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From: DC0119s, Hugh McLees, 1831-1910 (1860) Letters, 1855-1859. Finding Aid
Davidson College Nov. 1855
Dear Brother,
I drop you line in answer to yours of Oct 3 at which came to hand four days after date I was verysorry to learn that afflictions had been sent to so many of our friends I had not heard of the death of F F McLics till I received your letter it seems as if the way had been opened for death to our friends and relatives that they might from the stage of existence in quick succession. I heard by a letter from Mr. H. to David that Skeleton was dead this was not an unexpected even I presume to his relations for they must have known from the nature of his disease that life could not be long. But I t seems strange that the young are so often cut down as it were in the spring time of life under such circumstances it becomes each of us to watch and be sober for in an hour as we think not the son of man cometh. There is at this time considerable religious feeling among a part of the students of this place.
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The young men’s prayer meetings. We generally well attended there are 8 or 9 students here who expect to study divinity these exert a good influencec generally over the students but I am sorry to say that there are a few poor wayward thoughtless youths in our midst who go on caring for nothing but pleasure. Our college duties are very severe and we are compelled to discharge them with scrupulous exactness there are forty students in the freshman class and of these there are seven or eight that cannot by any means rise in one year for the faculty have such a rigorous system of grading the stands of the students. Their marks vary from 0 to 100 and if a student falls below an average of 75 he cannot rise. Well the requisitions in math alone would keep a man busy who had never studies these things before and in addition t o this we have long Latin & greek lessons and a loesson of 5 or 6 pages of ancient geography we have already passed over the first 4 books of Legendre’s geometry. Well I would consider this enough for a beginner to do without anything else I believe of those who do rise about one half will be little better than dead men before June comes. My own stand in the languages is not a good one being from 80 to 85 and I never have had
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a mark in these departments above 95 in math it is generally 100 some three times I believe I have fallen below that but I have been so successful in working extra propositions which have been given the class and for which every one that works them receive 50 marks extra that my stand is at present above 100 A number or two there are not more than 5 or 6 in the class whom I fear will come our before me the one whom I fear most I s a young man bythe name of Otts from Union Bist S.C. he is preparing for the ministry. He will if health keeps good perhaps take the first honor in the class being better than any one in the class, as to all the studies there are two who are above him in the languages but they are his inferious in mathematics by more than his superiors in other things. My health is think improving a little I have gained something in weight since I came here David is getting on tolerable well (He would do better I think if he did not think quite so much about the girls) now you may say that this as if I was never troubled with such thoughts but I tell you seriously that I have stopped all speculations on this head I have sown all
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my wild oats and as I have never no use for a wife and will think about them very little in future just to be thinking about them I have no cause whatever for spending time in any such way, What withstanding I hear that being in great measure deprived of female society and left without the influences of a mother or a sister’s counsel or of any other good female friend that my manners (naturally ) may become rough as those of an untamed and ignorant rustie Col. Leland extends me invitations to call and see Mrs. L declaring that it will never do for a young man to pass a whold year without changing his words with the better part of the human race and as I have been placed under his care he wished Mrs. L to see that my manners and morals are preserved I thank him very much for his kindness but felt like telling him that it had never been my fortune to a large share of good manners and his good lady was gifted with that gold of human nature and patience that I feared she would sonn grow weary of seeing my follies I was invited to dine with three other students of Col L’s two weeks since we three hours as pleasantly as I could wish His Lady certainly has the are of making herself agreeable to company whether they be strangers or not, I of course cannot trouble them often with my company but as there are no other families here with whom I associate I must call occasionally there are only three young-bodies about this place and I never see them. Give my regards to Cornelia and kiss the children for me. I have written this after night peeparing a long greek lesson and you will find a great many errors in it please pardon this as I have made time to do better yours & H. Give my regards to Mr. Donnelly and family and to all inquiring friends if any such I have about Greenwood.
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Original
From: DC0119s, Hugh McLees, 1831-1910 (1860) Letters, 1855-1859. Finding Aid
Cite as:
McLees, Hugh. Letter to Brother. November 1855. Hugh McLees, 1831-1910 (1860) Letters, 1855-1859. Available: <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/digital-collections/hugh-mclees-letter-nov-1855/.>
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