Virginia Military Institute -- Curricula

Scope and Contents A chronological file, 1843-1848; 1865-1899, containing examples of academic department annual reports from the 19th century. These reports from the various academic departments were submitted to the Superintendent and help to document the early academic history of the Institute. This file includes early reports by John T. L. Preston (Languages), and Thomas H. Williamson (Engineering), as well as reports by other early faculty members. The series has many gaps; for example, none from the...

Scope and Contents A collection of 19th century cadet drawings (approximately 200 items) completed primarily as assignments for Professor Thomas H. Williamson's architecture, engineering, and drawing courses at the Virginia Military Institute. A few of the drawings were completed for a geometry course and other mathematics courses, or were not class assignments.Some of the geometry drawings are signed by the supervising professors, including e.g. Superintendent Francis H. Smith, who also...

Scope and Contents The collection consists of the Civil War correspondence (18 items) of James Henry Reid. Included are 13 letters from Reid to his parents written while he was a fourth classman at the Virginia Military Institute, August - November 1862. This correspondence contains many references to wartime cadet life, including use of the term "rat" as a name for new cadets, hazing, uniforms, food, guard duty and other aspects of life ...

Scope and Contents The papers consist of Thomas H. Williamson's Civil War memoirs, in which he discusses the events that took place during his temporary assignment to the command of Major General Thomas J. (Stonewall) beginning in April 1862; lecture notes (1850's) used in teaching his engineering and architecture courses at the Virginia Military Institute; 2 copies of the textbook written by Williamson for use at VMI, An Elementary Course of Architecture and Civil Engineering;...