Edgar Allan Poe came to the University at the age of 17 in early 1826. The school year ran from Feb. 1 to Dec. 15, and Poe began taking classes Feb. 14.
Poe was already very well educated -- much more so than most men at the time. He had private tutoring for most of his life both in the United States and England, and when he started college, Poe was already a sufficient scholar in French and Latin. It was his French tutor who urged Poe to attend the University.
Poe beseeched his foster father, John Allan, for the opportunity to attend the University. Allan agreed and gave Poe a lump sum payment for all his costs at the University. But this lump sum payment was not enough for comfortable living. Classes, room and board, tuition, food, laundry, cleaning and other expenses added up to more than Poe could afford. When his father denied him more money, Poe turned to Charlottesville merchants for loans.
Poe was an excellent student, but because of his financial woes, he could not sign up for the typical number of three classes. Instead, he took only two: Modern Languages (French) with George Blaettermann and Ancient Languages (Latin) with George Long. A great athlete who loved to lead hikes, Poe also was a member of the
Jefferson Literary and Debating Society.
Unable to repay his loans to merchants, Poe resorted to
gambling -- but he was not a cunning card player. When he left the University in late December 1826, he had fallen into $2,000 of debt.
Today, Poe's room is on display at 13 West Range. But none of the furniture there was his -- since he could not afford firewood, he burned his furniture to stay warm.
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