The address of Francis Van Dyke dated June 16, 1868 and codified as “Dr. Van Dyke’s Address Before Trustees and Alumni of Rutgers College” is in the Special Collections section of Rutgers Alexander Library. Van Dyke spoke of his days at Queen’s College Grammar School (chartered with Queens College in 1766 and now Rutgers Preparatory School and Rutgers University respectively).
He recalled crossing the College Campus around May 1, 1823, “Half a dozen sickly stunted trees ‘tis true, unscientifically planted in their beds of shale and gravel, vegetation without growing at magnificent distances from each other, leaving us ample room, under the broad canopy of the sky, to play our game of corner ball. The grounds were surrounded and divided into three parts by a rough board fence, except in front, where the enclosure and intersecting lines, were drawn by a white washed paling, not always in good repair…”
An explanation of corner ball:
http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/summer/ball/cornerball.htm
He recalled crossing the College Campus around May 1, 1823, “Half a dozen sickly stunted trees ‘tis true, unscientifically planted in their beds of shale and gravel, vegetation without growing at magnificent distances from each other, leaving us ample room, under the broad canopy of the sky, to play our game of corner ball. The grounds were surrounded and divided into three parts by a rough board fence, except in front, where the enclosure and intersecting lines, were drawn by a white washed paling, not always in good repair…”
An explanation of corner ball:
http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/summer/ball/cornerball.htm
Last edited:
