2. The Colleges of New York. The earliest efforts for the establishment of a college within the bounds of New York were made in the city of New York, and resulted finally in the founding of King's College. It was for a long time a reproach, which some of the inhabitants felt very deeply, that, whereas Massachusetts had founded a college at Cambridge in 1650, and Connecticut a college at New Haven in 1701, New York, which was richer and more prosperous than either, had made no serious movement in this direction before 1746. The reason for this backwardness may probably be found in the fact that the population of New York was of a more mixed character, and that a much smaller proportion of men of liberal education was to be found among its people than in New England. It was said that in 1746 there were in the province, outside of the clergy, only thirteen men who had taken a degree, and for many years there were but two. But, in 1746, a movement was begun by the passage of an act by the Colonial Legislature for holding a lottery, under which the sum of £2,250 was raised toward founding a college. Other sums were raised from subsequent lotteries, and by the appropriation of excise money, and from private benefactions. Trinity Church, which had received the valuable grant of the "King's Farm" for the support of institutions of religion and education, made over a part of this grant to the Trustees of the college. In 1754 the charter of incorporation was granted, and the institution began its career. During the troubles of the Revolution the college was suspended, its property in part sacrificed, and its Faculty and Trustees scattered. Hence, at the close of the war, it was necessary to begin almost anew. In the acts passed for the establishment of the University of New York, in 1784 and 1787, provision was made for re-incorporating the college and restoring all the rights and immunities secured to it in its original charter. As the subsequent college charters in the State usually conferred "all the rights and privileges enjoyed by Columbia College," it may be useful to enumerate briefly the provisions of its charter. 1. The number of Trustees is fixed at twenty-four, with power, in case of vacancy, to elect successors. 2. All the property of the old corporation (1754) is vested in the new, and it is empowered to take over the buildings, grounds and equipments before held by the Governors of Kings' College. 3. The Board of Trustees is empowered to appoint a President, to hold his office during good behavior, and to appoint Professors and Tutors, to hold office during the pleasure of the Trustees. 4. The Board of Trustees is empowered to make ordinances for the government of the college. 5. The Board of Trustees is empowered to grant such degrees "as are usually granted by any or either of the universities of England." The next step in founding colleges in the State was taken in 1795, when Union College was chartered by the Regents of the University. The first application for this college was made in 1792, but it was denied on the ground that sufficient funds had not been procured. Again, in 1794, the Academy at Schenectady applied to be erected into a college, under the provisions of the act of 1787, but this was denied on the ground that its literary and financial condition did not warrant it. Finally, in 1795, a proposition, satisfactory to the Regents, was made and a charter was granted, with provisions similar to those of Columbia College. Full university powers were given to "grant all such degrees as are known to and usually granted by any university or college in Europe." Following this, many other applications for college charters were made, but most were denied on the ground of insufficient funds. The Board of Regents pursued a conservative policy, and resisted the imprudent zeal of those who desired to fill the State with weak colleges. In 1795 an application for a college at Albany was denied. The same fate awaited the applications, in 1802, for a college in Cayuga or Onondaga county; in 1804 for a college at Kingston and from the Kingston Academy to confer degrees; in 1809 for a college at Fairfield, in 1811 for a college at Kingston, and for Hamilton-Oneida Academy to be made a college, and many others in subsequent years. Several charters for colleges were granted, but upon terms as to funds, buildings, etc., which were never complied with, and hence failed. The next college to secure a sufficient foothold to justify a charter was Hamilton College. The application was granted on condition that funds to the amount of $50,000, exclusive of investments in buildings, should be received. This was accomplished in 1812, and a charter, in all respects similar to that of Union College, was granted. Following this came, in 1822, an application to bestow on Geneva Academy a college charter; this was granted on condition that in three years adequate buildings and funds, yielding an annual revenue of $4,000, should be received. This was accomplished so far that, in 1824, a fund of $60,000 was reported and the charter was granted. With these institutions established, the Board of Regents were disposed to rest satis fied, and to resist the pressure for further charters until these proved inadequate for the wants of