Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

James Semple's Views on Promoting the Good of the College, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries

Biographical / Historical

Scope and Contents

On July 6, 1825, William & Mary law professor, James Semple, submitted his views on how to promote the good of the College to Board of Visitors member and alumnus John Tyler. He's responding to what appears to be a call by the Board of Visitors to the faculty to offer suggestions for how to improve the state of the school and bring it back to its "former standing." His views are submitted in draft form and include strikeouts and changes he made. He suggests ending the term in early June, rather than the 4th of July. He also suggests reducing student tuition to make it more affordable to attend. He writes, "expenses of the students should be reduced so low as to enable parents of moderate fortunes to send their sons to College." He then goes into detail as to how the College can cut student expenses. Additional suggestions include, but are not limited to, establishing a Grammar School, repeal the resolution which authorizes and requires W&M's president to oversee the conduct of professors, and allowing faculty to determine if students can stay or have to leave due to behavior.

Related Material

University Archives Faculty-Alumni File Collection

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• College of William and Mary--Faculty
• College of William and Mary--History--19th century
• College of William and Mary.
• College of William and Mary. Board of Visitors.
• Tuition
• Tyler, John, 1790-1862

General

Removed from the Faculty-Alumni File collection in June 2016