Transcribe Ward, Henry A. Letter to Orton, James (1852-04-19)

nwh Rochester Apr. 19. "82 My dear friend Orton,

       I propose the morrow to pack up a box

of specimens & send you, & after packing I shall wish to write a little about them. I concluded to write a few words tonight, about myself to send in the same letter. I am, as you see at home spending a fort night's vacation. Our closing exercises at Geneseo passed off pleasantly. On the last afternoon we had orations & in the evening an adress by Bishop Van Rensaleer of Philad.

       There were some prizes given, one of which pleased me in

particular. It was a splendid copy of the gospels, English bound & Illuminated on the fly leaf of which was written "To H. A. Ward for proficiency in the evidences of christianity."

      No student can take more than one prize & on some

accounts I should have preferred to take that prize in Geology & uncle told me afterwards that I would have done, but that the "examining committees" said that it was unfair as I had evidently been studying Geology & <u>chemistry all my life. So much for prizes, yet to be frank I must add that they tells better at home than therefrom the fact that here were quite a large number of them given. Miss Howell took the prize in Geology & on the whole I was glad of it, both for her saake & because it's influence, as far as it goes, will be to induce ladies to study the science. I finished arranging the minerals cabinet with perfect success. Prof Nichols gave me $15. with which i got an old book library fixed & painted up admirably. I arranged the minerals according to Dana.