Dickinson College Student Life

    Entries drawn from collection & document descriptions

"Salutatory Oration: Extent of the Duty of Obedience," by George Coffey
July 9, 1840

George Alexander Coffey prepared this oration, entitled "Salutatory Oration: Extent of the Duty of Obedience," for the commencement ceremonies held July 9, 1840. Authoring an original speech was among the graduation requirements for Dickinson College seniors at that time. Transcript included....

Letter from Charles Stinson to His Father
September 15, 1841

Charles Stinson (Class of 1845) writes to his father about his trip to Carlisle and starting classes at Dickinson. After meeting with President John Durbin, Stinson notes that the "conclusion is... that I am wholly unprepared to enter" as a Sophomore. Stinson also describes some of the "strange...

Journal of Alfred B. McCalmont
October 1842 - January 1846

Alfred Brunson McCalmont, a member of the Class of 1844, writes daily entries about classes, social life at Dickinson College, and his life after graduation. McCalmont's entries start in October 1842 and conclude in January 1846. Transcript included.

Letter from Thomas McFadden to Robert Black
December 3, 1843

Thomas McFadden, a member of the Class of 1845, writes Robert Black about life at Dickinson College. McFadden "know[s] not what reasons particularly influenced my parents to chose this place except its known celebrity for every thing good, and the moral reputation which it sustains," and...

Letter from a Dickinson Student to Joseph T. Soule
January 5, 1844

An unidentified Dickinson College student (Jos. V. F [Meinsch?]) writes to his cousin, Joseph T. Soule, and discusses various aspects of college life. Transcript included.

Location: I-Friends-2008-1

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1840-1859

Letter from a Dickinson Student to Sarah A. Currier
January 5, 1844

An unidentified Dickinson College student (Jos. V. F [Meinsch?]) writes to his cousin, Sarah A. Currier, and discusses various aspects of college life. Transcript included.

Location: I-Friends-2008-1

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Education, Personal and Family Life

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1840-1859

Letter from John Kennaday to His Family
January 5, 1844

John Robert Kennaday writes to several members of his family about life as a student at Dickinson. While "there has not been anything special going on here [in Carlisle] lately," John tells his brother, Jim, about "a Temperance meeting in the chapel last Saturday evening, at which there were a...

Letter from Beverly Waugh to J. B. Roberts
June 17-18, 1844

Beverley Waugh writes to his cousin, J. B. Roberts, over a two day period about a variety of topics. In the first part of the letter, Waugh expresses his pleasure at hearing from him, and describes his fascination with Robertsville, saying: "sooner will my right hand forget her cunning, and my...

Letter from Henry Harman to Andrew Harman
January 3, 1846

Henry Martyn Harman writes to his father, Andrew Harman, about classes starting at Dickinson. After he "overtook the class in Algebra," Harman explains that he is "now in the second class in college, which is the Sophomore." Harman notes "I have a great deal of hard studying" as a result of...

Journal of William Shunk (Copy)
April 18-24, 1846

William Findlay Shunk, a member of the class of 1847, describes his flight from Dickinson College in April 1846 in his journal. "Amid all my troubles, feeling as if I was under the curse of god and my father [Pennsylvania Governor Francis R. Shunk], I feel as if I would endure ten times as much...

Location: I-Purchase-1965-14

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Personal and Family Life

Format: Diaries and Journals

Time Period: 1840-1859

Journal of Marcus J. Parrott
August 1846 - February 1851, 1857

Marcus Junius Parrott records his thoughts and activities as a college student in Ohio, then in Pennsylvania at Dickinson College (graduating in 1849), as a law student thereafter at Cambridge Law School, and a few entries from 1857 when Parrott serves as delegate to Congress from the Kansas...

Letter from Henry Dallam to W. Boyd Williams
October 6, 1846

Henry Dallam (Class of 1848) writes W. Boyd Williams and describes starting classes at Dickinson. This experience marks "the first time I have been away from home for any length of time," as Dallam notes. After discussing how his father dropped him off, Dallam briefly mentions his classmates. "...

Letter from Henry Dallam to W. Boyd Williams
October 5, 1847

Henry Clay Dallam (Class of 1848) asks William Boyd Williams "to procure for me 'a literal translation of the Plays of Sophocles'" and to mail it to Dickinson. "I have a large amount of extra study to do" and, as Dallam explains, "I am anxious to have every facility." Transcript included.

