THE YOUNG PROFESSOR 141 



well as Coleoptera. There is nothing new in the town except a grand 

 flare-up between Marcia Watts & her friends because she would 

 dance with George Knox in presence of her father & Mother. No 

 news from grandmother since she left. Cousin Montgomery is here 

 keeping the juvenile Biddies in order. When next you write to 

 Phila. give my love to all the people there and ask John Townsend 

 what became of those birds of Fremont's. . . . 



On the day before Commencement at Dickinson 

 College, July 8th, Baird was elected full Professor of 

 Natural History, with all rights and privileges thereunto 

 appertaining, and took his seat with the Faculty during 

 the subsequent Commencement exercises. His cousin 

 Alexander Penrose was in the graduating class. Two 

 days later he attended his first Faculty meeting. Previous 

 to his election as Professor he had given some instruction 

 both in the Preparatory, or Grammar School, associated 

 with the College, and to classes in the College itself, 

 but not any regular courses. 



Reading between the lines of the Journal one realizes 

 that a tacit if not formal engagement had existed between 

 him and Mary Churchill for some time, though there is 

 no record of it. Colonel Churchill having been ordered 

 to Mexico and being at New Orleans on his way, was 

 appealed to by the young people, and not in vain. August 

 2nd a letter of consent was received from him and they 

 were made happy. The following letter to his brother 

 Will at Reading details the circumstances: 



From Spencer F. Baird to William M. Baird. 



CARLISLE, Aug. 4 1846. 

 DEAR WILL, 



I do not suppose that you will be much surprised at my telling 

 you that I am engaged to be married, since you knew that already; 

 but that it is to come off next Saturday will probably make you 



