Rev. ROBT. NEWTON, England.
WILLIAM WINANS, Mississippi.
LOVICK PIERCE, Georgia.
WILLIAM A. SMITH, Virginia.
1843-1844.
The dark cloud resting on the prospects of the College in June, 1843, still hung over it the succeeding year, notwithstanding the efforts made to relieve the embarrassment. Patronage continued to decrease. The session opened with sixty matriculates in the College and thirty in the Preparatory School, the smallest number in the history of the College up to this year.
The President, in the annual report, alludes to the depression of Faculty and patrons, neither of whom "could feel proper interest in an institution which might close its doors at any time." This feeling of despondency seemed to have pervaded also the members of the Board, for a bare quorum were in attendance at the opening session. The president, in his report, said: "We shall regard it as a calamity if you leave this place without making some definite arrangement by which our future may be relieved from all embarrassment."
[Illustration: HOLLAND N. MCTYEIRE, A. M., D. D., Bishop of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Regent Vanderbilt University.]
That grand layman, D'Arcy Paul, in this dark hour, came to the relief of the College by guaranteeing the salaries of the professors to the amount of $5,000 on certain conditions. Thus, in the good providence of God, the life of the College was prolonged.
[Illustration: COL. WM. TOWNES, TRUSTEE. Elected 1844.]
The following received degrees June, 1844:
A. B.
JOHN LYON, Virginia.
WILLIAM C. DOUB, N. C.
WILLIAM M. CABELL, Virginia.
HOLLAND N. MCTYEIRE, Ala.
ARCHIBALD CLARK, Virginia.
THOMAS H. RODGERS, Virginia.
JAMES G. FANNING, Georgia.
JOHN HOWARD, Virginia.
RICHARD IRBY, Virginia.
RICHARD S. PARHAM, Virginia.
WILLIE M. PERSON, N. C.
BENJAMIN F. SIMMONS, N. C.
J. L. GILLESPIE, Virginia.