The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-01-15
CONVENTION OF THE F2IEHDS OF
IEAMPDEN SIDNEY COLLE6E.
SExl1Nn EnAY--MhRNISa SESSION. q s.

1 Z sS5ea SECOND l-MOhNlSH Choo4SsNssd5
WEDNESDAY,, January IL, 1874.
The Convention, assembled again at the
rooms OF the Young Mems. Christian Asso'
citation at 101 o'clock-president Brooke 10
the chair-and was opened with prayer BY
Rev. y. F. Smith and the reading OF the
minutes of yesterday.
tFhe Chair announced that the subject be.
fore the body was the resolution Of Judge
Ould, offered last night.
A. r. Blakey, Esq, Of Charlottesville, said
| tina! the machinery for securing the object
had in view was already we'll organized by
the trustees, who had appointed the follow.
| ing executive committee A. G.. Mcffwaine
Petersburg; Charles 8. Darlington, Rich.
mond S. Woodson Venable. Petersburg
Rev. i. 8. Price, Rock5ridge county; Rev.
| =. 3. Ewing, d. D., Augusta county; Rev.
NJ. L. Lacy. i.ewisburg; Rev. G W. Finley,
Romney /: Rev. j. nj. p. Atkinson, ID. D.,
chairman; with Rev. j. D. Mitchell, d. D.,
general agent.
He cordially approved Of the plans of the
trustees, and offered ian amendment to the
resolution of Judge Ould the following re-
solutions:
l. Judge Guilds resolution approving the
| raising of the 100000.
9. ResoiUed, That we approve Of the plan
| which the trustees have adopted to raise this
| endowment. - .>-
3. That we urge upon any of our minis
tiers who may be selected by the executive
committee of the trustees to do special work
| for the advancement Of this enterprise to
| render the aid required Of them, and We re-
quest our churches cheerfully to give the
| time of their ministers to this work so far as
! il may be necessary.
4. That we pledge ourselves TO do all we
| can to advance this great enterprise and to
secure its success.
He desired TO call especial attention to the
third resolution, which be had borrowed
| from bis Baptist brethren, who, in their me-
morial effort, had gotten DR.. Burrows and
Others OF their best men to leave their pu!-
pits and canvass the State. He thought this
an admirable plan not only TO arouse enthu-
siasm and secure the money, but also to give
the college warm place in the affections OF
| the people.
DR.. Atkinson had asked for criticism on
the action of the trustees, and be would
find just little fault. They had not put
their figures high enough. They ought to
attempt to raise at least $500, 900. He ably
and earnestly argued that the professors in
our southern colleges are not now paid
enough, and we cannot expect to retain
them at their present low salaries. He cited
the example of one Of the professors at the
| University of Virginia, who lives on salary
of $1,000 although he has been offered
$1,000 to go elsewhere.
He spoke of the necessary expenses OF a
| professor in buying books, entertaining visit
ors, students, &C., and earnestly insisted
| that provision should be made for paying
the professors Of Hampden Sidney such sala.
ries as will retain the best talent Of the coun.
try.
By way of illustration he spoke Of the fact
| that before the war some of the faculty Of
| the University of Virginia received salaries
| as large as six or seven thousand dollars
each, and that some Of the northern profcs-
sors received as large salaries now.
If it was said we are too poor to raise so
large sum he would reply that we are too
poor not to raise it; that in our deep po-
yerty we cannot afford to allow our people
to grow up in ignorance. He alluded to the
example Of Prussia, who, just after the
seven years. war, went to work to educite
her people, and whose Government although
noted for its penuriousnesS) now pays an
| nually to one Of her universities the sum of
Sl40, 900 per annum.- And Notwithstanding
the liberal endowment Of her institutions
one of her greatest scholars has recently said
that all of the faults in the educational sys-
TEN of Prussia may be traced 70 want of
money, and that the endowment Of her in
stitutions must be largely increased. Mr..
| Blakey earnestly enforced his views.
| John Howison, Esq, of Fredericksburg,
desired to have information as to the exact de-
nomnationa character and status Of Hamp-
den Sidney College. He wanted it under
stood that Hampden Sidney is now, and al
ways will be, Presbyterian college. He
cordially approved of the plans of the trus-
| tees to raise the two hundred thousand dol
| lars but he could not fully approve the
larger plans Of Mr.. Blakey. He repre-
sented class Of people who are i'm
| poyerished tn the utmost, and who
| would insist that the administration of
these higher institutions should be on the
| most economical basis. He warmly favored
the education Of the masses OF the State /;
| and if We have the large amount of money
| which Mr.. Blakey desired raised he would
| have some Of 1t 60 to the public schools.
Prussia was an admirable example of the
power and influence Of educating the
masses. He argued that the expenses ut our
| higher institutions are now too great, and
he was warmly in favor of an economical
administration of them. He favored the
resolutions though he opposed part of the
speech of Mr.. Blakey. .;%& ~
Rev. DR.. J. M. P, Atkinson, in response
| to the question as to the relation Of Hamp-
den Sidney to the Presbyterian Church, and
| as to the action of the Board Of Trustees on
the resolution adopted at Synod last Octo-
Der, would say that there had been no meet
| ing Of the Board since that action He had
every reason to believe that the Board would
agree to the action Of the Synod, and give
| that body the veto power in the election OF
trustees; and If they failed to obtain an
| amended charter from the Legislature (ana
he thought there would be, no difficulty
about that) they would enter into contract
with the Synod by which the end would be
really accomplished. But there was no sort
| of doubt as to the real Presbyterian charac-
ter of the college. All Of the trustees save
one land he is strong Presbyterian'i In sen:
| timent), and all Of the faculty, are actual
| members Of the Presbyterian Church.
There is in the Church a, difference Of
opinion as to how the college should be held.
Some believe that the. Synod should have
absolute control Of the college, electing its
trustees and directing all of the details Of Its
curriculum. He was opposed TO this theory.
Some colleges had been &c run" on it, and
they had been "run into the ground" !"
Others hold the theory that while the Synod
should not control either in the election of
trustees or faculty, or the arrangement Of the
curriculum; it should so supervise the in
stitution that the absolute. presbyterian
character of the college should be preserved.
The recent action or the Synod was In
harmony with this theory, and by it the