Dickinson College Report for John Harding
January 29, 1848

The report for John L. Harding, a member of the Class of 1849, includes an account of his expenses, notes on his "attention to study" and absences from classes while at Dickinson College in January 1848. Harding is taking Moral Philosophy, Mental Philosophy, Natural Sciences, Ancient Languages,...

Letter from Christian Humrich to Samuel Davis (Draft)
[May 1848?]

Christian Humrich writes to Samuel K. Davis regarding his experience during his freshman year at Dickinson College. Humrich mentions his Latin class and discusses the differences between Professors Otis Tiffany and George Crooks. In addition, Humrich mentions the suicide of a Major Irvine at a...

Location: I-Original-undated-15

Subject: Carlisle and Cumberland County, Dickinson College Student Life, Education

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1840-1859

Letter from Samuel Reynolds to His Mother
May 1, 1848

Samuel Henry Reynolds, a member of the Class of 1850, writes to his Mother about his health, conditions in Carlisle, and asks that his father send money for medicine. Despite "not feel[ing] very well," Reynolds notes that "I have considerable of studying to do this morning." Reynolds also admits...

Collegian (Vol. 1, No. 1)
March 1849

The first issue of the Collegian, Dickinson College's first monthly literary publication. Includes "Nationality," "Machine for Grinding Poetry," "Love in College," "Translation of Cleanthe's Hymn to Jupiter," and "The Spartan Youth."

The Belles Lettres and Union Philosophical...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Literary Pursuits

Format: Newspapers and Magazines

Time Period: 1840-1859

Collegian (Vol. 1, No. 2)
April 1849

The second issue of the Collegian, Dickinson College's first monthly literary publication. Includes "The Tyrol," "Love and Scholarship," "Communings with the Departed," "The Song of the Wind," "War," and "Ernest Maltravers."

The Belles Lettres and Union Philosophical Societies...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Literary Pursuits

Format: Newspapers and Magazines

Time Period: 1840-1859

Collegian (Vol. 1, No. 3)
May 1849

The third issue of the Collegian, Dickinson College's first monthly literary publication. Includes "Reflections on the Coats-of-Arms of the States," "The Indian Maiden," "Philosophy of Fashion," "Epidemic Sympathy," "Last Verses of Voltaire," "The Germans of Pennsylvania," and "A Leaf...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Literary Pursuits

Format: Newspapers and Magazines

Time Period: 1840-1859

Collegian (Vol. 1, No. 4)
June 1849

The fourth issue of the Collegian, Dickinson College's first monthly literary publication. Includes "The Power of Sacrifice," "The 'Me'," "Logan's Revenge," "True Estimate of Self," and "Extract - Prometheus Chained."

The Belles Lettres and Union Philosophical Societies created a...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Literary Pursuits

Format: Newspapers and Magazines

Time Period: 1840-1859

Collegian (Vol. 1, No. 5)
July 1849

The final issue of the Collegian, Dickinson College's first monthly literary publication. Includes "Gregory VII," "The Breakers," "A Thunder Storm," "The European Crisis," "The College of the Magii," "American Prejudices," "Recollections," "College Reminiscences," and "Letters from the...

Location: Dickinsoniana Periodicals

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Literary Pursuits, Politics and Government

Format: Newspapers and Magazines

Time Period: 1840-1859

Journal of Ulysses Hobbs
November 1849 - November 1854

Ulysses Hobbs records his thoughts and activities as a college student at Dickinson College. Hobbs includes lists of his fellow students attending events, and details information about the running of the activities that he was involved in such as the Union Philosophical Society. He discusses...

Letter from William Snively to J. S. Gordon
March 2, 1850

William Snively writes to J. S. Gordon regarding his experience as a student at Dickinson. Snively, who is preparing for the ‘April Examination,’ describes students' rowdy behavior, including an incident when "some persons tore all the seats out of Prof. Marshall’s lecture room, and made a...

Letter from John Thropp Jr. to Christian Humrich
April 23, 1850

John Thropp Jr. asks Christian Humrich about an old friend and asks him to write to "let me know... how you are all getting along at Old Dickinson." In addition, Thropp describes a trip he took the previous year and notes his intent to visit Carlisle soon. "I want to see old Carlisle once more...

Letter from George Freaner to Christian Humrich
August 1851

A description of this letter is not currently available. Transcripts included.

Location: I-Original-undated-15

Subject: Dickinson College Student Life, Education

Format: Letters/Correspondence

Time Period: 1840-1859

Pages

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