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† Mr. Coe assigned as his reason for declining, that being a Trustee of Union College and of Lansingburgh Academy, he thought he could be more useful in these positions than upon the Board of Regents.

Vacant from becoming Judge of Circuit Court.

Objections were raised against the retention by Mr. Graham of his seat in the Board of Regents, while one of the Council of the University of the City of New York. He appears to have held both offices about five years. (Senate Doc. 10, 1840, p. 18.)

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* Governor Clinton resigned the office of Chancellor April 4, 1785, and the office was vacant until after the reorganization in 1757. presided.

In the meantime the Lieutenant-Governor, or the Mayor of New York city,

Pierre Van Cortlandt, May 5, 1784.
John Jay, July 17, 1787.
John Rodgers, March 31, 1790.
John Tavler, March 14, 1814.

Simeon De Witt, February 3, 1817.
Elisha Jenkins, March 24, 1829.
Luther Bradish, January 13, 1843.

Robert Harpur, May 5. 1781.
Richard Harrison, July 17, 1787.
Nathaniel Lawrence, April 7, 1790.
De Witt Clinton, June 21, 1794.
David S. Jones, January 23, 1797.
*Resigned February 23. 1841.

Vice-Chancellors.

Daniel S. Dickinson, January 12, 1843.
John Greig, January 9, 1845.
Gulian C. Verplanck, July 13, 1858.
Erastus Corning, April 21, 1870.
Erastus C. Benedict, August 7, 1872.
Henry R. Pierson, January 11, 1878
George W. Clinton, January 13, 1831.

Secretaries.

Francis Bloodgood, March 19, 1798.
Gideon Hawley, March 25, 1814.*
T. Romeyn Beck, May 25, 1841.
Samuel B. Woolworth, December 4, 1855.†
David Murray, January 9, 1860.

+ Samuel Buell Woolworth was born in Bridgehampton, Suffolk county, December 15, 1800; graduated from Hamilton College in 1822; was teacher in Monson Academy, Mass., in 1822-24; Principal of Onondaga Academy, 1824-30; Principal of Cortland Academy, in Homer, 1830-52; President of New York State Teachers' Association, 1847-48; Principal of State Normal School at Albany, 1852-56; received the degree of LL. D. from Hamilton College in 1854; Secretary of Regents, 1856-80. He resigned January 8, 1880; died in Brooklyn, June 30, 1880, and was buried in Homer, July 3, 1880.

The proceedings upon the resignation of Dr. Woolworth, and upon the occasion of his death and funeral, and tributes to his memory, are recorded in the Proceedings of the University Convocation of 1882, pp. 648

Assistant Secretaries.

670.

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ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE REGENTS.

Since their organization under the act of 1787, which required the Regents to report annually to the Legislature, no year has passed without a report.

Before 1830, these reports were printed in the Legislative journals of one or both Houses — either under the dates when they were presented, or in an appendix at the end. Toward the end of this period, they were also printed separately in small octavo form. The following list of references will lead to these reports for each year, "S." being understood to mean "Senate Journal," and "A," to mean "Assembly Journal" of the folio series:

1788, S., p. 4; A., p. 97.
1789, S., p. 28; A., p. 45.
1790, S., p. 24; A., p. 51.
1791, S., p. 34; A., p. 74.
1792, S., p. 29; A., p. 79.
1793, S., p. 90.
1794, S., p. 16.

1795, S., p. 41; A., p. 85.
1796, S., p. 55.
1 97, S., p. 83.

1798, S., p. 87; A., p. 220.
1799, S., p. 73; A., p. 143.
1800, S., p. 82.
1801, S., p. 50.
1802, S., p. 112.

1803, S., p. 117; A., p. 245.
1804, S., p. 84; A., p. 243.
1805, S., p. 118.

1806, S., p. 129; A., p. 296. 1807, S., p. 146; A., p. 336. 1808, S., p. 224; A., p. 399.

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1820, S., p. 358; A., p. 1,009.
1821, S., p. 268; A., p. 983.
1822, S., p. 330; A., p. 1,088.
1823, S., p. 378; A., p. 989.
1824, S., p. 397.
1825, S., p. 578.
1826, S., p. 611.
1827, S., p. 590 (App. B.).
1828, S., p. 213 (App. B.).
1829, S., p. 431.

Since the adoption of the octavo form of Documents in 1830, the Regents' Reports have been included in the series as follows:

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Besides these Annual Reports relating to educational matters, the Regents have reported annually since 1845, upon the State Library, and since 1840, upon the condition of the State Cabinet of Natural History (now the "State Museum ").

CHAPTER XXXIV.

UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

The idea of a Convocation of those officially connected with the higher educational institutions of the State for consultation upon subjects of common interests was mentioned as an incidental feature in the plan proposed by Mr. Erastus C. Benedict, for the establishment of a University of active instruction, in 1857, but no measures were adopted at that time, for the carrying of this idea into effect.

On the 9th of January, 1863, Mr. Benedict offered the following resolution at the annual meeting of the Board, and it was unanimously adopted:

"Resolved, That it is expedient to hold annually, under the direction of this Board, a meeting of officers of Colleges and Academies, and that a committee be appointed to draft a programme of business for the proposed meeting, to fix the time and place, and to make such other arrangements as they may deem necessary."

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The committee of arrangements on the part of the Regents were Chancellor Pruyn, Governor Seymour, Mr. Benedict, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Clinton, Mr. Perkins, and Secretary Woolworth.

The meeting was held according to appointment, on the 4th and 5th days of August, 1863. Chancellor Pruyn briefly stated the objects entertained by the Regents, which were mainly "to consider the mutual relations of Colleges and Academies, and to promote, as largely as possible, the cause of liberal education in our State." While it is a part of the duty of the Regents of the University to visit the fourteen2 literary Colleges, and more than two hundred Academies subject to their supervision, it is obvious that this cannot be done as frequently as desirable, and that some such method as is now proposed whereby teachers may compare views with each other, and with the Regents, and discuss methods of instruction and general modes of procedure, is alike practicable and necessary.

"A law enacted more than three-fourths of a century ago was cited, by which the University was organized and clothed with powers similar to those held by the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford in England.

"The University of the State of New York, though generally regarded as a legal fiction, is, in truth, a grand reality. The numerous institutions of which it is composed are not, indeed, as in England, crowded into a single city, but are scattered, for popular convenience,

The Regents in their report presented March 5, 1863, after referring to the general condition of the Colleges and Academies of the State, made the following allusion to the proposed Convocation, which was as yet but an untried experiment.

"More effectually to influence the character of both of these classes of institutions, the Regents propose, at some convenient time during the present year, to invite the officers of the Colleges and Academies to a joint convention, to discuss the philosophy of education, and its application to methods of instruction, and to unite their efforts in systematic means of perfecting the Academic and Collegiate edu cation of the State. This proposal has been received with expressions of warm approbation by officers of the Colleges, and we have no doubt that it will be responded to with equal cordiality by those of the Academies. Institutions for elevating the character of instruction in the Common Schools, and exciting the teachers to higher professional qualifications have proved efficient and successful agents in that department of education. Public opinion has settled into an absolute conviction of their value, and they have been adopted by legislative enactment into the Common School system of the State. Not less important results are confidently anticipated from the proposed Convention, the realization of which the Regents hope to be able to communicate to the Legislature at their next annual report." What was thus expressed in hope has since been realized in history, and the annual reports of the Regents, commencing with that of 1864, have given the proceedings of these convocations.

2 Now twenty three (1882).

over the entire State. It is hoped that the present meeting will more fully develop this fact, in accordance with which the officers of Colleges and Academies now convened are cordially welcomed as members of a great State University. It is also confidently expected that the deliberations now inaugurated will result in the more intimate alliance and co-operation of the various institutions holding chartered rights under the Regents of the University."

The Chancellor and Secretary of the Regents were, on motion, duly elected presiding and recording officers of the meeting. A committee, subsequently made permanent for the year, and designated as the executive committee, was appointed by the Chancellor to prepare an order of proceedings. Among other recommendations of the committee, the following were submitted and unanimously adopted:

The Regents of the University of this State have called the present meeting of the officers of the Colleges and Academies subject to their visitation, for the purpose of mutual consultation respecting the cause of education, especially in the higher departments. It becomes a question of interest whether this convention shall assume a permanent form and meet at stated intervals, either annually, biennially or triennially. In the opinion of the committee it seems eminently desirable that the Regents and the instructors in the Colleges and Academies should thus meet, with reference to the attainment of the following objects:

1st. To secure a better acquaintance among those engaged in these departments of instruction, with each other and with the Regents. 2d. To secure an interchange of opinions on the best methods of instruction in both Colleges and Academies; and as a consequence, 3d. To advance the standard of education throughout the State. 4th. To adopt such common rules as may seem best fitted to promote the harmonious workings of the State system of education. 5th. To consult and co-operate with the Regents in devising and executing such plans of education as the advanced state of the population may demand.

6th. To exert a direct influence upon the people and the Legislature of the State personally and through the press, so as to secure such an appreciation of a thorough system of education, together with such pecuniary aid and legislative enactments, as will place the institutions here represented in a position worthy of the population and resources of the State.

And for the attainment of these objects, the committee recommend the adoption of the following resolutions:

Resolved, That this meeting of officers of Colleges and Academies be hereafter known and designated as "The University Convocation of the State of New York."

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