Charles Lewis Cocke, Founder of Hollins CollegeSmith, William Robert Lee
History
Charles Lewis Cocke, Founder of Hollins College
Smith, William Robert Lee
Cocke, Charles Lewis, 1820-1901; Hollins College
A careful examination of the catalogues and school registers of the
early years leads us to believe that by June, 1896, when Mr. Cocke
delivered his semi-centennial address, he had seen under training at
Hollins not fewer than 5,000 young women. To the privileges of the
school he had welcomed the children and grandchildren of his first
pupils. As terms of study closed, what did this host of girls think of
the Head of the Institution? Today in thousands of homes throughout the
nation, the name of Hollins unseals, as by magic, a well-spring of
precious and tender reminiscence. With unanimous devotion, the girls who
knew him, honored and loved the name of Charles L. Cocke. Hardly did
Tinker and Dead Man Mountain loom so large to them as the form of the
venerable man. They honored him because he was strict and absolutely
just; because he held high standards of school decorum and culture, and
insisted on hard work. He was too honorable to take the daughters of
patrons, and allow waste of time and opportunity. His stringent demands
may sometimes have caused irritation, but the good sense of the student
was certain to react to grateful recognition of his wisdom. The after
years never fail to evoke loving acknowledgment in the heart of a girl
whose teacher requires her to make good in her studies. The Hollins
girls loved Mr. Cocke because he was uniformly considerate and kind. The
fatherly interest in his heart, not one was allowed to doubt. Daily he
met them at the evening worship. Often has the visiting "old girl"
spoken of those unforgotten prayers. He welcomed them in his office,
listened to their requests, responding with sound advice and
encouragement. Arbitrariness and severity were foreign to his nature,
but all knew that the standards of conduct and study must be maintained.
How proud he was of the distinctions won by his girls! In the early
eighties five of them, in the English literature classes, took the
Shakespeare prize offered in London.
[Illustration: "GOOD MORNING, 'GYRLS'"]
The class room work was ever the major interest, but beyond this was a
large range of activity and diversion. In 1855 the Euzelian (Love of
Wisdom) Society was organized for debate, recitations and essays.
Increasing numbers in 1874 required the formation of the Euepian (Pure
Diction) Society. Still memorable are those exciting joint debates,
held occasionally by the Societies, along the years. In these latter
days, they have given place to other disciplines more in harmony with
the practical spirit of the age. Class organizations, Sororities, Clubs,
Student Government, the College "Spinster" and Magazine, monopolize the
spare hours. The Young Women's Christian Association maintains its
prominence and usefulness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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