CHAPTER IV

COLLEGE GRADUATION-ENGAGEMENT

1832-1839

It was probably in the autumn of 1832, after the incident related in the last chapter, that Henry Richards, while continuing, for a time. at least, to live at his uncle's house, became a student of the "Granville Literary and Theological Institution." This ambitious title designated an academy founded in the preceding year by the Baptist denomination of Ohio. It has since passed through the successive stages of evolution indicated by the titles of "Granville College" and "Denison University," under which last name it remains the chief pride of the little village. Henry's younger brother William had preceded him in the Academy, entering with the first class and beginning immediately, with about a dozen other lads, mostly intimate friends or relatives, his preparation for college. Here the boys enjoyed the advantage of excellent drilling, especially in languages. The Reverend John Pratt, first President of the Institution, was a thorough and systematic teacher of the old school.

When after two years of diligent study Henry was ready to make a new trial of Kenyon College, he received from Mr. Pratt a most flattering testimonial to his estimable character and manners, fine talents and praiseworthy industry. He was guaranteed as well qualified for the standing of Freshman in the best colleges.

In the autumn of 1834, being then about twenty years of age, Henry Richards again presented himself at the doors of Kenyon College and claimed admission to the Freshman class. It was characteristic of the young man that he did not present the very favorable testimonial received from President Pratt of the Granville Institution, which still remains among his papers, preferring instead to submit himself to an examination. He was confident of passing with credit and was proud of his teachers, believing with reason that there were few professors more thorough in drilling their pupils in first principles, especially in the grammars of the languages, than those in the village academy under Mr. Pratt. His confidence was not disappointed, and he was informed after the examination that his perfect familiarity with the Latin and Greek grammars was considered remarkable.

On his return to Kenyon, Henry found great changes effected in the interval of four years.

The venerable Bishop Chase, founder of the college, had resigned not only the Presidency, but his see as well, and his place had been taken by Bishop McIlvaine, a young clergyman of fine address, attractive style of preaching and thoroughly evangelical views. New buildings had been erected, Commons had been abolished, the slovenly and disedifying maid servants had been dismissed, and a general improvement was visible on all sides in the external appearance and internal arrangements and government of the college.

The four years of study that followed were naturally not very eventful. Henry was fond of his books and studied scarcely more from his profound sense of duty and conscience, his characteristic trait throughout life, than from a genuine pleasure in intellectual work. He liked Latin better than Greek, and Mathematics better than either. Geometry, as exercising the reasoning powers, seems to have had an especial attraction for him. He complains of the limitations of his memory and tells how his room mate and most intimate friend, Munson of Connecticut, would come in from Greek recitation, lean up against the window casing, look over the lesson for the following day for some fifteen or twenty minutes, then close his book with a bang and throw it on the table, exclaiming: "There, that lesson is got!" and

forthwith run out of doors to take part in sports, while Richards was painfully thumbing his dictionary. Yet in spite of this difference, which was chiefly in memory, Henry took the honors of his class. Towards the end of his first year he writes to his father: "We are getting along finely in our studies. Have read one book (180 odd chapters) in Herodotus and commenced Homer, which is assigned in the regular course to the Sophomore year. To the 36th chapter of the 3d book of Livy and about half through the 8th book of Legendre. I assure you it keeps me very busy. We are required to write compo. every other week, besides Society duties." In conduct he was exemplary, as became a "professor of religion" and one who even contemplated the ministry, and his name was never connected with any students' scrape or boyish disorder. On the other hand, he was a leader in amusements of a higher kind, as well as in the serious religious life of the student body. His old love of music had not deserted him. During his stay in his uncle's employ, he had purchased a flute, and learned, without a teacher, to play upon it with taste and some degree of skill. Once while he was thus engaged, his uncle impatiently exclaimed: "Put up that flute and don't let me hear you play it any more. I never knew a musician who was good for anything else!"

With his usual persistence in what he thought to be right and good, Henry declined to discontinue his musical efforts or to adopt his uncle's sweeping proposition as universally true, though he admits in his notes that when applied to musical geniuses, it is confirmed by his own lifelong observation. Such persons, he believed, are endowed with so overpowering a development of the musical faculty that it throws the mind out of balance and unfits the man for the sober, every-day duties of life. Some time after his entrance to Kenyon, the college band was organized, and Henry proved a useful member, playing, at successive periods, upon the flute, the bassoon, the trombone and the bass viol, and occasionally trying the flageolet. Somewhat later, when his theological course had begun, the ecclesiastical students were assigned rooms in one of the professors' houses, pending the completion of the new seminary building, Bexley Hall. Here Mr. Odiorne, the "Agent" of the institution, lived in bachelorhood, and to amuse himself had purchased a parlor organ. Mr. Richards, popular and beloved of the professors as of all others, was permitted to practice on it at will.

In all the religious societies, devotional meetings and active works of zeal carried on in the college, Henry took an earnest part from the very beginning. His remarks on one of these