Vault Early Papers of the University Box 2 Document 16

Copy{underlined}

Gonce-Anderson Farms

J. W. Gonce, Prop.

Anderson,{struckthrough} Tennessee{struckthrough}

Longs Apts.

Miami, Fla.

Mar 3rd, 1923

Mr. C. W. Underwood

Sewanee, Tennessee

Dear Mr. Underwood --

Having heard nothing from you or the "Purple" since your letter of Jan 25th, will you please advise me what action the Purple will take, if any, as to my letter to you / of Jan 1st -- I hope the editor is not hesitating on account of any doubt as to thefacts stated therein. Now there is one fact that I gave only{underlined} from information & belief: -that the Union Soldiers destroyed the original Corner Stone -- All other statements were based on my own knowledge and recollection --

Very truly yours

/signed/ J. W. GONCE

Copy{underlined}

Gonce-Anderson Farms

J. W. Gonce, Prop.

Anderson, Tennessee

Miami, Fla.

Jan. 1st,1923

Mr. C. W. Underwood,

Sewanee, Tenn.

Dear Sir:

As requested in your kind letter of the 21st. inst., I am mailing you the three copies of the Sibyl which I am very glad to be able to give to the University which, if not my Alma Mater, at least mothered me for one term. These three copies were, about three weeks ago, found by one of my grand-daughters without other protection from mice, rats and the elements than the original wooden roof of the first building I ever erected in 1871. There they have lain unseen for fiftyone years -- protected only by hand-drawn shingles, from the wood that Solomon used in building his temple. I am as proud of that roof and the substantial home it covers as I am of the Sibyl.

It was in 1860, I believe, that my grandfather, J. F. Anderson who lived about 12 miles from what is now Sewanee, gathered up all of his numerous family -- to attend the laying of the Corner Stone of what was intended to be the first building of the University of the South. I, an orphan, without father, mother, sister or brother, lived with my grand-father and was taken along. The trip was made by wagon and horseback through the mountains,and we camped out one night on the way, I was then about 10 years old, and remember being scared by the screaming of a wildcat during the night. We arrived at the site of the University the next day, and I will never forget the exciting events of that day. There were certainly enough startling events to excite an ignorant country boy, who was then getting his first glance into the means used to open up

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the vast reservoir of history and knowledge, which had so far been sealed to him.

None of our family had any education much beyond ability to read and write, and I than had little information as to the objects of a University -- further than the fact that it was to be a big school of some kind where one could learn and grow in knowledge somewhat better than in the country schools I had been attending.

The first thing I noticed was the great throng of country people, more than I had ever seen or have seen since, gathered together there on the mountain top in a nearly unbroken forest. They had come as we had come on foot, horseback and in wagon, drawn by all sorts of teams, from afar and near, and they had come prepared to enjoy the day, bringing provisions for man and beast; also intoxicating liquor, I might say also for man and beast; for a large part of the men had a striking resemblance to beasts later in the day. I saw fighting on a large scale when the combatants were so numerous that no one had the least idea what the row was about. I saw fighting, horse-trading, gambling, all conducted openly and vociferously and without the least regard for the ceremonies that were being conducted around the corner stone, not over two hundred yards away, where was assembled also a large throng of better dressed and more orderly people around the church dignitaties dressed in their caps and gowns, who I suppose were calling on God to bless the building to be erected over that stone for I could not close enough to hear anything, and I doubt if much was heard by any one more than a few yards away.

I was more impressed by the caps and gowns worn by the clergy than anything else. I had never seen any of our preachers dressed that

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way before, and could not understand why a man should dress so much like a woman. I believe I remember seeing that block of marble lying there in the woods, on the mountain top, with nothing around it to even indicate that it was the beginning of anything. I believe there was a railway track but no station, or any other buildings of any description. It was then hoped that stone would be the beginning of a great University but it was not to be, it was destroyed during the Civil War by the Union Soldiers. I will add that I have only passed through Sewanne once since, and have never entered any of the University buildings, although I have lived only 12 to 15 miles away practically all of my life.

Yet I was the first person to enter the Freshman Class of the University! Strange! How can that be? It was this way -- After the end of the war, I believe it was Bishop Quintard, who again got up a fund to start building operations for the University, and he was anxious also to begin the educational scheme. So he acquired the use of a school building at Winchester, and then started the University Course as well as a Primary Department. That was in 1866, and the school was in charge of Dr. Knight as Principal, and Dr. Hay as teacher of Latin and Greek. There was another teacher or two whom I do not remember. There was another boy who took part of the University Freshman Course. He was from Memphis and the son of an Architect. I remember that no one ever recited with me in Latin and Greek. I was reading Livy and Zenophon's Memorabilia. I had also Trigonomitry, Mental Philosophy and Classical Literature. I got receipts printed under the style of the "University of the South", when I paid tuition.

I remember Dr. Knight as a very kind and worthy man, liked by all the students. But I admired Bishop Quintard most. He often

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visited the school, and I know he was a man of extraordinary ability zealous and of a loveable character. I had in 1864 and 5 attended Mary Sharp College, one term,under the personal charge of Dr. Graves a great teacher on the Socratic order, and one term at Georgetown Kentucky, where I studied very little but Latin and Greek, so that when the University Course was established at Winchester I was able to enter.

I remember Dr. Knight giving me the subject "Grass" on which to write a composition. Grass? What could one say about grass beyond the fact that grass was grass. I had never studied Botany, I had never seen any hay. The only roughness for stock that I knew of was cornfodder or oats. I did not then know of any other use for grass except to let stock eat it, and I am sure I would not be proud of that composition now.

Of course, we had a debating society, where we met to shed off our country bashfulness and modesty, and pluck up courage to speak before a public assembly. Under instructions, I suppose, it was called the Bishop Otey Chapter, and why, I never knew. And we decided or were instructed to have a periodical under the name of the Sibyl. We met every week, I believe, and I was elected or appointed the first Editor, and the only Editor, so far as I can remember, and the paper did not run much longer than half the term. It was quite a job for me to keep up my studies and prepare the paper, as I do not remember that any other student handed in anything more than a few of the stories, that appeared, and probably the paper expired for want of an Editor. But about the middle of the term or possibly later, a dispute arose in the school, which divided it into two hostile parties. Dr. Hay with most of the foreign students on one side, and Dr. Knight with the majority on the