Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/546

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
NEW YORK COLLEGE
452
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

passed into the possession of the English in 1664, and was named New York. In 1673 the town surrendered to a Dutch squadron, but was given back a year later by treaty. Sir Edmund Andros, the first English governor was overthrown in 1689, and Leisler, the leader of the progressive party usurped the government until 1691, when he was hanged for treason. There were uprisings of slaves in 1712 and 1741, but these were suppressed by cruelty. In 1765 the Stamp Act Congress met in New York City, and voted a Declaration of Rights. In 1774 a cargo of tea was sent back to England and another thrown overboard, and on April 3, 1775, the colonial assembly adjourned. The city was held by the Continental militia till Aug. 26, 1776, when forced to withdraw by the British who held the city till Nov. 25, 1783. Washington was inaugurated the first time in New York City, April 30, 1789. In 1805, the first free school was opened; in 1807 the first steamboat voyage to Albany was made, and in 1825 the Erie canal was opened. The city was visited by a cholera epidemic in 1832, and again in 1834, 1849, and 1854; by a disastrous fire in 1835; and a financial panic in 1837, the bread riots occurring in that year. In 1853 the Crystal Palace Industrial Exhibition took place, and in 1863 occurred the draft riot caused by the enforcement of the military draft. The city supplied the Union army with 116,382 troops for the Civil War. The Brooklyn Bridge was opened in 1883; and the Bartholdi Statue unveiled in 1886. The celebration of the centennial of Washington's inauguration took place in 1889; and the Columbian celebration in 1892 and 1893. In 1897 a new charter was adopted consolidating New York, Brooklyn, Queens county, Staten Island, and the Bronx, as the city of Greater New York. This charter went into effect Jan. 1, 1898, and was amended by the legislature in 1901, and, in respect to certain portions, at various other times.

NEW YORK, COLLEGE OF THE CITY OF, a college maintained by the city of New York in exactly the same manner as the various State colleges are supported by the States. The State Legislature granted to the Board of Education of New York City power to establish the college in 1847, although it was called at that time the Free Academy, and was not granted the power to confer collegiate degrees until 1854. The institution is situated on 137th Street on Washington Heights. The present buildings were erected in 1907, and together constitute one of the finest groups of public buildings to be found in the city. In 1911 Mr. Adolph Lewisohn gave the college a large stadium, which is used for athletic purposes and also for large public celebrations. Outside of this benefaction the college buildings were entirely paid for by the taxpayers of New York City.

The institution has no professional schools and no graduate department, but simply the arts and science course. In this it is in marked contrast to the State University. Two degrees are granted, each in accordance with the type of course chosen by the student, either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. The college also maintains a preparatory school, and night schools for teachers and others who cannot attend regular college classes. In 1919 students numbered 10,763, and faculty 270. In December, 1914, Dr. Sidney E. Mezes, President of the University of Texas, was made President of the college.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, a library formed by the consolidation in 1895 of the Astor Library, the Lenox Library, and the Tilden Trust. The Astor Library was incorporated in 1849 by John Jacob Astor, who bequeathed $400,000 to establish a Free Public Library. Other gifts at various times increased the endowment of the library to about $1,000,000 at the time of the consolidation. The Lenox Library was incorporated in 1870. It was composed chiefly of the library of James Lenox, which had an endowment of about $500,000. The Tilden Trust was incorporated in 1887 and was comprised of the private library of Samuel Jones Tilden, who left to it the bulk of his estate amounting to about $2,000,000. The new building was erected at the corner of 5th Avenue and 42d Street, and was begun in 1902 and completed in 1911. It is the second largest library in the United States, Congressional Library being the first, Boston the third. In 1900 the New York Free Circulating Library was consolidated with the New York Public Library and a number of smaller libraries were united with the New York Public Library. In 1901 Andrew Carnegie made available about $5,000,000 for the construction of branch libraries throughout the city. The library contained in 1920 2,639,129 bound volumes. Branches are maintained in all parts of the city.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, a coeducational non-sectarian institution in New York City; founded in 1831; reported at the close of 1919: Professors and instructors, 518; students, 9,765; volumes in the library, 142,000; productive funds,