Alumni Reminiscences 1878 of Anti-Slavery Rebellion

In satisfaction for the breach of law they were requird to take their ames from the roll of the society. This they refused to do, regarding the demand as infringement upon their rights as citizens. As those who have permission to be absent from their rooms, knew well that they would have received no permission for it. Their excuse did them no good. For the breach of law they would willingly have made any satisfac tion wich in their judgement, would not degrade their manhood. Though they loved the school: the principal and faculty, the place and surroundings and all the sweet ifluences of the place. They chose rather to forego all these than submit to the slightest { }

bridgement 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 forty years pastor of the Pres. Church in Palmyra N.Y. and regarded as the ablist minister of the gospel in all that region. The Rev Horace Eaton D.D. Dr. Johnson was universally respected 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 Adams Gram: Cicero's Select Orations and Virgil-Six books. Bucolics and part of the Georges. In Greek Fish's Gr. and Buttermann as reference

Graeca Mayorn and Ken. Cyropedian The Mathematics was hardly worth mentioning Common Arithmetic and Days Algebra to Simple Equations. 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. Teasing 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 the famous Institution during the years 1835-36. Should have graduated from it prepared go 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 Louce & others, that we were requested to disband. (The reason given was that it brought shame on the school-- kept away Southern Students re. these were the days of mioles & proslavery violence continued? by "gentlemen of propriety & standing.") We did not see fit to disband, so were notified that our continued membership was no longer desired. So we left after publishing a statement.

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That is the reason why my name & that of S? Stickeny Eaton & nearly fifty more may not be found among the graduates. But we did practically graduate & went thence without further preparation & were recd into the Colleges to which we applied. I went to Oberlin- Ohio & was admitted as a member of the Freshman Class. I graduated from Oberlin (old in the autumn of 1840. Entered the Theol. Sem. at New-Haven & staid there one year spent the [?] years of Theol. Study at Oberlin. [?] 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 Wisconsin I have won no higher or dearer honor than that of being an [?] of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am now 63 years of age. More joyful & [?] in Spirit than when a youth at your school. Pretty nearly worn out by over 30 years of solid preaching, but my heart is strong tho my hands are weak. I have rejoiced in all my [?] no complement? boys like a successful ministry But souls age a minister's proper time. The salary a [??]. I send you greetings from the Pacific shore where I am sitting now waiting the boat which is to bear me to the better [?] S. Bristol