History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia / The Oldest Incorporated Methodist College in America

by Richard Irby

A. B.

THOMAS J. BARHAM, Virginia.
JAMES S. CHAPMAN, Virginia.
FRANK L. CROCKER, Virginia.
ARTHUR K. DAVIS, Virginia.
F. V. RUSSELL, Virginia.
SAMUEL D. TURNER, Virginia.

D. D.

Rev. WILBUR F. TILLETT, Vanderbilt University.
Rev. H. MELVILLE JACKSON, Richmond, Va.

LL. D.

Prof. JAMES A. HARRISON, Washington and Lee University.

Sutherlin Medalist.—J. S. CHAPMAN, of Virginia. Pace Medalist.—LANGHORNE LEITCH, of Virginia.

[Illustration: JAMES S. CHAPMAN, Sutherlin Medalist; Attorney-at-Law.]

The Endowment and Investment Committee made the following gratifying announcement:

"We respectfully report that there has been raised, through the instrumentality of Prof. W. W. Smith, Dr. R. N. Sledd, and others, $43,000, $25,000 of which is in the hands of the local committee at Lynchburg, and the balance in the hands of Captain Richard Irby for collection."

Special credit ought to be given here to the liberal citizens of Lynchburg, who subscribed this amount of endowment, ever since kept separate, and designated Lynchburg Endowment Fund. This has brought into the current receipts each year about $1,500. It was the prophecy and forecast of greater liberality in 1891. From this time the professors and officers have always been paid their salaries promptly. The direct and material aid thus afforded was of great benefit, but the influence of such action on other communities and on individuals has been of far greater value. Lynchburg, therefore, deserves, and should have, the gratitude of every Randolph-Macon alumnus and friend.

[Illustration: LANGHORNE LEITCH, A. M., Pace Medalist; Missionary to
China.]

In the election to fill the office of President the following nominations were made:

Rev. John D. Blackwell, D. D., by Paul Whitehead.
Rev. Robert N. Sledd, D. D., by W. E. Judkins.
Rev. Wilbur F. Tillett, by J. E. Edwards.
Rev. John A. Kern, by W. T. Chandler.
Rev. Paul Whitehead, D. D., by P. A. Peterson.
Prof. Wm. W. Smith, A. M., by Richard Irby.

[Illustration: R. N. SLEDD, D. D., Class of 1855; First Vice-President of the Board.]

On the first ballot Prof. W. W. Smith received ten votes out of twenty.
On the second ballot he received twelve, and was declared elected.

Inasmuch as the history of the College has been so intimately linked with the life of President Smith for so many years, it is not necessary to say much of him just here. He was born in Fauquier county in 1848. His father, Richard M. Smith, afterwards moved to Alexandria, where he was associated with the celebrated Benjamin Hallowell in his school. Afterwards he became editor of the Alexandria Sentinel, which was removed to Richmond at the breaking out of hostilities, April, 1861. He afterwards edited the Enquirer. At the early age of sixteen William Waugh Smith volunteered in the Confederate service, in which he continued to the close of the war. After the war he was associated with his father in the publication of the Enquirer, which had been revived. He attended the University of Virginia one session. When the College was moved to Ashland, and his father became a Professor in it, he matriculated at the College and took the degree of A. M., with John Hannon, in 1873. After leaving College he became the assistant to his uncle, Albert Smith, at Bethel Academy, near Warrenton, Va., which rapidly grew into prominence as a school. Here he remained till 1882, when he was elected Professor of Moral and Mental Science in Randolph-Macon College. In 1885 he showed his great talent for raising funds for the College, by securing the "Lynchburg Endowment," in connection with Dr. R. N. Sledd and others. His energy and aptitude for administration, in addition to the successful experience he had gained at Bethel Academy, pointed him out as the man for the vacant position, and subsequent events have justified the selection.

[Illustration: PRESIDENT WM. W. SMITH, A. M., LL. D.]

[Illustration: RICHARD IRBY, SECRETARY AND TREASURER. Elected June, 1886.]

[Illustration: RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, LYNCHBURG, VA. Opened for Students 1893.]

[Illustration: [Five small pictures, displayed in a quincunx. Pictures
are individually captioned, as follows: "REV. R.M. SAUNDERS, Chaplain",
"PROF. KNIGHT.", "MISS LOUISE J. SMITH.", "PROF. SCHEHLMANN.", "PROF.
ADAMS." At the bottom of the page, the quincunx is captioned, "FACULTY
RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, 1893-1898.]

[Illustration: [Five more small pictures, displayed in a quincunx.
Pictures are individually captioned, as follows: "PRESIDENT SMITH.",
"PROF. SHARP.", "DR. MARTIN.", "PROF. ARMSTRONG.", "MISS PARRISH.". At
the bottom of the page, the quincunx is captioned, "FACULTY
RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, 1893-1898.]

[Illustration: [A third set of five small pictures, displayed in a
quincunx. Pictures are individually captioned, as follows: "PROF
LANDON", "MRS. SAUNDERS.", "PROF. RIDDICK.", "PROF. PAGE.", "DR.
TERRELL." At the bottom of the page, the quincunx is captioned, "FACULTY
RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE, 1893-1898.]

On motion of John P. Branch (substitute for one offered by A. G. Brown), it was

"Resolved, That Richard Irby be appointed Secretary and Treasurer, the same to give half of his time to the business of the College."

His duties were defined as follows: To have charge of the financial and business concerns of the College, and also of the library, grounds, buildings, etc. This office was accepted, and he entered upon his duties the first day of July following.

At the same session the Board proceeded to fill the chair of Moral and
Mental Science and Biblical Literature. Rev. John A. Kern, of the
Baltimore Conference, was elected to the chair, and he accepted the
same.

Prof. Kern was a graduate of the University of Virginia. In 1866 he entered the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He had filled many of the most important appointments of that Conference, and was then, as now, esteemed a man of talent, and growing year by-year in ability and acceptability. The estimate placed on him by his friends was not too high, as his subsequent career has proven.

The Board accepted the libraries which had been offered to it by the Literary Societies, consisting of about four thousand volumes, and the Librarian was directed to consolidate them with the College Library. This was a much-needed and timely improvement, and became a nucleus for a library which, in course of time, will be, it is hoped, a credit to the College.

[Illustration: REV. JOHN A. KERN, D. D. Elected President of
Randolph-Macon College in 1897.]

The new President was requested to continue his efforts in raising funds for the endowment, which had so far been attended with laudable success. This he was not slow in heeding.

On account of failure to record the financial statement of 1886, the exact amount of net assets of the College cannot here be given.

The retiring President served nine years, almost identically the same period served by his predecessor, Dr. Duncan. His administration was also, like Dr. Duncan's, marked by great financial embarrassment, which had a depressing influence on a sensitive temperament like his was. That his days were shortened by the constant burden of care, like his predecessor's, can hardly be doubted. Both of them were, in a sense, martyrs to the cause of Christian education.

Dr. Bennett never regained his health. He moved to his farm, in Louisa county, and took work on the contiguous appointment at the Conference of 1886. While engaged in the work of his charge he gradually declined in health, and died June 7, 1887.