Pennsylvania Colleges

Dickinson College

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) Feb 22, 1826

Harrisburg, Feb. 13

Dickinson College

The bill granting three thousand dollars a year for seven years to this institution which passed the house of representatives a few days since, passed the Senate on Friday last without amendment.

1826 Annual Commencement of Dickinson College

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania October 11 1826

From the Carlisle Volunteer

Dickinson College

The annual commencement of Dickinson College was held in the Presbyterian church in this borough on Wednesday the 27th of September. As usual the audience was large and respectable and youth and beauty lent their cheering influence to the interesting scene.

Many from the neighboring towns were prevented attending by the unfavorable weather of the day preceding and among others, we understand the Governor and some of the Heads of Department; still, the number of strangers was considerable and contributed to the animation of the town.

At eleven o'clock the procession moved from College chapel in the following order: Janitor - Grammar Scholars - Students of College, according to classes - Faculty - Trustees and strangers:

The exercises in the church were as follow:

Prayer by the Principal.

Latin Salutatory by Henry L. Baugher, Adams county, Pa.

English Salutatory - Lewis Eichelberger, Frederick county, Md.

Music

An Oration on Burial Places - Adam Gilchrist, Charleston, S. Carolina.

An Oration on Classical Literature - Wm. N. Johnson, Germantown, Pa.

An Oration on the Influence of Newspapers - Thos. L. Cathcart, York, Pa.

Music

An Oration on Novel Reading - Thos. H. Craighead, Cumberland Co. Pa.

The Terpsichorean Oration - Robet J. Poulson, Accomac county, Va.

Music

The Principal, Mr. Neil, then proceeded by virtue of a Mandamus from the Board of Trustees to confer the Degree of Bachelor of Arts on Geo. W. Buchanan, Henry L. Baugher, Lewis Eichelberger, Thomas L. Cathcart, Thomas Craighead, William W. Gerhard, William N. Johnson, Adam Gilchrist and Robert J. Poulson.

The Honorary Degree of Master of Arts was conferred on Richard H. Lee, of Leesburg, Va.

Also,

The Degree of Master of Arts on Alexander L. Hays, Esq., of Reading, an alumnus of the College; also on the following alumni, viz: John H. Agnew, Alfred Armstrong, George W. Bethune, Ira C. Boice, William Cahoon, Jr., Alexander H. Codwise, Wm. L. Helfenstein, James Holmes, Talbot Jones, Jr., Abraham J. Labagh, Isaac Labagh, Daniel M'Kinley, Erskine Mason, John G. Morris, Dibby D. B. Smith, Cornelius Van Clet, Chas. Whitehead, William H. Williams and John C. Young.

The Degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on the Rev'd William Paxton of Adams county, Pa. and the Rev'd James M'Graw of Md.

And the Degree of Doctor of Laws on the Hon. Thomas Duncan, one of the Justices of the Supreme court of this State; on John Sergeant, Esq. of Philadelphia and on the Hon. John Buchannan, Chief Justice of the State of Maryland.

A Valedictory was then delivered by George W. Buchanan of Mercersburg, Pa., who took the first honor of the institution. The second honor was accorded to Henry L. Baugher, L. Eienelberger, William N. Johnson and William W. Gerhard. The third to Robert J. Poulson.

After the exercises of the day, many of the strangers dined with the Trustees, Faculty and Students in the refectory of the College where an abundant and well furnished dinner had been provided by the Steward.

1828 Commencement of Dickinson College

Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, October 15, 1828

Dickinson College

The annual commencement of this Institution took place on Wednesday the 24th of September last in the Presbyterian Church of this Borough in the presence of a large and respectable audience.

The exercises were as follows:
1. Latin Salutatory by Jas. Brown, Md.
2. The Cliosphic Oration by James Burnside, Pa.
3. An Oration of Religion viewed as a source of the sublime and beautiful by John C. Jenkins of Pa.
4. The Uranian Oration by William H. Campbell, Md.
5. An Oration on the character and writings of Jumus by Benjamin Patton, Jr., Pa.
6. The Oration on Classical Literature by Edward Y. Buchanan, Pa.
7. An Oration on the influence of Mothers by Thomas Creigh, Pa.
8. An Oration on Germany by Augustus O. Hiester, Pa.
9. An Ode on Creation by Robert Davidson, Pa.
10. The Oration on the influence of Political Economy on Human Happiness by Samuel Pollock, Pa.
11. An oration on the choice of a Profession by James Vanhorn, Pa.
12. An Oration on the progress of the Useful Arts by John A. Gray, Pa.
13. The Valedictory by Benjamin Gerhard, Pa.

