Letter from John Waddel to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey; June 23, 1865
Title
Letter from John Waddel to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey; June 23, 1865
Subject
College-student veterans; Mississippi. Governor; Sharkey, William Lewis, 1798-1873; University of Mississippi; Veterans.
Description
From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Sharkey Collection. Letter from John Waddel to Mississippi Governor William L. Sharkey urging Sharkey to reopen the University of Mississippi, as there are many former soldiers wanting to attend.
Creator
Waddel, John
Publisher
Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version); Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)
Date
1865-06-23
Contributor
Funding for this project provided by The Dale Center for Study of War and Society-USM, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Digital Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Watson-Brown Foundation
Rights
NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES; http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Language
English
Identifier
mdah_771-954-03-14
Coverage
1865
Text
Page 1:
Oxford, Miss., 23d June, 1865.
His Excellency, Wm. L. Sharkey, Gov. of Miss.
My dear Sir,
Your selection by Prest. Johnson, as Provisional Gov.r, has afforded me intense gratifica-tion; and I in common with all with whom I have conversed, hail it as an omen of favorable times for our ruined State.
Will you excuse a brief intrusion upon your valuable time, from a friend for the purpose of bringing to your notice the cause Education in our country; a cause justly dear to you and every Patriot?
I have been a good deal over the State since the close of the War, and I have been surprised a great and pervading anxiety on this subject among our people. The wish is universal that our system of Education should at once be re-inaugurated, so widely inter-rupted by this desolating War. In regard to the schools of Elementary instruction this will
Page 2:
be done at once wherever it may be possible. But I address you as Ex Officio Prest. of the Board of Trustees of University of Miss. in relation to that Institution more particularly.
1. There are returned soldiers who were students of College when the War commenced, whose education was interrupted and who now wish to complete it. They have no time to lose.
2. There are boys who have just been getting ready for College during the War—now just ready & anxious to enter College.
3. There is no College in a situation to impart such an Education, in Tenn., or Miss., or even in Ala., except this one.
4. The buildings with a slight repair, and the apparatus & museums & Cabinets, & Library, are all ready. They have not suffered by the desolations of the War.
The objections are mainly the scarcity of money, and the men to fill the chairs. As to the first, doubtless the State Treasury is empty, but tuition—fees would support a reduced faculty., & [strikethrough][unclear][strikethrough]as ^to^ 2d. Advertise & you
Page 3:
will recieve applications enough.
I have talked with several of the Trustees, & they earnestly desire a meeting to be called of the Board, & the University opened at the earliest possible period—say in July. If it should be deemed imprudent or im practicable formally to open the Institution authority might be given to [strikethrough] some [strikethrough] ^suitable^ parties to establish a High School in the Univ. buildings, for the present.
I will add that if it should meet the approbation of the Board I should be very willing to accept the position of chief of the faculty, to aid in resuscitating this noble Institution.
Excuse my brevity and understand that I only desire to call to your attention this great object. The matters of detail can all be arranged no doubt by the Board when called together.
Very truly & respectfully
Your friend
Jno. N. Waddel.
Oxford, Miss., 23d June, 1865.
His Excellency, Wm. L. Sharkey, Gov. of Miss.
My dear Sir,
Your selection by Prest. Johnson, as Provisional Gov.r, has afforded me intense gratifica-tion; and I in common with all with whom I have conversed, hail it as an omen of favorable times for our ruined State.
Will you excuse a brief intrusion upon your valuable time, from a friend for the purpose of bringing to your notice the cause Education in our country; a cause justly dear to you and every Patriot?
I have been a good deal over the State since the close of the War, and I have been surprised a great and pervading anxiety on this subject among our people. The wish is universal that our system of Education should at once be re-inaugurated, so widely inter-rupted by this desolating War. In regard to the schools of Elementary instruction this will
Page 2:
be done at once wherever it may be possible. But I address you as Ex Officio Prest. of the Board of Trustees of University of Miss. in relation to that Institution more particularly.
1. There are returned soldiers who were students of College when the War commenced, whose education was interrupted and who now wish to complete it. They have no time to lose.
2. There are boys who have just been getting ready for College during the War—now just ready & anxious to enter College.
3. There is no College in a situation to impart such an Education, in Tenn., or Miss., or even in Ala., except this one.
4. The buildings with a slight repair, and the apparatus & museums & Cabinets, & Library, are all ready. They have not suffered by the desolations of the War.
The objections are mainly the scarcity of money, and the men to fill the chairs. As to the first, doubtless the State Treasury is empty, but tuition—fees would support a reduced faculty., & [strikethrough][unclear][strikethrough]as ^to^ 2d. Advertise & you
Page 3:
will recieve applications enough.
I have talked with several of the Trustees, & they earnestly desire a meeting to be called of the Board, & the University opened at the earliest possible period—say in July. If it should be deemed imprudent or im practicable formally to open the Institution authority might be given to [strikethrough] some [strikethrough] ^suitable^ parties to establish a High School in the Univ. buildings, for the present.
I will add that if it should meet the approbation of the Board I should be very willing to accept the position of chief of the faculty, to aid in resuscitating this noble Institution.
Excuse my brevity and understand that I only desire to call to your attention this great object. The matters of detail can all be arranged no doubt by the Board when called together.
Very truly & respectfully
Your friend
Jno. N. Waddel.