The vacancy of the presidency of the College was not filled, but the Board adjourned to meet in Centenary Church, Richmond, July 19, 1882, to fill the office. Pet.i.tions were laid before the Board, sent by a number of ministers and friends of the College, and also by a large number of the students, asking the Board to re-elect Dr. Bennett to the presidency of the College.

At the adjourned meeting, held July 19, 1882, Dr. Bennett was re-elected President, almost unanimously, and he accepted the oflice. He stated that he had labored under a wrong impression in regard to the sentiments of the Board when he resigned the presidency.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DUNCAN MEMORIAL CHURCH.]

At a called meeting, held in November, 1882, the resignation of Charles Morris, Professor of Latin and French, was made known to the Board. This resignation was accepted with expressions of the high appreciation by the Board of the personal character and fidelity of Prof. Morris. He accepted a professorship in the University of Georgia.

Prof. William W. Smith was elected to have charge of Latin and Greek.

At the Annual Conference, held in November, 1882, the annual a.s.sessment made by the Conference for the College was increased by $500, making it $3,500, which amount has been the a.s.sessment to this date, June, 1898.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CLAUDE A. SWANSON, _Sutherlin Medalist; Member of Congress from Virginia._]

1882-1883.

The degree men for the year ending June, 1883, were

A. M.

JOHN F. BLACKWELL, Virginia.

W. A. CRENSHAW, Virginia.

JOHN MORRIS, Georgia.

E. E. HARRELL, N. C.

LEWIS MILLER, Ma.s.sachusetts.

A. B.

GEORGE B. DAVIS. Virginia.

JOHN D. EPES, Virginia.

THOMAS D. NEWSON, Virginia.

SYDNEY B. WRIGHT, Virginia.

JOHN NEWTON MCCORMICK, Maryland.

D. D.

Rev. W. S. BLACK, of the North Carolina Conference.

Rev. W. E. EDWARDS, of the Virginia Conference.

Rev. P. H. WHISNER, of the Baltimore Conference.

_Sutherlin Medalist_.--CLAUDE A. SWANSON, Virginia.

_Pace Medalist_.--CHARLES EMORY KREGLOE, Virginia.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JOHN MORRIS, A. M., _Professor of English, University of Georgia._]

Thomas Branch, Esq., who had served on the Board for forty years, tendered his resignation as a trustee. This was received, with a resolution of the high appreciation of his services as president of the Board and trustee, and his liberality and devotion to the College. He was succeeded by his son, John P. Branch.

The President's report showed the attendance to be 114. In this report the President recommended the system of co-education of males and females for the first time. The recommendation of the President was not adopted.

The Board took steps to have erected new dormitories on the campus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHARLES EMORY KREGLOE, _Pace Medalist; Professor Alleghany Inst.i.tute._]

1883-1884.

This year, the anniversary year of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, was to prove the turning point in the financial history of the College. The movement towards the increase of the endowment was not general, but it was in the right direction. The first subscription was for $1,000, as in 1855; it was made by Mr. E. M. Tilley, of Berkley, Va., a Northern man living in that town, not then a member of the Methodist Church. The larger part of the funds raised was from the Norfolk district, apart from the subscription made by members of the Board at the annual meeting, June, 1884, which amounted to $9,000. From this time forward the increase of the capital of the College has been steady, and, at times, very material and gratifying.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JAMES A. DUNCAN, D. D., _Sutherlin Medalist; Holston Conference._]

The Virginia and Baltimore Conferences had, at their last session, directed that all funds raised this Centennial year should, unless otherwise specially noted, go towards the endowment fund of the College.

At the annual meeting the following received degrees:

A. M.

THOMAS D. NEWSON, Virginia.

A. B.

R. H. BENNETT, Virginia.

JAMES CANNON, Jr., Maryland.

N. H. ROBERTSON, Virginia.

THEODORE H. WHITE, Virginia.

James A. Duncan, of Virginia, won the Sutherlin medal. James Cannon, Jr., of Maryland, won the Pace medal. The number of matriculates for the session of 1883-'84 was 108.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JAMES CANNON, JR., _Of Maryland; Pace Medalist; President Blackstone Inst.i.tute._]

1884-1885.

The session of 1884-'85 opened with 111 students. The President, in his annual report, said it was one of the most satisfactory that had occurred during his administration. Five new dormitories had been built to take the place of old ones. Steps were taken to build new houses for two Professors. He reported the acceptance of the chair of Greek and the Oriental Languages by Dr. Richard M. Smith, to which he had been elected at the last annual meeting.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DR. RICHARD M. SMITH, PH. D. (LEIPZIG), _Professor of Greek and the Oriental Languages (1885-1896)._]

The following received degrees, June, 1885:

A. M.

R. H. BENNETT, Virginia.

JAMES M. PAGE, Virginia.

HARRY LEE STUART, Texas.

A. B.

WM. H. BARLEY, Virginia.

EUGENE H. RAWLINGS, Virginia.

F. P. HAMMOND, Maryland.

CLAUDE A. SWANSON, Virginia.

_Sutherlin Medalist_.--THOMAS F. SHERRILL, of North Carolina.