to nominate the following Trustees, viz.: Col. Thomas Williams, Major Alexander Speed, Rev. Dr. William Capers, Rev. Wm. M. Kennedy, Rev. William M. Wightman, and Rev. William Holmes Ellison.

"Teste: WILLIAM M. WIGHTMAN,

"_Secretary_.

"DARLINGTON, S. C., _January 30, 1832_."

The above nominees of the South Carolina Conference were elected members of the Board.

George W. Jeffries, of North Carolina, was elected a trustee in place of John Nuttall, deceased.

The Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was invited to unite and co-operate with the Board on the same terms and conditions offered the Georgia Conference. An agent was appointed to visit these Conferences in order to secure their co-operation. John Early was appointed to visit them.

The Holston Conference was likewise invited to cooperate with the Board, and Rev. William Hammett was appointed to visit that Conference.

The Finance Committee reported the receipts and expenditures to date, as follows:

Receipts, ... ... $11,350 02 Expenditures,... . . 10,516 26 Balance on hand, ... . $833 76

Appropriations for the first year (including salaries of agents of the College, $300), $4,500.

A steward for the Boarding Hall was elected. The price of board of students was fixed at six dollars per month at the Steward's Hall.

On motion of Rev. William Hammett, Rev. Stephen Olin, of Franklin College, Georgia, was unanimously elected President of the College.

It was ordered that the College be opened for students on October 9, 1832.

Prof. Edward Dromgoole Sims, A. M., of LaGrange College, Alabama, was elected Professor of Languages.

Dr. Olin and Prof. Sims subsequently accepted the positions to which they were elected. Their letters of acceptance were as follows:

"_Rev. John Early_,

"DEAR SIR: I hereby announce to you, and through you to the Trustees of Randolph-Macon College, that I accept the presidency of that inst.i.tution, as conferred upon me in July, 1832. I design to resign my professorship in Franklin College as early as I can, consistently with duty and propriety, and hope to be at Randolph-Macon at least as early as the next commencement.

"Yours very respectfully,

"S. OLIN.

"ATHENS, GA., _January 9, 1833_."

"LAGRANGE, ALA., _August 7, 1832_.

"DEAR SIR: Your letter communicating the result of the late election of officers for Randolph-Macon College was received eight or ten days ago.

"In relation to the Professorship of Languages, to which the Trustees have done me the honor to invite me, I have to say: In a previous letter to you on this subject entire freedom to accept or decline was reserved by me until I could procure more satisfactory information from Brother Paine concerning the prospects of the inst.i.tution. At this time there exists no objection in my mind, and accordingly I now make known to you, with pleasure, my acceptance of the appointment, and desire you to communicate the same to the Board of Trustees.

"Please accept for yourself and them my sincere regard and best wishes.

"With brotherly love, ED. D. SIMS.

"REV. JOHN EARLY"

The acceptance of Dr. Olin completed the Faculty, when it came, several months after the College was opened. Rev. M. P. Parks, professor-elect, acted as president until Dr. Olin entered on his duties. The first Board of Instruction was as follows:

Rev. Stephen Olin, A. M., D. D. (Middlebury College, Vermont), President and Professor of Moral Science.

Rev. Martin P. Parks, graduate West Point Academy, Professor of Mathematics.

Landon C. Garland, A. M., Hampden-Sidney College, Virginia, Professor of Natural Science.

Rev. Edward D. Sims, A. M., Chapel Hill (N. C. University), Professor of Languages.

Rev. Lorenzo Lea, A. B., Chapel Hill (N. C. University), Princ.i.p.al of Preparatory School.

It will be appropriate and interesting to give sketches at this point of the men composing this first Faculty of the oldest Methodist College now in existence in America by date of incorporation; not simply on that account, but because they were mostly men of great ability, and made their mark on the times in which they lived in a way and to an extent that few others, if any, have ever done in the South.

Dr. Stephen Olin was a native of Vermont, as was Dr. Wilbur Fisk, who, contemporaneously with him, was moving on a parallel line at the Wesleyan University, in Connecticut. These names, Olin and Fisk, the Church, and the alumni of the colleges they presided over will never let die. Wherever the initials "S. O." and "W. F." are seen in any catalogue, it will be readily understood that they respectively stand for these names, and they are common now, over a half-century after the princ.i.p.als ceased to live.

President Olin was a graduate of Middlebury College, Vermont. He took the first honor in his cla.s.s. From too much confinement and over-study his health gave way. On this account he went to South Carolina, and took charge of an academy at c.o.kesbury.