This book summarizes the history of the first Randolph Macon College, and how it intertwined with the Boydton, Virginia, community. While in Boydton, almost 300 students took a degree. This book tracks the lives of these graduates, many from before college, after graduation, throughout their participation in the Confederate government or military, after the War, and for many, until death. In pursuing the research, the author came across an additional 100 men who had attended RMC, and their stories are included as well, along with the chaplains for the college chapel, the tutors for the college students and all adjunct and full-time faculty for the 38 year period. The graduates include 52 college presidents and numerous members of Congress. Many leaders of society, education and politics began their careers at RMC.

Former psychology researcher and writer, John Caknipe, Jr., is an adjunct professor of psychology at Southside Virginia Community College in South Boston, Virginia. He lives in Clarksville, Virginia.

John Caknipe, Jr.
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 340
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7946-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1602-5
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Preface and Acknowledgments 1

Prologue 5

1. The Building of a Community 7

2. The Auxiliary Programs of a Country College: Involving the Community 41

3. A House Is Only as Good as the Foundation 68

4. The 25th Anniversary Reunion 86

5. Go Forth and Sow the Fruits of Thy Labor 101

6. Pranksters to Professors—The New Regime 130

7. The Military Institute and Those War Years 157

8. A Broader View of Some of the Faculty 173

9. The War Years 186

10. A Procrustean Analysis 203

11. Boydton Has a Voice 219

Epilogue 230

Appendix A: Salute to the Class of 1861 231

Appendix B: Roll of Honor 244

Appendix C: Faculty and Graduates of Randolph Macon College, Boydton, Virginia 276

Appendix D: Randolph Macon Cemetery 287

Chapter Notes 291

Bibliography 304

Index 315