Help H-SC acquire a one of a kind treasure!

Why is this Trilogy so important for H-SC now?

In short - because the Bortz Library has seen these original artifacts  and wants them for its current early days research program.

From the desk of Dawnelle Ion, MLIS Bortz Archival & Digital Projects Librarian:

"Samuel Stanhope Smith was a Presbyterian minister and the first president of HSC from 1775 to 1779. After leaving Hampden-Sydney he went onto teach at the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University) and in 1795, he became the seventh president of that same school. During his time at Princeton, he taught many classes including moral philosophy, economics, and theology. These three books, were the “textbooks” of such classes. The books are student notes from Samuel Stanhope Smith’s lectures, all three written by the same student, which were then passed down to other students in a way that is very similar to school textbooks. The first page of each book has a clear provenance for the new owner, their residence, their graduating year, and the year it was used by said student. All three items were first used/created in 1806 and were used until 1811, shortly before Samuel Stanhope Smith was forced to resign as president in 1812.

This trilogy holds significant historical and academic value, offering profound insights into the intellectual legacy, not just of Princeton, but of Hampden-Sydney College and its enduring impact on the broader landscape of education. It is our belief that acquiring and preserving such rare treasures is essential to safeguarding the rich heritage of our history for future generations of scholars and enthusiasts. . . .

. . .  We, as well as separate alumni from the Prospero Society, enthusiastically support the College’s possession of these books. "Specifically, they would be a tremendous asset to the mentored individual student research that Prospero’s Brinkley Scholar program, just begun this spring in cooperation with the faculty and administration, is intended to encourage, delving into the College’s early history and curriculum."  

With this in mind, there is hope that more alumni will join together collectively to raise funds for the acquisition of the Samuel Stanhope Smith trilogy. Our goal is not only to secure these invaluable artifacts but also to ensure their permanent placement within the archives of Hampden-Sydney College, where they can serve as a source of inspiration and enlightenment for years to come. We recognize the importance of preserving our shared history and scholarly tradition and by joining forces in support of this endeavor, we can demonstrate our unwavering dedication to the preservation and promotion of intellectual excellence at HSC.

I have match pledged $5,000 towards this timeless treasure that is a "back to the future" opportunity for the college's next 250 years and beyond.Please join me in this worthy investment from our past to help insure our future! 

Feel free to contact Ms Ion at H-SC directly with any questions!

THE WALTER M. BORTZ III LIBRARY(434) 223-6190