Address delivered before the Literary Society of Madison College, Uniontown, Pa., February, 1851. by Ball, Rev. R. H. ; President of the College - 1852

Baltimore: Methodist Protestant Book Rooms. Very Good-. 1852. First Edition. Pamphlet. 10 pages; Contents clean and secure in original printed wrappers. Library of Congress Surplus release stamp on front wrapper, faint Smithsonian Institution stamp on titlepage. On the front wrapper, a previous owner has corrected the last digit of the printed date of the Address to "1852" from "1851" OCLC 936400430 Madison College was an educational institution in Uniontown, Pennsylvania first established and operated by the Methodist Episcopal Church, but by 1850 it had ceased operations and the buildings and materiel were transferred to the Methodist Protestant Church. During the spring and summer, 1851, the new Board of Trustees made plans to begin classes in the autumn of that year. In July it was announced the Reverend R.H. Ball of Virginia had been chosen as president and professor of mental and moral philosophy. For a number of years Ball had operated a "female classical academy" in Baltimore. He was described as a fine scholar, admirable teacher, and excellent man. The academic program at Madison College included thepreparatory department, as well as college instruction. The course of study in the preparatory department, which was designed to prepare students for admission to college classes. The college curriculum focused upon the classics, but also devoted considerable attention to the sciences, philosophy, and English. Students were permitted the use of President Ball's fine library, and the science courses were enriched through utilization of "a large chemical, physiological, and astronomical apparatus" which the college acquired. Madison College functioned effectively as an institution ofhigher learning in the early 1850s; however, during the first year (1851-52) an incident occurred at the college which involved a few of the students and President Ball. Ball considered some of the resolutions adopted by the literary society to be disrespectful to himself and to the college. When the students refused to retract their statements they were dismissed. The students appealed to the board of trustees for redress, but that body, confronted by threats of faculty resignations, refused to reverse the disciplinary action. Shortly after this incident a conflict developed between Ball and several faculty members and Ball resigned. Several others filled that office during the tumultuous years of the mid-1850s during which slavery and other divisive issues roiled the campus and the Board of Trustees. The College was closed during the winter of 1857-58. Rev. Ball had successfully been appointed President of the Central Female College of Culloden, Georgia, by the Conference. .