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Resolved, That the several committees take receipts from the Trustees of the respective Academies, for the books and apparatus which shall be delivered to them, for which they are to consider themselves as accountable to the Regents of the University.

Resolved, That each visiting committee transmit an account of the books and apparatus, which it is their intention to appropriate to the use of the Academy which they are appointed to visit, unto the Treasurer of the University, requesting him to import the same from Europe, as soon as he shall have received such account from six or more of the said committees; and for defraying the expense thereof, that the Treasurer retain in his hands so much of the money appropriated to each Academy as he may deem adequate to the pur chase of the books and apparatus intended for its use.

(Extract from the minutes.)

Secretary.

By a resolution passed March 25, 1834, the Regents ordained that before a charter should be granted to any Academy or school established on the system of Lancaster or Bell, or any other system approved by the Regents, proof should be exhibited that the applicants award property yielding a net annual income of $250, and a lot suitable for such school, and that they had erected a sufficient building, and that such lot and building were clear of incumbrance.

In February, 1836, a question was raised in respect to the power of the Regents to receive under their visitation an Academy which had been incorporated by a special act of the Legislature, but which contained no provision allowing the Trustees to apply for admission. This point was raised in the case of the "Genesee Wesleyan Seminary," the Trustees of which were appointed by the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The committee appointed to consider the question reported that in their opinion their power was delegated by the Legislature, and must be construed strictly. All their acts should be confined to such subjects as the Legislature had authorized; and as the right of the Trustees of Academies incorporated under special acts to apply for admission had been specified in some cases and omitted in others, it was presumed that this difference was intended. Moreover, although the Regents might unquestionably issue a new charter in such cases, it would be great presumption on their part to undertake to do over again what the Legislature had once done.

In this instance, a most laudable undertaking had been successfully begun, and funds to the amount of $56,000 had been raised. A resolution was accordingly passed recommending an act allowing

the Academy to be received under their visitation. This was done by special act.

Under an act passed April 17, 1838, it was provided that any Academy owning a building, library and apparatus worth $2,500, might subject itself to the visitation of the Regents. This rendered it necessary to modify the rules previously established with respect to the kind and value of property required to be owned by the applicants for incorporation, which was done by an ordinance passed April 25, 1838.

By an ordinance passed March 31, 1840, Academies whose Trustees had delegated to third persons the power of controlling academic building, prescribing the course of study, paying teachers, fixing the rates of tuition, etc., were deprived of a distributive share of the literature fund.

It was decided February 16, 1841, that the Regents cannot amend an act of the Legislature by changing the name of an institution which had been given by law, but this rule has not governed their action in this regard on many occasions.

By an ordinance passed April 6, 1849, it was required that the lot, building, library and apparatus should be fully paid for before incorporation, or submission to visitation.

The charters granted by the Regents, and the amendments thereto, were formerly, and for a long period, recorded in the office of Secretary of State.

By an act passed April 13, 1855,' they were required to be recorded in the office of the Secretary of the Regents, and transcripts were directed to be made from records formerly entered in the office of Secretary of State. Copies of these records, under the seal of the Regents, were allowed to be used in the courts the same as original records. The fees formerly charged for recording were abolished in

1870.3

1 Laws of 1838, p. 220

Chap. 471, Laws of 1855.

3 Chap. 60, Laws of 1870.

CHAPTER XI.

DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND EXPENSES OF THE ACADEMIES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENT CENTURY.

A system of reports upon printed blanks, introduced by the Regents in 1804, enables us with aid from letters and other sources of information, to present in detail an exact description of the size and arrangement of the buildings then in use, and the endowments and kind and amount of other educational facilities which they possessed.

BALLSTON ACADEMY.

In a petition for a charter, dated January 29, 1805, the applicants say that $380 had been subscribed, and that assurances had been given that a building, known as the Red Meeting House in Ballston would be conveyed for academic purposes, when the new church was finished, with an acre of land on which it stood. One room had been fitted up and a school commenced in October, 1803.

CANANDAIGUA ACADEMY.

"The Canandaigua Academy is possessed of personal and real property to the amount of $30,000 at least. The building is not yet completed, but will be finished next summer. Its dimensions are 50 by 40 feet. No tutor has yet been provided by the Trustees. They intend, as soon as the building is ready and the income from their funds will warrant it, to procure one, and to make him a very liberal compensation. The property given to the institution consists in lands in Ontario county, and sums of money, the interest of which is to be annually paid. Both the principal and interest are secured upon valuable landed property. We do not exactly know the amount of the pecuniary donations, but suppose them to be about $5,000. Those in land amount to upwards of 8,000 acres." (Letter from Charles Williamson and Thomas Morrisy, dated February 7, 1798.)

