Back to College Letters Collection
Jump to Original | Jump to Annotations | Jump to Works Cited
From: DC0336s. William Johnson (1842). Letter, 1840 (View Finding Aid)
Transcript
Davidson College March 13, 1840 [1]
Friends,
It is with the highest esteem for you that I avail myself of the privilege of writing to you and hoping these lines will find you in the enjoyment of the best of health as they have me. I confess sir, that I was disappointed when I returned, and did not find you here, though I suppose you are doing better business where you are. I would not have returned if there had been any suitable school convenient. I spent my vacation [2] very pleasantly but I now feel the galding chane of bondage again with respect to College. I suppose you are still in the notion of going to Princeton [3] next fall. A time I long to see when we will be roomates at College. Though it may be possible that you will prepare for the soph half [4] advanced and if you will I will also. I will here give you a list of the studies at Princeton. And what is required to enter the freshman class. Preparatory studies 1st [5] Caesar’s commentaries (5 books), Sallust, (–)Virgils (Eclogue and six books of Eniads), Cicero’s selects orations contained in the volumes delphini [portion of page missing]Syntax the gospels in the Greek [portion of page missing]Jacob’s Greek reader and Latin and Gre [portion of page missing]prosody, English grammar, arithimetick, Geogo portion of page missing) ancient, Freshman class first session [6]. Xenoph [portion of page missing]Plato’s Diologues vol. I, Roman Antiquities, Latin [portion of page missing]Algebra. Second session [7], Horace (odes) Aesch [portion of page missing]Latin and Greek exercises, algebra completed. Soph class first session [8] Horace (satire and epistles) Demosthenes de Corona. Latin and Greek exercises, geometry (plafair), Plane Trigonometry, Elements of History, sec. session [9] Cicero de officiis, de amortia, Homer’s Iliad. Plane and spherical trigonometry. Mensuration, surveying, navigation, nautical astronomy, history Junior class first session [10]. Analytical Geometry (youngs) including conic sections, Descriptive geometry, differential calculus (youngs), Cicero de oratore, Sophocles, Philosopy of minds, evidences of Christianity. Sec. Session [11] Integral Calculus (Youngs), mechanics (Bouchorlats), Cicero oratore, Sophocles (continued,) Natural Theology (Paleys) Civil Architecture, Senior class first session [12]. Belles Lettres, Logic, Moral Philosophy, Political economy, Natural Philosophy, qunitui—- Euripides vol. 1 second session [13], moral philosophy, natural philosophy, continued, astronomy, chemistry, Euripides continued, Constitution of the United States General review of Studies.
Instruction in French and Spanish without charge. In german and Italian charged, board for year $51.50 cts tuition $40 room rent 12. Fuel 13. Library 2. Servants wages 4. Washing 12, incidental expenses 3. Making in all 147.50 [14] but the student does not burn 13 worth of fuel he is only charged for what he burns. [portion of page missing] with servants are not charged [portion of page missing] dearer than it would be here if [portion of page missing] work. Annual commencement [5] 4 Wednesday [portion of page missing] and the first in June- there are ten or [portion of page missing] here this session most of whome now joined [portion of page missing] our class recites Latin and Greek only once [portion of page missing] sessions is rubbing the shine off of J.P. Sparrow [16]. Mr. Sparrow delivers lectures on languages evry day as he calls them. Though in fact it is only reding 100 lines in Cicero one day and next 100 in greaca Magora. My class will commence Cicero [17] next week and Magora shortly. I reading three days in a week Homer’s Iliad to Mr. Sparrow I am rooming with Mr. Crawford [18]. he is well and sends his respec(ts) you and wishes for you to write to him. Pleas look over mistakes for I have not time to correct them. Write me soon. Perhaps if we do not go on next fall I will go to your school in August. I remain your most sincere friend until death.
W.D. Johnson
Original
Jump to top
Annotations
Jump to top
[1] It is the first session of 1840, and the first year there is a class graduating from Davidson. There were 3 professors and 63 students. At the time of this letter, Johnson would have been studying Livy, Graeca Majora, Geomery, and Algebra during the first term of his sophomore year. This was his last session before he transferred to Princeton with his friend from home, (Lingle, 20)
[2] In 1840, final exams for the second session took place in January, leaving the month of February for vacation, which is the time period to which he is referring. (DCC 1842-1859, 7)
[3] Princeton at this time was a well-established Presbyterian college, and when Davidson was first founded it was done so with the goal of forming the southern version of Princeton. Often, when decisions and additions were made, they were often done using Princeton as a model. Many of the initial board of trustees also had close ties to Princeton. Many early students would also transfer from Davidson to Princeton. (Blodgett)
[4] In order to advance to the next year at Davidson, the students had to be deemed sufficiently advanced. If not they either had to repeat the session the following year or take preparatory class (Beaty, 18).
