: History of Randolph-Macon College Virginia The Oldest Incorporated Methodist College in America by Irby Richard - Randolph-Macon College; Randolph-Macon Woman's College

@FreeBooks

Posted in: #FreeBooks #FreeBooksIndia #FreeBooksApp #gg

Vote Up Vote Down   0 Reactions

Login to give Reaction!

stry. Not neglecting his own peculiar work in the church, he was always foremost in everything that he esteemed promotive of the good of the church and the state. From the outset he threw into the college enterprise all his great energy, and gave it the benefit of his large practical sense, because he felt that the church, as well as the state, was in need of such an agency. Under the charter, as subsequently amended, he was elected President of the Board of Trustees, and retained that position for about forty years, rarely ever failing to attend the annual meetings, when attendance involved days of tedious and difficult travel over rough roads. When over eighty years of age he was found at his place in the Board. Doubtless his latest prayers were for the success of the cause to which he gave many of the years of his manhood's prime. Randolph-Macon College will never let the name of John Early be forgotten. His portrait adorns the Trustees' room, and his eyes look down every June on his successors in the Board of Trustees, who are laboring to carry forward the work which he and his co-laborers commenced in 1825.

The first secretary, Rev. William Andrew Smith, was another man of power, a self-made man, as such men are commonly called. He accepted the "call from on high" to do great things. He was endowed with a wonderfully fertile and active mind. When fully aroused in any cause his heart espoused, he was a power with the people and with deliberative bodies. Commencing active service for the College as Secretary of the Board, he lived to become the President of the College from 1847 to 1865. When he took charge of it, the College was at the lowest condition financially as well as in patronage, that it ever reached. Full of faith and zeal himself, he infused new life into it and animated its friends with fresh courage and zeal. Realizing that an endowment was absolutely essential, in 1855 he undertook to raise 0,000 for it, and succeeded. Of this endowment more will be said further on.

Another self-made man among the corporators present was Lewis Skidmore. In native talent of a peculiar order, he was second to none of his associates. He had, however, none of the ambition of some of the others. For power of argumentation on any subject he took in hand, he was equal to the foremost. He said once, when asked at what college he had graduated, "I graduated at the anvil." When the hammer of his logic struck it shaped or shivered the object it struck. As punctual as a clock, the day before the Trustees were to meet, his rotund form would be seen about the same hour rising over the western hill as the sun was going down.

Space will not allow particular reference to the other members of the Board. All of them were men of mark in their callings. Three of them--laymen, citizens of Mecklenburg county--were not members of the Methodist church.

William O. Goode was a representative man. He was a member of the Legislature, and brought forward the College bill. He was a member of the State Convention of 1829 and of the Congress of the United States for several sessions.

Nathaniel Alexander was a wealthy planter and a man of fine education, and represented his county in the Legislature more than once.

John W. Lewis was a lawyer of prominence, and served as Treasurer of the College as long as he lived.

The fact that these men were on the Board will show that sectarian bigotry was not so strong in olden times as some have been inclined to believe.

Rev. John G. Claiborne served on the Board for many years faithfully and efficiently, and outlived all of the original members.

At the second meeting of the Board of Trustees, held October 30, 1830 , the Building Committee reported the plan for the main College building, with cost of erection. William A. Howard and Dabney Cosby were the contractors. The plan embraced a centre brick building fifty-two feet front by fifty-four deep, with wings east and west sixty-seven and a half feet each, making a total front of one hundred and eighty-seven feet, all four stories high. The contract price for the same, except painting, tin roof, casement of the library, and seats in the chapel, to be finished in "a plain, workman-like manner, of the best materials," to be ,137, and it was to be ready for occupancy by the spring of 1832. The committee also reported the purchase of two hundred and fifty-seven acres of land from several parties, including previous purchase, the several tracts forming a solid body.

Rev. H. G. Leigh, Agent, made report as to the finances, as follows:

Monies collected to date, . . . . $ 941 59 Subscriptions deemed good, . . . . 27,762 70 Total,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,703 29

Free books android app tbrJar TBR JAR Read Free books online gutenberg

(0)

Login to post a comment!