Joseph Clemens - Education

Education

In 1890, at the age of 28, he entered Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania after probable preparation at the Williamsport Seminary, which was a secondary school and a source of Dickinson students at the time. While at Dickinson, Joseph took the basic courses and studied to be a missionary. Among his courses of study were Dutch, German, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, as well as Physics, Chemistry, Analytical Geometry, Political Economics, English Literature and Psychology. While at Dickinson, he was a member of the Sigma-Phi chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and he wrote one of the yearly histories for the fraternity. He was the treasurer for the Union Philosophical Society and exhibited his religious zeal by being the treasurer of the Dickinson Prohibition Club. He played in the College orchestra and sang in the College choir. He was also a member of the Democratic committee at the college YMCA and the class poet.

Pointing to his eventual missionary status, he was a member of the Missionary department at the College YMCA and the corresponding secretary of the Williamsport Seminary Club. While at Dickinson, he passed most of his time with his involvement in his many activities4. He also played checkers, wrote letters to friends, acquaintances, family, church, and, of course, to his fiancé, Mary Knop Strong of Muncy County, and studied. Many of his weekends were spent traveling to Williamsport to spend time with Mary.