But William Smith was not " too Sanguine in favour of the young gentlemen," who formed the first graduating class and which proved such an exemplar to its successors. Their individual merits, and the peculiar circumstances which made them the first children of this Alma Mater, call for some notice here before we proceed further in our narrative.
PAUL JACKSON, who was of Scotch-Irish descent the son of Samuel Jackson of Oxford, Chester County, who died in 1768, proceeded at once to the degree of Master of Arts, the first possessor of it on the University roll, became a Tutor in the Academy in April, 1752, and on 13 April, 1756, was appointed the Professor of Languages, and though thus a member of the Faculty became an alumnus with the Master's degree. To him was accorded, as we have seen, the honor of the Latin Salutatory at the Commencement. But within two years' time his health began to fail, and at the meeting of the Trustees, 9 May, 1758, it was voted that " Professor Jackson, for sometime past, having found himself consumptive, requested of the Trustees his Discharge from the care of the Latin School, and their Interest with the Governor to obtain for him a Commission in the Levies now raising for the Expedition against Fort Duquesne. At his pressing Instance, they not only consented to his Discharge, but those of the Trustees who were members of the Governor's Council, recommended him for a Captain's Commission, which the Governor conferred on him, and they have taken it into consideration how his Place shall be supplied; " which was done by the appointment the month following of Mr. John Beveridge. When Mr. Coleman desired release from being Clerk to the Trustees, Mr. Jackson was appointed 1 1 July, 1755, to succeed him much to the regret however of the reader of Mr. Coleman's clerkly and well written Minute. He lived but ten years after graduation, and he lies buried at St. Paul's, Chester, Pa., with the inscription on his stone: " Here lies Paul
