At the head of the collegiate institutions in the United States, is Harvard university, originally styled Harvard college, at Cambridge, three miles west-north-west of Boston. In the year 1636, the general court advanced four hundred pounds towards the establishment of a college, which was incorporated in 1638; and the same year, the Rev. John Harvard died, leaving a legacy of seven hundred and seventy-nine pounds, seventeen shillings, and two pence, to the college, which, on account of this donation, was named Harvard college. Its endowments have since, from time to time, been greatly increased by donations from the state, and many munificent private benefactors. The university comprises the collegiate department for undergraduates, or the college, properly so called, and the theological, law, and medical departments. It has four halls, four stories high, for the accommodation of undergraduates; two halls containing the library, cabinet of minerals, the chapel, and various other public rooms; a divinity hall, a law hall, and a medical hall, (which last is situated in Boston,) and other buildings. The university library contains upwards of forty thousand volumes, of which thirty-five thousand, five hundred, are in the general library, three thousand in the law, one thousand in the medical, six hundred and fifty in the theological library: and there are libraries belonging to the students, which contain four thousand, five hundred volumes. The philosophical and chemical apparatus, and the cabinet of minerals, are extensive, and very valuable. The property in possession of the university, exclusive of the college buildings, library, apparatus, and grounds adjoining to the buildings, according to the treasurer’s report, dated October, 1832, amounted to:
| $460,814.87 | ||
| Funds in trust for other uses than those of the college | 65,125.45 | |
| 395,689.42 | ||
| Funds for theological department | 36,277.92 | |
| Funds for law department | 17,943.63 | 54,221.55 |
| Giving for the more immediate use of the college | 341,467.87 |
The institution is under the legislative government of a corporation, consisting of seven members, and of a board of overseers, consisting of thirty elected members, together with the governor, lieutenant governor, the members of the council and senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the university, ex officio.
Yale college was established in 1700, at Saybrook; incorporated in 1701; and removed to New Haven in 1716: the first commencement at Saybrook was in 1702; the first at New Haven, in 1717. It derives its name from Elihu Yale, of London, (but a native of New Haven,) governor of the East India company, who was one of its principal benefactors; it received from bishop Berkeley one thousand volumes of books; and since its foundation it has, from time to time, received benefactions from variousindividuals, and also from the state. It has, for some years past, had a greater number of students than any other college in the United States. It possesses ten valuable buildings, two of them of stone, the others of brick; four of which are college halls, one hundred feet by forty, four stories high, containing thirty-two rooms each for students; and another hall is soon to be erected. It has the finest cabinet of minerals in the United States, a good chemical and philosophical apparatus, and a library of eight thousand, five hundred volumes; and there are libraries, belonging to the students, containing ten thousand, five hundred volumes. The funds of this institution, considering its reputation and number of students, are small; and it is supported chiefly by tuition fees. The whole amount of the funds of the different departments, exclusive of buildings, library, apparatus, &c. is stated at eighty or ninety thousand dollars. According to the statement of the treasurer, subscriptions have lately been made for the benefit of the college, by six hundred and eighteen individuals, of one hundred and seven thousand dollars, of which forty-one thousand dollars have already been paid. The college is under the legislative government of a corporation, consisting of the president of the college, the governor and lieutenant governor of the state, and the six senior senators, ex officio, and ten clergymen.
Connected with this institution, is a law school, theological department and medical institution.
The legislature of Virginia, at the session of 1817–18, adopted measures for establishing an institution, then proposed to be named Central College, and twenty-four commissioners were appointed to select a site for it. They accordingly selected a pleasant and elevated spot, nearly two miles from Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle, not far from the centre of the population of the state. Their choice was confirmed by the legislature in 1819, and an act was passed, incorporating the institution, by the title of the University of Virginia, which went into operation in 1825. It was erected and endowed by the state; and it owes its origin and peculiar organization chiefly to Mr. Jefferson. It has a fine collection of buildings,consisting of four parallel ranges, about six hundred feet in length, and two hundred feet apart, suited to the accommodation of nine professors, and upwards of two hundred students; which, together with the real estate, cost three hundred and thirty-three thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six dollars. It possesses a very valuable library of eight thousand volumes, and a philosophical apparatus, which, together, cost thirty-six thousand, nine hundred and forty-eight dollars. The state gives annually fifteen thousand dollars for the support of the institution. The whole annual income of the university is about eighteen thousand, five hundred dollars. The professors are paid, partly by a fixed salary, and partly by fees received from the students; but the sums which they severally receive are widely different, varying, in ordinary years, from sixteen hundred to three thousand, five hundred dollars.
University of Virginia.
The plan of this university differs materially from that of other institutions of the kind in the United States. The students are not divided into four classes, with a course of studies embracing four years; but the different branches of science and literature here taught are styled schools. The following particulars are extracted from the ‘Regulations,’ &c. Students are not admitted under sixteen years of age; every one is free to attend the schools of his choice, and no other than he chooses; provided, that if under the age of twenty-one, he shall attend at least three professors, unless he has the written authority of his parents or guardian, or the faculty shall, for good cause shown, allow him to attend less than three. In each school, there are three regular lectures a week; besides which, there are, in most of them, extra lectures, suited to the several classes into which the school is divided. The mode of instruction is by text-books and lectures accompanied by rigid examinations.
Three honorary distinctions are conferred by this institution; a certificate of proficiency,—that of graduate of any class,—and that of master of arts of the University of Virginia. No particular period of study is prescribed for the acquisition of these honors. The student obtains them whenever he can undergo the rigid examination to which the candidates for them are subjected. The title of doctor of medicine is conferred on the graduates of the medical department.