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Frankfort [Kentucky], Nov. 27, 1848

Gentlemen,

I suppose most, if not all of you are surprised at my leaving the Preparatory School of Centre College so suddenly. I have a few words to say by way of apology for this course of conduct, which some of you probably have pronounced wrong. I considered, in the first place, that the school consisted of only eighteen students; and therefore if the whole department were lopped off, there would be a saving of money to the institution: for it has been suggested to me more than once, by high authority, that the Preparatory ought to support itself. I have no desire to be burdensome to any individual or corporation, by living on a sinecure. I see now, that I have erred in one point; that is, in not memorializing the board, at some of their meetings, on the subject of building a respectable house for the department. If I had done this, and had succeeded in obtaining a good house, I could have made the School support itself. From what I could gather however, in conversation with individuals concerned, I had no hope of success in such an undertaking. I therefore did not attempt it. In the second place I did not leave the school without a substitute. For the first two weeks a young man took charge of it, who was a graduate of the institution; and had studied theology besides, and was licensed to preach. I mention this last circumstance, because it is presumable there from that the young man had not only the learning, but the natural talents to fit him for imparting instruction. This young man thought it prob-

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able that after an interval of two weeks he would be willing to take charge of the school temporarily, until a permanent teacher might be appointed. During all but two days of the above named interval, another young man heard the recitations, who, so far as I could learn by inquiry, gave satisfaction to those whom I knew to be among the best scholars in the school. He was willing to teach the school until a permanent teacher should be appointed, and agreed to do so, if the young gentleman first alluded to would not. So here was a certainty behind a strong probability. But he who could be depended on with certainty, was only a member of the Freshman class. I was not aware that any valid objection could be raised on that account, provided he taught well. The proof of the pudding, I thought, was in the eating of it; and not altogether, or even chiefly, in the reputation of the cook. So I hope, gentlemen, you will not censure me much for procuring him as a substitute, until you find, by an actual investigation, that he was really incompetent. I claim this as a right. I now come to the third circumstance, which induced me to believe that in leaving my post, I was doing the college but a slight injury, if any at all. Two students of the upper classes in college had been appointed to hear recitations in the Freshman: and if that could be done by the board of trustees, I thought surely a student of the College Proper, whom I knew to be an excellent scholar for his (stage of advancement) me position in college, might, with equal propriety hear the lesson in the Preparatory. I know this young man to be a Freshman as he was, to be a more accurate scholar than

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three fourths of the Sophomore, unless that class was better than it usually is. Furthermore, I thought that if neither of these young men would be acceptable, there could be found at least one more student in the Junior or Senior class, of sufficient scholarship, who would be willing to teach for a while. In the fourth place, the situation offered me, and to which, by the help of Providence, I am going, seemed to me quite desirable; and considering the many chances that were in favor of my place, in your school, being filled, to the satisfaction of any reasonable man, I could not see that justice, considered in relation to both parties, required me to hold on to the situation I occupied, at the expense of losing another so much better suited to my taste. I regret having to leave you in such haste; and would not have done so, except under very peculiar circumstances. The last point I have to speak on, is a settlement between us. I have been in the service of the college fourteen years and four months. My last year closed on the 25th of June last; up to which time there remains due to me, my salary for two quarters. From that time, to the time when I left, four months intervened; two of which were included in the vacation. Now, if you pay me by the calendar year regardless of the vacations, you owe me for three quarters and one month, amounting to $666.66; if you pay me by the college year, you owe me for two quarters and two months, $560.00. I am willing to abide by that mode of settlement which you have used in the case of other men under similar circumstances: professors Green and Breckinridge for instance. Returning you my thanks for the confidence reposed in me so long, I bid you, very respectfully, farewell.

James S. Graham

Board of trustees of Centre College

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Written on board of the steamer Blue Wing

Chairman of the board of trustees of Centre College. Danville, Ky.

[in different hand] Graham's resignation