the State. Columbia College might be regarded as providing sufficiently for the city of New York and the regions adjacent; Union College aud Hamilton College for the eastern and central parts of the State, and Geneva College for the west. Down to 1831 the Legislature had incorporated no colleges. It had left this duty to the Board of Regents, who, under the authority granted to it, had established, as conditions of incorporation, rules as to endowment and suitable equipment of the institutions. These rules had nipped many budding enterprises, and repressed into the category of academies many that aspired to the dignity of colleges. The pressure was finally brought to bear upon the Legislature, and, for the next thirty or forty years, most of the new institutions sought charters directly from the Legislature. In some cases, as in the case of the Cornell University, the circumstances were such as to justify and require legislative intervention; but very many of the charters were sought from this source, because the requirements imposed by the Board of Regents, as to endowment, could not be complied with. The first institution to be chartered by the Legislature was the University of the city of New York, in 1831. The plan proposed was, in some respects, novel. The institution was to be a stock corporation, with shares of $100 each. It was to be governed by a Council elected by the shareholders. This Council, by the charter, was invested with corporate powers, and, as a university, was empowered to grant all degrees. It was to be subject to the visitation of the Regents. Under its university powers it established a Medical Department and a Department of Law, Madison University at Hamilton, and St. John's College at Fordham, were each chartered by the Legislature in 1846. All were granted similar powers, and made subject to the visitation of the Regents. The subsequent incorporations will be given in the statistical sum mary. STATE AID TO COLLEGES. In its early history the State assisted liberally in the establishment and the support of these pioneer colleges; but the greater and more pressing demands for popular education gradually gained the ear of the Legislature and taxed the liberality of the State. The generous spirit in which the great State has treated its colleges, especially its early colleges, is worthy of being here recounted. The following summary includes the grants so far as ascertained. In respect to the grants by lotteries, the sums realized did not always correspond to the amounts named, sometimes being in excess and sometimes falling short; 1. Columbia College: Grants to King's College by lotteries and excise Grants of land, including botanical garden†........ $17,358 83,647 39,125 $140,130 Total.... 2. Union College: Grants by lotteries, 1805 and 1814.. $280,000 8. College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York; Lotteries.. $15,000 Converted into approximate value in dollars according to the rates of exchange pre valling at the time ↑ For which the State paid Dr. Hosack $74 268 75. 9. Fairfield Medical College: Grant from sales of land, 1812... $10,000 Annual grant for five years, 1820, $1,000.... 5,000 Total..... $15,000 $25,000 10. University of Rochester, grant 1857.... PLANS OF STUDY. - It will be interesting to trace briefly the progress of the educational system which grew up in these colleges. The origin of the plan of study in our American colleges must be sought in the English and Scotch universities, from which came the educated men of the English colonies. They brought with them their ideas of organization, discipline and instruction. The studies were therefore what were common in the English and Scotch institutions of the time. These were Latin, Greek, mathematics and natural philosophy. In the earliest report from the visitors to Columbia College (1788), it is stated that "the students are regularly instructed in the Latin and Greek languages, geography, natural and moral philosophy and the mathematics." In 1793, it is reported that Columbia College has established a "professorship of chemistry, natural history and agriculture." We copy from the statutes of Union College for 1802 the course of study prescribed: "The Freshman Class shall study the Latin, Greek and English languages, arithmetic, Sheridan's Lectures on Elocution, and shall write such Latin exercises as the Faculty shall appoint. "The Sophomore Class shall study geography, algebra, vulgar and decimal fractions, the extraction of roots, conic sections, Euclid's Elements, trigonometry, surveying, mensuration of heights and distances, navigation, logic, Blair's Lectures, and such parts of eminent authors in the learned languages as the officers in college shall prescribe. "The Junior Class shall study the elements of criticism, astronomy, natural and moral philosophy, and shall perform such exercises in the higher branches of mathematics as the Faculty shall prescribe. "The Senior Class shall study select portions of ancient and modern history, such parts of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding as the President shall direct, Stewart's Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Mind, and shall review the principal studies of the preceding years, and also such portions of Virgil, |