SALISBURY ACADEMY EXAMINATION, DECEMBER, 1807.
The Examination of the Students in the Salisbury Academy, commenced on Thursday the 10th of December, 1807, and closed on the Evening of the 11th.
Richard Smith was examined on the Latin Classics, Greek Testament, Criticism, Logic, reading and parsing the English Language, and in all these branches of education he was highly approved. In the Latin Classics he was singularly correct.
James Legrand who was a member of this class, was absent with leave.
ON THE ECLOGUES OF VIRGIL: Wm. E. Poe and Thomas Ellerbe were examined and much approved. Daniel Barringer a member of this class, was absent on account of sickness.
ON NEPOS: Johnson Pinkstone, James Torrence, and Alfred Macay performed to the perfect satisfaction of the Trustees.
ON ERASMUS: William Stewart, John L. Beard, John Beard, and Hugh M. Stokes were greatly approved.
ON MORSEL GEOGRAPHY: Charles Fisher, Otho Chambers, Michael Brown, and James Cowan displayed uncommon proficiency for the time they have been engaged in this study. Were any distinction made, it ought to be in favor of Charles Fisher.
ON GUTHRIE'S GEOGRAPHY: Hugh Torrence was examined alone and approved.
ON READING AND PARSING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: Hugh Torrence, William Stewart, William E. Poe and Thomas Ellerbe, were all much approved.
SECOND CLASS ON THE SAME: Charles Fisher, Otho Chambers, Andrew Springs, James Cowan, Michael Brown, and Zachariah Ellerbe gave the trustees perfect satisfaction.
THIRD CLASS ON THE SAME: Johnstone Pinkstone, James Torrence, Alfred Macay, John L. Beard, John Beard, and Hugh M. Stokes did themselves much credit.
ON RECITING ENGLISH GRAMMAR: Hugh Torrence, William Stewart, Andrew Springs, Michael Brown, Otho Chambers, Charles Fisher, and James Cowan, were all very correct. Hugh Torrence appeared, however, superior.
SECOND CLASS ON THE SAME: William Poe, Zachariah Ellerbe, Thomas Ellerbe, Alfred Macay, and James Torrence, were all remarkably prompt and accurate.
THIRD CLASS ON THE SAME: Johnston Pinkstone, John L. Beard, John Beard, and Hugh M. Stokes were perfectly correct.
ON ASSEMBLY CATECHISM: Andrew Springs, Wm. Stewart, Hugh Torrence, James Torrence, James Cowan, Otho Chambers, and Johnston Pinkstone discovered much skill and promptitude.
ON CHURCH CATECHISM: Charles Fisher, Michael Brown, John L. Beard, John Beard, and Hugh M. Stokes, were very accurate.
ON ARITHMETIC: Andrew Springs, William Stewart, Charles Fisher, James Cowan and Zachariah Ellerbe, were all correct. Andrew Springs was distinguished.
IN WRITING AND COMPOSITION: All the young gentlemen exhibited samples of their performance. In most of them, the trustees perceiving germs of opening genius and eloquence, which, they fondly hope, will in due time adorn and enrich our land with the noblest fruits of virtue and learning.
This closed the examination of the young gentlemen, and the trustees then proceeded to that of the young ladies.
ON ARITHMETIC: Sarah J. Alexander, Mary E. Trotter, Clementina M. Brown, and Fanny M. Alexander were examined and highly approved.
The same young Ladies with the addition of Eliza Steele and Polly Castillo, were examined on English Grammar, Reading, Spelling and Parsing, the English language and Catechism, and acquitted themselves in a manner that did them the highest honor.
Elizabeth Torrence and Jane Brown were examined on Reading, Spelling and Catechism and were highly approved.
All the young Ladies of the Academy furnishing the Trustees with specimens of their writing and composition in the form of letters. They displayed a neatness and beauty of hand-writing, an ease and grace of narration, and an elegance and correctness of style that were really captivating. Indeed, without assuming the Language of undeserved compliment, the Trustees must declare the young Ladies shone in all their studies with peculiar lustre.
The Trustees cannot close this report without expressing their highest approbation of the conduct of the Reverend Mr. Brown. To the zeal, fidelity and ability with which he has managed and superintended the Academy, they are indebted for the proficiency of the students, and for that love of order and good morals which mark their conduct. The vacation which is about to take place, will last to the first Monday in January. The Trustees beg leave to assure the public that no exertion shall be wanting in them to make the Academy over which they preside as flourishing as possible. It shall be their anxious and persevering endeavor to render it a nursery of genius, of eloquence and virtue.
—The Raleigh Minerva, December 24, 1807.
(Source: North Carolina Schools and Academies, 1790-1840, By Charles L. Coon 1914)
