Robert E. Lee as a College President (1900)

[The following is an article from the Ring-tum Phi edition on March 10, 1900. It offers a brief description by a faculty member of Lee during his presidency. For more information, please see the full edition in W&L Special Collections.]

(Robert E. Lee on Traveller c. 1865 | Source: Library of Congress)

Professor A. L. Nelson entertained the students with some interesting reminiscences of General Lee when a college president.

He told of his coming to Lexington to enter upon the duties of his administration and the reception accorded him by the citizens.

This reception was not a noisy demonstration, there was no cheering, but as he rode along the Main Street on his well-known “Traveller” every head in the crowd which had assembled was bared out of respect.

With characteristic modesty, General Lee declined a public inauguration and in the presence of the members of the faculty took the oath of office.

He at once entered zealously on his duties and, having no private secretary, his large correspondence together with other college matters well occupied his time.

He had the old buildings repaired as soon as possible and extended the limits of the campus and in every way attended to the interests of the college.

He took great interest in the students and tried to become personally acquainted with each one.

He also mingled with the citizens and was often a welcome and entertaining guest at their homes.

With money donated he had the present chapel built under his supervision and there moved his office.

Besides his college duties, he was also a prominent member of the Episcopal church, being one of its vestrymen, and one of his last acts was to attend a vestry meeting.

By the recommendation of the faculty, he twice went south to recuperate his health, but it could not be permanently restored.

His last illness was sudden and he soon succumbed to it, leaving the faculty and every citizen of Lexington grief-stricken.

The funeral services took place in the college chapel, whither a long and mournful procession followed the bier immediately behind which the faithful “Traveller” who had so often bourne to victory his beloved master.