BATES COLLEGE “Uncle Johnny” Stanton to Rev. George S. Dickerman: 3 Autograph Letters Signed and 3 Signed Note Cards, 1900–1910

Item Details

Small manuscript group comprising three autograph letters signed (ALS) and three signed note cards from Jonathan Y. Stanton (1834–1918), beloved professor of Greek and Latin at Bates College, addressed to Rev. Dr. George Sherwood Dickerman (1839–1933), Yale alumnus, Congregational minister, and Southern education reformer. Letters are on Bates College letterhead and span the final decade of Stanton’s life.

These warm, philosophical, and deeply personal letters reflect Stanton’s lifelong devotion to education, faith, and friendship. In the 4-page letter of Dec. 31, 1910, Stanton shares thoughts on literary taste, good reading, and the moral fiber of the young. The Jan. 4, 1901 letter offers comfort in grief and muses on the nature of loss. The April 15, 1903 letter thanks Dickerman for a volume and discusses its spiritual and intellectual value. The three signed note cards extend greetings and thanks, each bearing Stanton’s distinctively gentle and sincere tone.

Jonathan Y. Stanton—“Uncle Johnny” to generations of Bates students—served the college for over five decades (1863–1906), leading classical instruction, debate, and ornithology walks. His influence endures in the Stanton Bird Club and the long-running tradition of the Stanton Ride. Dickerman, honored with a Bates D.D. in 1895, was a key figure in the American Missionary Association and Southern Education Board, committed to advancing African American education during the post-Reconstruction era.

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