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 Biddles 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. 
Car.isLe, 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 
