Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/124

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120 COLUMBIA COLLEGE mining engineering; 3, metallurgy; 4, geology and natural history ; 5, analytical and applied chemistry. The plan of instruction includes lectures and recitations in the several depart- ments of study ; practice in the chemical and metallurgical laboratories ; projects, estimates, and drawings for the establishment of mines, and for the construction of metallurgical and chemical works ; reports on mines, industrial establishments, and field geology. Written and oral examinations are held at the end of each session. During the vacation, at the close of the first and second years, students are required to prepare and submit memoirs on subjects assigned to them by the faculty, and journals of travel, containing descriptions of mines and metallurgical or chemical works visited, and any interesting mineralogical or geological observations they may have made. The fee for the full course is $200 a year for each student; but those unable to pay may be admitted without charge. The library con- tains more than 2,000 volumes of works on science, besides the current literature of Europe and America relating to science. The various cabinets include 500 crystal models; 10,000 specimens of minerals; a complete collection of metallurgical products, illustrating the different stages of the typical processes in use in the extraction of each metal in Europe and Amer- ica ; an extensive collection of models of fur- naces; several thousand specimens of mate- rials and products, illustrating applied chemis- try ; and a geological collection embracing over 60,000 specimens. The total amount invested by Columbia college for purposes of instruc- tion is $591,850, in addition to which it owns real estate and personal property amounting to $4,184,426. The college debt in 1872 amount- ed to $1,240. The income for the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, was $240,405 12, and the ex- penditures were $172,240. The medical school is not included in these returns. The gen- eral library of the college in 1873 contained 16,364 volumes; law library, 3,860 volumes; library of the school of mines, 2,140 vol- umes; botanical library, 1,000 volumes. The herbarium, presented to the college by Dr. John Torrey, is valued at about $15,000, and the chemical and the philosophical apparatus at nearly $100,000. According to the trien- nial catalogue of 1870, the total number of graduates of all the schools was 3,834, of whom 2,721 were living. There were 2,109 graduates in arts, 868 in medicine, 487 in law, 37 in mining, and 333 honorary graduates. In 1873 there were 123 students in the academic department, 371 in the law school, 136 in the school of mines, and 359 in the medical school. In 1746 an act was passed by the colony for raising 2,250 by lottery " for the encourage- ment of learning, and toward the founding of a college." By other similar acts this sum was increased in 1751 to 3,443, and vested in ten trustees, one of whom was a Presbyterian, two were of the Reformed Dutch communion, and seven were Episcopalians, some of whom were also vestrymen of Trinity church. In 1753 the trustees invited the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson, of Stratford, Conn., to become the president of the proposed college. The royal charter constituting King's college passed the seals Oct. 31, 1754, but the organization of the college under it was not effected till May 7, 1755, when the charter was presented by Lieut. Gov. De Lancey to the persons named in it as governors of the college, who consisted of the archbishop of Canterbury, the principal civil officers of the colony, the principal clergy of the five religious denominations in the city, and 20 private gentlemen. Money was col lected in England, and books were sent out The college, however, had opened July 17, 1754, with a class of eight, nnder Dr. John- son's own instruction, in a vestry room longing to Trinity church. The corner stoi of the college building was laid Aug. 23, 175( on the block now bounded by Murray, Churcl and Barclay streets, and College place, an< intersected by Park place. An English trav- eller described it as facing the Hudson, anc being "the most beautifully situated of college in the world." On June 21, 1758, the first commencement was held, when 10 bach( lors and as many masters of arts were grad- uated. The students began to lodge and m( in the college building in May, 1760, and 01 June 26 the procession moved from there St. George's chapel to hold the third mencement. At Dr. Johnson's request, Rev. Myles Cooper, fellow of Queen's colle^ Oxford, was sent out in 1762 by the arc! bishop of Canterbury, and appointed fellow the college, professor of moral philosophy, am to assist the president in instruction and gov- ernment, with the understanding that he w* to succeed him, which he did the followii year. In 1767 a grant of land was made the college of 24,000 acres, which was subs quently lost in consequence of lying in thj part of the colony afterward set off to consti- tute a portion of Vermont. The instruction appears to have been conducted by the presi- dent and three tutors or professors, who w< always able men, till 1767, when a faculty medicine was created, consisting of six profes sors of great eminence. The chief studies wer( natural law, physic, logic, ethics, metaphysk mathematics, natural philosophy, astronomy, geography, history, chronology, rhetoric, H brew, Greek, Latin, modern languages, an the belles-lettres. To the college was als annexed a grammar school for the due prep* ration of those who proposed to complete theii education in the arts and sciences. Dr. per was a strong loyalist, and had a phlet controversy with his pupil Alexand( Hamilton. At length his politics became obnoxious that the college was attacked by mob in the night of May 10, 1775, and he wa obliged to flee for his life. Six days after his escape the Rev. Benjamin Moore, afterwj