Franklin Carter. President Of Williams College. bade them all good by, giving each of them a personal farewell." Garfield knew and loved them, though with less intimacy of knowledge and sympathy. They shared his devotion with other things. A variety of interests attracted him, some of which lay outside the college. Now and then he preached at a little church in a neighboring town. He taught a writing school in Pownal, to replenish his slender purse. Though he was a good general scholar and took particular satisfaction in debating societies, —finding time withal to conduct vigorous campaigns against the Greek letter fraternities, —in Dr. Hopkins's instruction undoubtedly constituted the most permanent and influential factor of his undergraduate life. At Commencement he delivered the metaphysical oration and discoursed upon a theme no less ample and exacting than "Matter and Spirit." The exercises lasted all day, and there were pronounced no less than twenty-seven orations, Garfield's speech being the twentieth on the list. It would seem that the orators did not impress the newspaper correspondents favorably. One of wrote that "there was nothing specially marked in the Fraternity Houses, Clockwise from upper left: Delta Psi, Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha, and Chi Psi. -- page 175 -- Previous Page | Next Page | Town of Williamstown Page | Berkshire County Western MA History & Genealogy

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