This year, the anniversary year of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, was to prove the turning point in the financial history of the College. The movement towards the increase of the endowment was not general, but it was in the right direction. The first subscription was for $1,000, as in 1855; it was made by Mr. E. M. Tilley, of Berkley, Va., a Northern man living in that town, not then a member of the Methodist Church. The larger part of the funds raised was from the Norfolk district, apart from the subscription made by members of the Board at the annual meeting, June, 1884, which amounted to $9,000. From this time forward the increase of the capital of the College has been steady, and, at times, very material and gratifying. [Illustration: JAMES A. DUNCAN, D. D., _Sutherlin Medalist; Holston Conference._] The Virginia and Baltimore Conferences had, at their last session, directed that all funds raised this Centennial year should, unless otherwise specially noted, go towards the endowment fund of the College. At the annual meeting the following received degrees: A. M. THOMAS D. NEWSON, Virginia. A. B. R. H. BENNETT, Virginia. JAMES CANNON, Jr., Maryland. N. H. ROBERTSON, Virginia. THEODORE H. WHITE, Virginia. James A. Duncan, of Virginia, won the Sutherlin medal. James Cannon, Jr., of Maryland, won the Pace medal. The number of matriculates for the session of 1883-'84 was 108. [Illustration: JAMES CANNON, JR., _Of Maryland; Pace Medalist; President Blackstone Institute._] 1884-1885. The session of 1884-'85 opened with 111 students. The President, in his annual report, said it was one of the most satisfactory that had occurred during his administration. Five new dormitories had been built to take the place of old ones. Steps were taken to build new houses for two Professors. He reported the acceptance of the chair of Greek and the Oriental Languages by Dr. Richard M. Smith, to which he had been elected at the last annual meeting. [Illustration: DR. RICHARD M. SMITH, PH. D. (LEIPZIG), _Professor of Greek and the Oriental Languages (1885-1896)._] The following received degrees, June, 1885: A. M. R. H. BENNETT, Virginia. JAMES M. PAGE, Virginia. HARRY LEE STUART, Texas. A. B. WM. H. BARLEY, Virginia. EUGENE H. RAWLINGS, Virginia. F. P. HAMMOND, Maryland. CLAUDE A. SWANSON, Virginia. _Sutherlin Medalist_.--THOMAS F. SHERRILL, of North Carolina. _Pace Medalist_.--JAMES M. PAGE, of Virginia. At a called meeting, held in Centenary Church, Richmond, Va., May 19, 1886, the following letter of resignation was laid before the Board: "Bishop A. W. Wilson, President of the Trustees of Randolph-Macon College: