Boston Public Library - Electric Scotland

198 DAVID ALLISON, OF SACKVILLE, K. B.
1219. David Allison 6
[1120] (James Whidden,^ John^,
Josepb,^ William,^ John^). Prof. Allison was born at Newport,
Hants county, Nova Scotia, July 3, 1836. He was educated
at Halifax academy, and by a four 5^ears course at tbe
academy at Sackville, N. B., where he took the highest stand
as a student, at the Wesleyan university at Middletown,
Conn., where he pursued his collegiate course and graduated
in 1859 at the head of a large and brilliant class. For a short
time he taught at Stanstead, Quebec, then he returned to
Sackville, N, B., and was a teacher of the classics in the academy,
and was made professor of the classics on the establishment
of the college. In 1869 he succeeded Dr. Pickard in
the ijresidency, which he resigned in 1878 to take the superintendency
of education for the province of Nova Scotia.
That position he held until Oct. 31, 1891. He was reappointed
president of the university at Sackville in June, 1891,
and entered upon the duties of the position in November, ] 891.
The eminent ability with which he filled these various positions
furnishes an ample guaranty that there lies before him,
as president of Mount Allison university for the second time,
an administration of a most satisfactory nature. Among the
accepted and cherished traditions of that college are his exceptional
capacity as an instructor, and his power to impress him-
self for good on the heads and hearts of those under his
charge and influence. As a classical scholar he has rare
acquirements, and is noted for broad and tolerant views on
matters of ecclesiastical and political dispute. His power as
a preacher must not be omitted in enumerating the elements
which go to make up his educational and life record. Students
are unanimous in speaking with admiration of the
manly, thoughtful, and weighty discourses which strongly
impressed the hearts of his hearers, and often turned in the
right direction forever some young career that might, but for
those pregnant words, have ended in a lamentable failure.
Many there are that for these sermons alone, can say to him,
" It is better with me, it shall be better with me, because I
have known you." In the history of this branch of the Allison
family he has taken a deep and decided interest and furnished
much information to the author which is gratefully
acknowledged. He received the degree of A. B. and A. M.
from Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., and of LL. D.
from Victoria university, Coburg, Ontario, in 1871. He
married, June 18, 1862, Elizabeth Powell of New Brunswick,
a lady well qualified to grace the various circles in which her
husband's various positions have called her to move. She