[5] Davidson also had preparatory classes. The preparatory class was an in-between phase, and even though it was taken at the college, did not contribute towards your diploma. They were comparable to Princeton’s in that all preparatory classes roughly covered the same material. (Beaty, 18; D.C.C. 1843-1859, 7)
[6] Davidson freshman during their first semester studied Sallust, Virgil (Georgics) and Graeca Minora. These classes could be similar to Princeton’s. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[7] Princeton’s curriculum was similar to Davidsons with the exception that Davidson freshman began Algebra this session, had exercises in only Latin and read Cicero’s Orations. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[8] Princeton’s curriculum was similar to Davidsons with the exception that Davidson sophomores completed algebra this session, continued studying Graeca Majora and began reading Livy. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[9] Princeton’s curriculum was similar to Davidsons with the exception that second term Davidson sophomores continued with geometry, as well as Graeca Majora; additionally they began Horace (odes and satires), logarithms and mensuration. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[10] The only similarity between Princeton’s curriculum and Davidson’s for first term juniors was that they both were required to study Cicero. Davidson juniors, in addition to Cicero, continued studying Horace, and began Rhetoric and Logic, and Trigonometry and Surveying. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[11] Second term at Princeton for juniors had no similarities to that of Davidson second session juniors. At Davidson, juniors studied Tacitus, Homer, Astronomy and Moral Philosophy. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[12] The only similarity between Princeton’s curriculum and Davidson’s for first term seniors was that they both studied Natural Philosophy. Davidson Seniors would additionally study Chemistry, Analytical Geometry, Graeca Majora (Tragedians), Mental Philosophy, and Differential Calculus. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[13] The only similarity between Princeton’s curriculum and Davidson’s for second term seniors was that they both studied Natural Philosophy. At Davidson, second session seniors studied Evidences of Christianity, Juvenal, Political Economy, and Mineralogy and Geology. The discrepancies between the two curriculums could be from that the earliest recorded Davidson College catalog is from 1841, whereas the letter is describing courses for Princeton in 1840. (D.C.C. 1842-1859, 7)
[14]
$147.50, the total cost of attendance, would be equal to $3687.50 in 2014.
[15]
In 1840, the commencement was held on July 30th, 1840 and was the first annual commencement ceremony.
[16]
Revered Patrick Jones Sparrow, DD- He was born in Lincoln County, North Carolina in 1802. Educated at the Bethel academy in South Carolina under Reverend Samuel Williamson. He became a teacher in Providence, South Carolina, and the Lincoln County Male Academy, and was also a pastor at the Presbyterian Church in Lincoln County before teaching and preaching at Unity Church near Beattie’s Ford, North Carolina Until 1834. He then became pastor of the church in Salisbury, North Carolina. In 1836 he became the agent for securing funds for Davidson College, and a year after he was elected as a professor of languages. In 1841 he became pastor of the Church at Hampden-Sidney College where her received his DD degree in 1840, and later resigned to preach and teach at Eutaw, Alabama, Pensacola, Florida, and Calhaha, Alabama, where he died in 1867. (Lingle 20)
[17] Cicero was a Roman philosopher and politician, and is often used in many philosophy classes now and in the past. He has many works, including De Oratore, De Re Publica, de Legibus, Brutus, Orator, Academia, De Finibus, tusculane Disputationes, Horensius, Consolatio, De Natura Deorum, De Divinatione, Cato Maior de Senectute, Laelius de Amicitia, and de Officiis.
[18]There are four possible Mr. Crawfords that William D. Johnson could be referencing in this letter. The first three entered Davidson in 1838 and the fourth entered in 1837, with all four belonging to the Eumenean Society and the class of 1842. The first is John Locke Crawford who was a physician in Lancaster, South Carolina and died in 1861. The next is Martin Prifer Crawford, who was a lawyer in Lancaster, South Carolina, and died in the Civil War. The third is Robert L. Crawford, from Lancaster, South Carolina. He was a Major in the army of the Confederate States of America, and also died in the Civil War. The fourth is Thaddeus Constantine Crawford, who was born in Iredell County, North Carolina in 1817, and from 1851-62 served as the stated supply pastor and a presiding pastor for various churches in the Cherow presbytery. He was also a pastor for the Sardis and Bethel Churches in Dirt Town, Georgia from 1863-85. (Lingle 46; Scott 155)
Biography
Born in Robeson County, North Carolina, September 9th 1818, and died in Marion, South Carolina, December 16th, 1901. He entered Davidson College in 1838, and transferred to Princeton shortly after in 1839, graduating malta cum laude in 1843,and taught in Cheraw, South Carolina after graduating. He was admitted into the bar in 1846 and opened a practice of law in Bennettsville immediately following his schooling. He was also a member of the philanthropic society at Davidson. He married Sarah Elizabeth McCall on April 24th, 1851. He is also recognized after his signing of the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession. After practicing law, he was South Carolina state senator from Marlboro from 1862-1865. In 1865 he began as the last chancellor of the Court of Equity until they were abolished in 1868. From then until 1871 he was solely a plantation owner until his return to law, opening the Firm Johnson and Johnson. (Lingle 46; May and Faunt 167-168)
Works cited
Jump to top
Scott, E. C. Ministerial Directory of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. Austin, TX: Press of Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1942. Print.
Beaty, Mary D. A History of Davidson College. Davidson, NC: Briarpatch, 1988. Print.
Commencement Information from the Western Carolinian Newspaper. 10 July 1840. RG 3/3.7. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.
Davidson College Catalog, 1842-1859. Davidson: Davidson College Office of Communications. [1842].
Jan Blodgett. Personal Interview. April 30 2014.
Lingle, Thomas Wilson, William Joseph Martin, and Frederick William Hengeveld, eds. Alumni Catalog of Davidson College, Davidson, N.C. 1837-1924. Charlotte, NC: Presbyterian Standard, 1924.Print.
May, John Amasa, Faunt, Joan Reynolds, South Carolina Secedes. Columbia, University of South Carolina press. 1960. Print.
Scott, E. C. Ministerial Directory of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. Austin, TX: Press of Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1942. Print.
Statistics and Class Events, 1841-1842. Davidson College Archives and Special Collections.
Transcription and annotation author: Cameron Hudson-Marshall.
Date: May 2014.
Cite as: Hudson-Marshall, Cameron, annotator. 13 March 1840 William D. Johnson letter to friends. DC0336s.
Available: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/digital-collections/william-d-johnson-letter-13-mar-1840.
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.