Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-04-24
DIR. WALTER HILLMAN,
short biography of the Eminent CIin-
ton Educator.

ton Educator.
The following biographical sketch
of Rev. Walter Hillman. Ii. d., the
eminent and honored Clinton educa-
tor, which was published by the
acknowledges of April 10th, the day
following his death, will be read with
sad interest by many. To hundreds of
Mississippis truest and best daughters
who received their education at Cen
trail Female Institute. and to many of
her sons whose lives and homes have
been ennobled and blessed by them,
the death of this loved and useful
man comes as sad family bereave-
ment. All these feel the weight of a
common sorrow, and. though widely
separated. fain would mingle their
tears and cover with immortelles his
pulseless dust:
After a protracted struggle with a
wasting illness, he fell on sleep" in
the sixty sixth year of a most useful
and honorable life. After carefully
and calmly disposing of all his bust
ness interests, bidding farewell to his
loved ones and the intimate friends
that surrounded him during his last
hours, and sending messages to absent
ones to work for Others" he entered
into that 'rest that remaineth for the
people of God" With him the battle
has been bravely fought. and the vic
tory nobly won.
DIR. Hillman has been an important
factor in the educational and business
interests of Mississippi for forty years,
and the thousands whom he has in
structed, and the many whom he has
personally befriended, will feel a per
sonal bereavement in his death. His
frequent visits to Jackson. and the
business and social relation that he
sustained here. made him a member of
this community almost as much as if
he resided here. To the town of Gin
ton, where he has lived for two score
years, his death is loss that will be
keenly felt and lamented.
DR.. Hillman was born on the island
of Martha's Vineyard. Massachusetts.
January 9. 1929. His father was a ship
captain for twenty years, engaged i'll
the whaling business. After availing
himself of the common schools and
academies in his section, young Hill
man entered Brown University, at
Providence, r. l., from which he grad
uated under DR.. Francis Wayland, in
1854. On commencement night, he met
Dr. |. n. Urner, president of MISSISSIPPI
pi College, who had gone North in
search of suitable person for the
ences. DR.. Wayland had cordially en-
dorsed Mr.. Hillman for the position,
and it was rendered him and accepted.
He reached Clinton on October Bird,
1854, and after two years of very accep-
table work in the College. he accepted
the presidency of Central Female In
stitute. In the meantime he was mar
ried to Miss Adelia M. Thompson, Sep
TENDER IS. 1870, DR.. Wayland otiicia-
ting. Just prior to the war he was or
dained a minister of the gospel, and
did some work as an evangelist and al
so as pastor of the Baptist church at
Clinton. After the war and while still
president of the Institute. he was chos-
en- president Of Mississippi College.
The endowment was gone and the
buildings dilapidated. He borrowed
money from Northern friends to re
lease the property from judgments
hanging over it to the amount of SlO,-
600. Ia the winter of 1SG6-61 he start
ed with nine pupils in the preparatory
department and two in the collegiate.
He had one assistant teacher. During
his presidency of six years the entire
debt was paid, the buildings thorough
ly repaired, the number of pupils in
creased to 100, and the faculty to eight
professors and teachers He had also
recovered portion of the endowment
supposed to be lost in the vicissitudes
of war.
Alttl IIlo ltUlltilltlib ICiH lllt NOl-
lege. the Doctor devoted himself en-
tirely to Central Female Institute,
which has been one of the most pros
porous schools in the Southwest. In
compliment to himself and companion,
the Board of Trustees, only a few years
since, changed the name to Hillman
College, and the new building erected
was named "Adelia Hail."
On Friday night last. the young Ia
dies of Hillman College gave a concert
for the benefit of Mississippi College.
The suggestion was made to him. in
view of his extreme illness, that the
concert should be abandoned He
said "No, not at all. My first work was
for Mississippi College-let my last
work be for it His favorite maxim
through life was work for others,
and no man exemplified 1t more earn
estly or successfully.