In June, 1858, Prof. Lupton resigned the chair of Chemistry and Geology, which was subsequently supplied by the election of Prof. Bennett Puryear, of Richmond College. Dr. W. A. Smith again tendered his resignation, for reasons personal to himself. At the urgent solicitation of the students, the Alumni Society, and the Board, he withdrew his resignation. [Illustration: REV. RICHARD FERGUSON, _Virginia; Adjutant Eighteenth Va. Regiment._] Degrees were conferred as follows: A. B. BENJAMIN H. THACKSTON, Va. RICHARD FERGUSON, Va. VICTOR M. BRANDON, Va. RICHARD B. HOLSTEAD, Va. ROBERT S. ISBELL, Va. ALEX. MALLORY, Va. ROBERT MOORE, Va. CLAUDIUS G. PHILLIPS, Va. PITTMAN R. VENABLE, Va. RICHARD O. WYATT, Va. B. L. AND S. WALTER M. IRBY, Virginia. A. M. GEORGE E. BOOKER, Va. PETER A. MOSES, Ark. THOMAS A. GATCH, Va. ROBERT N. SLEDD, Va. JAMES C. HANES, Va. Prof. JOHN C. WILLS (Honorary), Randolph-Macon College. Students in College this session, 109; in Preparatory School, 16-total, 125. THE ENDOWMENT RAISED TO $100,000. At a called meeting of the Board December 27, 1858, the following action was taken: "The Board, being satisfied, from an examination of the bonds and subscriptions obtained by the agent, that the endowment fund of the College, in bonds, cash, and valid subscriptions, has been raised to and above one hundred thousand dollars; therefore be it "_Resolved_, That the following notice be given through the newspapers of the State, viz.: 'By order of the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College, at a meeting held this day, notice is hereby given to those persons who have contributed by bonds and subscriptions to increase the endowment of the College that the said fund has been raised to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars in bonds, cash, and valid subscriptions, that their obligations have become absolute, and it is hoped that they will discharge them, in order that the money may be invested in permanent form as soon as practicable.'" The herculean task of raising the largest endowment fund ever contributed to any college in Virginia or in the South up to this date by public subscription was thus confirmed. When it is considered that the larger part of this amount was contributed by individuals in sums ranging from five to one thousand dollars (the latter sum the largest contributed by one subscriber), the immense labor and difficulties of the undertaking may be, to some extent, estimated. But the large number of subscribers evidenced one gratifying fact, that after the subject of education had been ventilated in mass-meetings, the people had become interested in Christian education, and had given practical proof of that interest. [Illustration: HENRY B. COWLES, _Virginia Conference; Agent Randolph-Macon College._]