Alumni Reminiscences 1878 of Anti-Slavery Rebellion

In satisfaction for the breach of law they were required to take their names from the roll of this society. This they refused to do, regarding the demand an infringement [crossed out] upon their rights as citizens. As those who had permission to be absent from their rooms knew well that they would have received no permission for the object to which they applied it, their excuse did them no good. For the breach of law they would willingly have made any satisfac tion which in their judgment would not degrade their manhood. Though they loved the school, the principal and the faculty, the place and surroundings and all the sweet influences of the place, they chose rather to forego all these [crossed out] than submit to the slightest a-

bridgment of their rights as men. For this I honor them, and by this all may know the land that gave them birth. One of them was the acknowledged intellectual leader of the class of 1839 of Dart. Coll.; is now and has been for nearly firty years pastor of the Pres. Church in Palmyra N.Y. and regarded as the ablest minister of the gospel in all that region,--The Rev Horace Eaton DD.

Dr. Johnson was universally respect ed and beloved, as a kind and courteous gentleman, a ripe scholar, and thorough disciplinarian.

As I was there but one year and one term, I cannot speak as to the first books in their course. In Latin Advanced Gram, Cicero's Select Orations and Virgil--six books, Bucolics and part of the Georgics. In Greek Fisk's Gr. and Buttmann as reference

Graeca [?] and Ken. Cyropedeia The Mathematics was hardly worth mentioning. Common Arithmetic and [?] Algebra A & Simple Equa tions. During the time I was in Andover fitting for College, Dr Johnsons health was very poor, so that our class had very few recitations under him. He lived but a few months after our class left, and during the year he was able to do little more than to appear at morning prayers, occasionally attend the public declamations and visit the classes. [?] [?] lest what I have written may be of no service to you, and that any addition would but increase that quality, I will stop here, wishing you a very pleasant sermon, and regretting my inability to attend it. Please present my kind regards to your father. Yours truly,

Cyrus Baldwin

San Buenaventura, Cal. May, 20. /78,

Prof. C. E. P. Bancroft

Dear Sir:

I am glad to learn by your postal [?] a Centennial Catalogue of Phillips Academy is in course of [preparation?] I was a member of that famous Institution during the years 1835 & 36. (I think) Should have graduated from it [preparative?] to Coll. in the fall of /36. But the anti-slavery feeling in the institution was so strong that some 50 of us formed an Anti-Slavery Society. This act was very offensive to our honored Instructors, Prof. Johnson, Mr [Love?] & others, that we were requested to disband. (The reason given was that it brought odium on the school--kept away southern students &c. These were the days of riots--& proslavery violence countenanced by "gentlemen of property & standing.") We did not see fit to disband, so were notified that our continued membership was no longer desired. So we we left after publishing a statement.

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That is the reason why my name & that of [Sedley?] Stickney Eaton & nearly fifty more may not be found among the graduates. But we did practically graduates & went thence without further preparation & [crossed out] were rcd into the Colleges to which we applied. I went to Oberlin in Ohio & was admitted as a member of the Freshman Class. I graduated from Oberlin Coll. in the Autumn of 1840. Entered the Theol. Sem. at New Haven and [?] there one year.-- Spent the remaining years of Theol. Study at Oberlin. From which Seminary I was graduated in the fall of A.D. 1848. The [business?] of my life has been preaching the Gospel. The most of the time in Green Lake Co. Wisconsin. I have won no higher or dsearer honor than that of being an [?] of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am now 63 years of age. More joyful & buoyant in Spirit than when a youth at your school. Pretty nearly worn out by over 30 years of solid preaching but my heart is my labor. No employment pays like a successful ministry But Souls are a ministers proper hire--the salary a bagatelle. I send you greeting from the Pacific Shore. Where I am sitting now awaiting the boat which is to bear me to the better [?]. S. Bristol