The Degree of Batchelor of Arts was then conferred on twenty-one young gentlemen as follows:
James G. Breckenridge, Madison Brown, Robert Bryson, Edward Y. Buchanan, James Burnside, William H. Campbell, Thomas Creigh, Robert Davidson, Benjamin Gerhard, John A. Gray, Augustus O. Hiester, John C. Jenkins, James M. M'Kim, Joseph Neide, Benjamin Patton, Jr., Samuel Pollock, Edward Ritchie, Baker J. Ross, William J. Thompson, James Vanhorn, Nathan G. White.

And the Degree of Master of Arts, also, on the following alumni of the College, viz:
John W. Campbell, John Chamberlain, J. M. Davie, William H. Gray, P. W. Gordon, Henry Haverstick, Matthew H. Henderson, Samuel R. Huston, William H. Kurtz, George A. Lyon, Jr., John W. M'Culloch, William B. M'Ilwain, Samuel M'Clay, Alexander Macbeth, J. C. Reynolds, Nicholas G. Sharrets, Robert F. Taylor, George S. Whitehill and Thomas Williams; and the Hon. Degree of A. M. on Joseph A. Maybin of New Orleans.

The address to the Graduates by the Principal, followed; and the Valedictory by Benjamin Gerhard of Philadelphia who took the first honor of the Institution; the second was awarded to Madison Brown of Maryland; the third was divided between William H. Campbell of Maryland and Edward Y. Buchanon and Thomas Creigh of Pennsylvania.

The public were disappointed by the illness of James Buchanan, Esq. of Lancaster who was to have delivered the annual oration before the literary societies of the College on the evening preceding the commencement.

A number of the alumni of the College assembled on Tuesday the 23d of September in the session room of the Presbyterian Church and C. Blythe, Esq. being called to the Chair, it was resolved to form an association to meet annually in Carlisle on the day preceding the commencement.

A constitution was adopted and the officers appointed and the alumni of the institution are invited to attend the next meeting in the College chapel. Dr. J. K. Finley of Philadelphia has been elected Professor of Chemistry and Natural History and will enter on the discharge of his duties at the opening of the next session. - Car. Vol.

Jefferson College

1826 Annual Commencement of Jefferson College

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania October 11 1826

From the Washington Reporter

Jefferson College

The annual commencement in this institution took place on Thursday the 28th ult. at 10 o'clock, the students, preceded by the faculty and trustees, repaired to the College campus where a stage was prepared in handsome style. The assemblage on the occasion was unusually large and interesting. After the introductory prayer by the Rev. Robert Johnson - the salutatory in Latin and Greek was delivered by Mr. Aaron Williams of Washington county, Pennsylvania. Orations were then delivered by the following graduates.

James Crawford, Huntingdon county, Pa., John R. Hutchinson, Mifflin county, Pa., John Dickey, Chester county, Pa., John Patten, Cecil county, Md., James Alexander, Mercer Pa., Robert G. Bowland, Cadiz, Ohio; James Chamberlain, Gettysburg, Pa., William Gibson, Canonsburg, Pa., A.Osburgn, Cadiz, Ohio; Alfred Patterson, Brooke county, Virginia.

A. T. Magill of Washington county then delivered the Valedistory.

The Degree of A.G. was conferred on the above named and also on the following members of the class:

John Donnel, Washington county, Pa.; William Hughes, Beaver county Pa.; Reuben Frome, Lancaster county, pa.; David Hiddoe, Allegheny county, Pa.; J. Nichol, Belmont county, Ohio; Hugh Parks, Belmont county, Ohio; John Pumroy, Shippensburg, Pa.; James D. Rav, Morgantown, Va.; Azaria Priory, Bucks county, Pa.; R. G. White, Lycoming County, Pa.; James M'Intire, Chester county Pa.; John Wilson, Washington county, Pa.

The exercises were concluded with an address to the graduates and prayer by the principal of the college.

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