COMPILER'S NOTE
 

Previous to 1876 the names of the Alumni of the Seminary were pub¬
lished in Triennial Catalogues without biographical details. In 1876 there
appeared the first edition of the Alumni Catalogue compiled by the late
Eev. Edwin Francis Hatfield, D.D., for many years Stated Clerk of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Later editions appeared in
1886, 1898, 1908, and 1918, under the present editorship. These were com¬
piled on the original plan, simply with the incorporation of new material and
additional records. The edition of 1918 departed from the previous practice
in giving details as to the members of the Faculty and of the teaching
force from the beginning. In only three eases were these records, cov¬
ering 109 names, inadequate.

Numerous chaiiges have been made in the records, based on information
furnished by individuals. In each ease a clipping from the last edition of
the Alumni Catalogue accompanied the inquiry-blank, and in this way a
larger degree of accuracy has been made possible. Every effort has been
made to secure replies directly from members of the alumni-body, and
only when repeated requests have met with no response, has recourse been
had to such data as might be secured from the minutes of ecclesiastical
bodies and the various clergy lists. In nearly all the cases where this has
been done, note of the fact is appended. The method is unsatisfactory, but
there was no alternative open.

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in the records. The proof
has been read with the utmost care, but in spite of all endeavors many
minor errors will have crept in. Where such a mass of details as to names
and figures is involved any other result is not to be expected. This is the
only excuse which the editor can offer, an excuse which the experienced
person will appreciate, though he will not need to have it stated.

Aside from the additional new matter incorporated in this edition, and
the correction of minor errors pointed out in the previous records, the old
material has been reproduced. No effort has been made to alter geographical
designations to make them correspond to present conditions. The names'
of States, Territories, and countries are given as they were when the record
was first made, not as they would appear if made today. Furthermore, no
serious attempt has been made to secure absolute and unvarying consistency
in notation. Each record is to be judged by itself without reference to
another record, perhaps its neighbor. In some cases this lack of consistency
is to be traced to the expressed desire of the individual rather than to the
inadvertence of the compiler.

New material received during the progress of the printing has been in¬
corporated, some of the later items as late as October, 1926.    It is a matter

579
 

I

I