The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
The Sunday Times-Dispatch:

George Thorpe, the superintendent OF college lands was
killed. and seventeen of the college tenants persisted with him.
Thus to end the proposed college
The Colonial Danes of America (Claper ID deploring
the neglect Of these facts in Vrgnas history have offered
to the Johns Hopkins University medallion to be conferred
annually upon graduate student of the university
for the best essay American history The medallion
tain this inscriptions "Te University OF Hcnrico destroyed
in the March 1922 In the centre of the medal
lion is George Thorpe and behind him stand his tenants while
i'll front the Indians rushing upon them.
Though the terrible blow, the company
did not abandon the idea OF college super
intcnden of the lands appointed but avail the
settlers absolutely refused to rebuild the city of enrco The
company however constantly bore in mind the need OF ed-
caona facilities in Virginia and instructions given to
Sir Francis Wyatt to that the children taught in
town and borough that they might be prepared for
college 1t also record that carpenters in the good
ship Abigail to build tic East India School Charles City
The colony divided into parishes, and there is every
to believe that instruction carried in every OF
these parishes.
In 1886 it is recorded that Benjamin synms donated
freehold of two hundred the Pocosin River Eliza
beth City county, for the support OF free school for the eu
cation of children in the parishes OF Elizabeth and Kcquotan
few years later, for the purpose Thomas Eaton
lett an estate in the county The high school at amp
ton, Va, is to-day called the synnls School, honor
OF these founders OF the first free school in Virginia
At the time OF Bacons Rebellion
Henry Pcasy left six hundred in Gloucester county for
the maintenance of the children of Abingdon Ware par
ishes This school established became known as the
Peasly School, and continued its work for eighty years
without Interruption
In 1860 the House of Burgesses took steps towards the
establishment of college, but the delayed until
finally through the efforts of the clergy and burgesses under
the direction OF Commissay James Blair College Will
liam and Mary established in 1903 This charter
granted by the soveresns of England William and Mary,
and the college named after them oldest
tuition OF learning south of the Potomac River and next to
Harvard in in the United States
The provided for the college one penny per
pound on the tobacco exported from Virginia any English
plantation in America The King granted out of quit rents
$4,000 toward the building, and per pound on all
tobacco exported from Virginia
The story goes that the charter would never have been
secured but Tor the King the board trade and the Eng
s officials against it. Mr. Blair said to have gone
to the English Attorney General Seymour with command
IRON the King that charter be prepared but the Attorney.
General asked Mr. Blair what use Of such an nstitu-
ton he commissary replied that they needed it for the
preparation OF young entering the ministry and begged
Mr. Seymour to remember that there were souls in VIRGINIA
to be saved as well in England Souls" said Attorney
Seymour, damn your soulsyou make tobacco" This IN
dicated clearly the spirit Of many the people in Enpand
by many Virginia regarded only possession Of Eng
land to be used to enrich its merchant class This spirit
manifested from the beginning, the spirit shown ,y Sir
William Berkeley, and it produced Bacons Rebellion and It
the spirit that alienatcd all the colonies from the
mother country.
From the time OF its establishment until the Revolutions
War, William and Mary College was the richest instit,-
ton in America and had better of instruction than
Harvard Yale Nassau Hall (now Princeton Unversity)
* /,o 81.