The New Student's Reference Work/Pennsylvania, University of

Pennsylvania, University of, originated in Benjamin Franklin's proposals relating to the education of the young and in an academy that began to teach in 1751. In 1753 it obtained a charter which described it as a college. In 1791 it became the University of Pennsylvania. In 1872 it moved to West Philadelphia and entered on its modern era. Its medical school, founded in 1765, is the oldest in the United States. Lectures on law were given in 1790, but the present organization of the law-school dates only from 1850. In 1852 it was decided to establish a department of arts, manufactures and mining; professorships in civil engineering, geology, mineralogy and mining; and two regular courses in science. In 1874 this department was named Towne Scientific School. Other departments consist of the college; the department of philosophy or graduate school; University Hospital; Wistar Institute (for anatomy and biology); the laboratory of hygiene; the departments of dentistry; veterinary medicine; archaeology; and physical education; the veterinary hospital; the library; and Flower Observatory. The university's college itself includes the School of Arts, Towne Scientific School and Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. The university in 1905 had 33 buildings, and these and the grounds were worth about $5,700,000. In 1910 the faculty numbered 500, the students 5,389 and the library 272,000 volumes. The productive funds amounted to $4,632,874, but in 1904 the total assets were $11,647,085 and the total income was $687,443.