Old Columbia
In June 1834, the Virginia Baptist Education Society of Richmond authorized the sale of Spring Farm. The Board wished to obtain property that was closer to the city and to public roads.Members of the Board authorized the purchase of a property known as Columbia from Mrs. Haxall. This property was about one mile from the western boundary of Richmond and about 1.5 miles from the State Capitol. It was developed to accommodate 60 students. Soon afterward, the Committee on Premises recommended the purchase of an additional six acres adjoining the property. By 1839, it totaled 14 acres and had an appraised value of $20,000.
The first session at Columbia enrolled 60 students, 20 of whom were ministerial students. Tuition was $35, while fees for room, board and washing totaled $65. William Chiles, John O. Turpin and Elias Dodson were the first students who succeeded in passing the senior finals and received the first certificates of graduation from the seminary in 1835.
Subsidizing the education of the ministerial students quickly became an issue. In 1837, the Education Society set our to raise $10,000 to pay off the Seminary's debt and improve operations. Members of the society donated initial gifts totaling about $1700.00.
In 1839, the faculty proposed new requirements for graduation. Four years were required to complete graduation requirements in the literary department, five years in the theological department. The need to raise faculty salaries in order to employ competent teachers was recognized. The salary for Principal Ryland was raised to $900. J. G. Barker, the first assistant, earned a salary of $700 and Joseph S. Walthall, second assistant, was paid $500. The Education Society had paid in full $12,700 worth of debt on the property and an additional $1,200 for improvements. Library holdings at this time were a mere 700 volumes.