A schedule of property accompanying the above, showed the folowing resources:

"Messrs. Nathaniel Gorham and Oliver Phelps have granted a conveyance in fee to John Smith, in trust, for an Academy at Canadaque, by the name of Gorham and Phelps Academy, 6,000 acres of land in Ontario county.

Oliver Phelps appropriated by subscription in money for the use of the said Academy, £300.

Israel Chapin subscribes £100.

Arnold Potter covenants to convey 200 acres of land in Ontario county.

Nathaniel Gorham, Jr., subscribes £40.

Daniel Penfield is to convey 100 acres of land in Ontario county. Israel Chapin, Jr., subscribes £40.

Moses Atwater, £40.

Judah Colt, £40."

CATUGA ACADEMY (Aurora).

Opened for students December 8, 1801. Value of lot and building, $1,300; of other real estate, $187.50; of personal estate, $528.11, well secured; amount of tuition money, $315.80; value of Apparatus and Library, $12.50; total, $1,642.91. The building was of wood, 36 by 20 feet, one and a half stories high, with a gambrel roof. Three rooms well finished; one 36 by 20, the other 20 by 18. The real estate consisted of 200 acres of land. Tuition per quarter: $1.75 for Reading, etc.; $2.75 for English Grammar, and $4 for Dead Languages. Board, $1 per week. (1804.) The building was burned October 31, 1805.

CHERRY VALLEY ACADEMY.

Value of lot and building, $2,500; of Apparatus and Library, $375. The size of the Academy was 60 by 30 feet, two stories high, containing two large school-rooms, each 24 by 30 feet, a hall, a library-room, 10 by 12 feet, a stage for speaking and a large gallery, which together with the stage was 50 by 34 feet, and two small rooms of 10 by 15 feet each. It was of wood, with a brick chimney at each end, and had two stories. The lot contained one acre, with a large yard in front, and the location was central. Tuition per quarter, $1.50. Library, about 140 volumes. The apparatus consisted of a telescope, a quadrant, a thermometer, a pair of globes, and a surveyor's chain. Average price of board, $1 per week. (1805.)

CLINTON ACADEMY (Easthampton).

Value of lot and building ( acre), $2,000; of personal estate (late donation), $200; of Library and Apparatus, $400; total, $2,600. The Academy was 50 by 22 feet, and two stories high, the ends of brick and the sides of wood. The first story had a hall of the size of the building. The second story had two rooms, cach 22 feet square. The apparatus cousisted of an air pump, telescope, micro

scope, small hand orrery, pair of globes, compass and chain, quadrant and prism. Tuition, $1.50 for Reading and Writing; $2.50 for English Grammar and Ciphering; $5 for Mathematics and Bookkeeping; $5 for Dead Languages and $5 for Logic, Rhetoric and Composition; $5 for Moral Philosophy; $5 for Natural Philosophy and $5 for French Language. (1805.)

COLUMBIA ACADEMY (Kinderhook).

On the lower floor The upper story reTuition per quarter:

Value of lot and building, $800; personal estate, $59; tuition money, $400; value of Library, $41. The Academy was a frame building 42 by 28 feet, and two stories high. were two rooms 18 by 26 feet, and an entry. mained as one room in an unfinished state. $3 for Dead Languages, $2.25 for English Grammar, Ciphering and Geography, $2 for Reading and Writing, and $1.50 for Reading. Board, $75 per annum. Library, 17 volumes. (1804).

DUTCHESS ACADEMY (Poughkeepsie).

Value of lot and building, $4,000, producing $42; no other real estate; personal estate, $300, producing $21; tuition money, $700; Library, 203 volumes, worth $300; apparatus, none. Academy of wood, 52 by 25, and two stories high, with cupola and bell, with four rooms below and four above, besides two in the garret. A large kitchen and four other apartments in the cellar. Lot 120 feet front by 135 feet. Tuition per quarter: $4 for Dead Languages, Mathemathies, Geography and English Grammar, all or either of them; $3 for Writing, Reading and Common Arithmetic, and $2 for Reading and Spelling. Board, $125 per annum, including washing and mending in the Academy. A universal Atlas, DeWitt's State map; apparatus, none; mortgage, $600. (1804.)

ERASMUS HALL (Flatbush).

Value of lot (3 acres), $800; leased while appropriated for a seminary of learning. Building estimated at $6,250, and lately insured for $1,500, at $72.82 per year, term 7 years. Tuition, $1,386; value of Apparatus and Library, $1,414. Building (erected in 1786) 100 by 36 feet, two stories a neat frame building completely finished, with four large halls for the use of students, 34 by 22 feet, and about twelve lesser rooms. Library, 650 volumes, judiciously selected. Rates of tuition, $2 to $5 per quarter. Apparatus, a set of elegant globes, an orrery, an air pump, a telescope, an electrical

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