Guide to the William Whitney Rice Orations, 1843-1850, undated
William Whitney Rice Orations, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine
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William Whitney Rice, son of the Reverend Benjamin and Lucy (Whitney) Rice, was born March 7, 1826, at Deerfield, Massachusetts. He prepared for college at Gorham Academy, Maine, and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1846. At Bowdoin he was a member of the Peucinian Society, Psi Upsilon, and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating he taught at Leicester Academy for four years, then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854. A public life followed as a judge in Worcester, Massachusetts, mayor of Worcester, and Massachusetts district attorney and congressman. Rice served as a Bowdoin overseer from 1870-1896 and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Bowdoin in 1886. He died on March 1, 1896, in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Seven holograph orations by William Whitney Rice, the bulk delivered in Maine and several delivered while a student at Bowdoin College, including an address for the 40th anniversary of the Peucinian Society in 1846.
1843, "Freshman Oration," Bowdoin College
1845 Aug, "The Ideal and its Influence," Bowdoin College ("Prize Theme")
1846 Feb, "The Ideal," delivered at Machias [Maine]
1846 Mar, Aug, "The Connection between Religion and the Arts," delivered in March for the 40th anniversary of the Peucinian Society [Bowdoin College] and in August for the 5th anniversary of the Adelphian Society, Gorham, Maine
1850, "Young Gentlemen of the Social Fraternity," delivered at Leicester Academy [Massachusetts]
n.d., Perverted intellect
n.d., "The True Reformer" [fragile]