Chronology of declining student body and class size:

May 1861 Junior class leaves Davidson upon permission from President Kirkpatrick (Davidson)
Fall 1861 Only 29 students enrolled (Shaw, 104)
Spring 1862 Classes stop in May because all students have gone home
1862-1863 School opens preparatory section for younger students; 24 college students, 54 students in preparatory school (Beaty, 107)
1863-1864 32 college students; 49 preparatory students (Shaw, 108)
Spring 1864 Draft age lowered to 17; Only 8 college students and 16 preparatory students remain enrolled (Shaw, 108)
Fall 1864 10 college students and 30 preparatory students enrolled (Shaw, 109)
Spring 1865 Confederate army surrenders; all but a few students return home (Shaw, 109)
1866-1867 22 college students and 7 preparatory students enrolled (Shaw, 118)
1868-1869 Davidson College begins recovering from effects of war; student body up to 121 students (Catalogue, 1868-1869)

 

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For questions about the project, contact Shireen Campbell