Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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Page 16 1925 Liber Brwnefnsis President Wayland is a memorable figure in the life of his administration. His tobacco-chewing habit laid him open to much amusing comment while his strictness in making certain that students were in bed at the appointed hour and in watching their every move with the full severity of his sunken, eagle-like eyes made it a joy to hoodwink him in any way. On one occasion his horse was painted with zebra stripesg again, his cow was carried up into the belfry of University Hall and tied to the bell. Indeed, the practical jokes of those simple, unsophisticated days seem quite endless. Not infre- quently the hay that grew on the front campus was collected by the undergraduates and stuffed into some disliked professor's room. Often immense amusement was procured by the rolling of big paving-stones the whole length of the corridors above the first floor in University Hall. One of the most distinguished scholars in the country took the place of Dr. Wayland upon his resignation. President Barnas Sears conducted the college with a masterly, yet gentle, power that succeeded in weathering not only the harrowing financial crisis of 1857 but also the intense, devastating Civil War. Of the two hndred sixty-eight graduates and students who fought in the War twenty-one were killed. 1 Under these adverse conditions even the executive brilliance of President Sears was unable to give the University that great growth that might have been expected. The odds against growth were overwhelming, and yet, so unconquerable had the vitality of the college become that it was found quite possible not only to increase the salaries of the faculty but, indeed, to erect one new building, now Rogers Hall, then called the Chemical Laboratory. And, in spite of a raise in tuition in 1864 from 8336.00 to S50.00, a class of seventy-three men enrolled in 1866. The more recreative phase of college life developed materially during President Sears' administration. Not only did a gay, festive new thing- called Class Day- eclipse Commencement, but organized athletics became a reality. In its first game the Brown baseball team was defeated by Harvard at the Dexter Training Grounds in Providence. The contest lasted four hours and the score was 26 to 17. In those early years the athletic teams had little success, and even a newly-organized crew, backed by a hitherto unknown enthusiasm, was badly beaten in the 1859 Intercollegiate race with Harvard and Yale. As yet there had been but low rumblings of football- class battles fought on the Middle Campus with many fair ladies who graced the windows of University Hall and Hope College. 1 i l

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,, Book I. The College Page 15 Luckily, however, this sore wound in the life of i i ' the college soon healed over. To be sure, there were ix other things that did not please the student mind, 1, among them being the ruling that students must not jj leave the college yard during study hours. Many of ill, 4 the two hundred and thirty men who graduated under M - President Maxcy scarcely knew the city of Provi- X dence until the end of their college course, only once Or twice a week were they permitted to Walk through , the streets of the city. And, too, doubtless another law caused not a few grumblings - a law which stated that the Steward shall not be permitted on so -A: 1 i any pretence to sell any Spirituous Liquors to the Students except Cyder ! Asa Messer, professor of languages, mathematics, and natural philosophy, became the third president of Rhode Island College upon the resignation of Jonathan Maxcy. He served in that capacity until 1826, his incumbency being marked not only by lfhysical expansion but by an easing of the financial difliculties that had been so haras- Sm! a check on progress hitherto. The generous gifts of Nicholas Brown were the happy cause of this, in all, his philanthropy expressed itself to the sum of nearly S200,000 3 hllge amount for that period of American prosperity, and in 1804 the Corporation showed its heartfelt gratitude by changing the name of the college to Brown University. Later, in 1822, Mr. Brown erected the splendid Colonial building, Hope College, at a Personal expense of about 325,000 .The administration was a successful one in every Way. The faculty had expanded 130 nine professors and two tutors, a medical school, which lasted from 1811 to 1828, sent out eighty-seven graduates, and the graduating class of 1825 numbered forty-eight men, ln addition to the medical students. .Reverend Francis Wayland, the fourth president, ushered in an era of progress lasting from 1827 to 1855. By the plans of the new elective system which he Sponsored, a bachelor's degree required a three-year course of study, while the master's degree could be obtained with four year's work. Graduate work was encouraged, the sciences were probed more deeply and thoroughly, many new subjects were introduced into the curriculum. In addition, President Wayland instituted a system of prizes and scholarships. But the University prospered financially as well as intellectually. In 1834 Nicholas Brown erected Manning Hall, an authentic replica, twice the size, of a temple in Eleusis, the cost amounting to 318,500 , six years later the people of Providence built Rhode Island Hall by a 330,000 subscription, and, in this ,,,9-,- ,:.- same year, the president's house, a wooden structure, was constructed on the land now occupied by the f th , I John Hay Library. Moreover, the permanent funds 0 9 University leaped to a new high figure, S200,000, a large sum for this time. ol-AQHA . lr

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Book I . 'The College Page 17 At this time the men in the class of 1861, feeling ! benevolent and public-spirited, attempted to make the. hazing of freshmen not so violent. Unfortunately their praiseworthy efforts were misunderstood by the 1 president and the faculty, for the whole class, with one or two exceptions, was dismissed from college. . Before long, however, the Administration saw its mistake and virtually apologized, all the thirty ' students being reinstated a day or two later. By 1860 a number of social organizations had . found their way into the college. There were six 1 Greek-letter fraternities, including a chapter of Chi RSI-the centers of the intellectual life of the univer- sity- A four page annual, The Brown Paper, which became the Ixiber Brunensis in 1869, was edited by the fraternities and in 1860 James A. DeWolf, one of its editors, published therein a song called Old Brown , little dreaming that before long it was to become the Alma Mater of the university. Reverend Alexis Caswell, resigned professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, Succeeded President Sears in 1867. For all his sixty-nine years, Dr. Caswell executed the duties of his oiiice with admirable tact and independence, the main features of his f0ur and a half years incumbency consisting of the enlargement of the funds from 3302.000 to S620,000 and the addition of new courses. Salaries were raised, the Department of Physics was organized, and the tuition was increased to 87 5.00. The rigidity of discipline that had characterized former administrations became more pliable and sensible. Little of the schoolmaster attitude was practiced toward the individual lives and habits of the students. Whist and poker and a love for con- Yersatxon in some select social atmosphere superseded theatre-going - which was held immoral by the college authorities. Athletic contests were becoming more and more numerous, Brown teams displaying a bracing spirit of tenacity and determination. In June, 1868, the baseball nine defeated the widely-known Lowell Club, champions of New England: two years later came the great victory of the Brown crew over Harvard, Yale, and Amherst, witnessed by over twenty thousand spectators who filled the 510Pes of Lake Quinsigamond. -In the month of September, 1872, Dr. Ezekial Gilman Robinson was chosen Eriffent and served in that position until 1889. He was a vigorous, forceful man and tsat v?e2WI1 ideas about what discipline should be in a college. In the many class fights Grasfprevalent then his stern hand and stentorlan voice forbade many pleasures. were addl 51122 Progress was made in Dr. Rob1nson's administration. Many subjects several DSW bqlghe currlculumg the funds grew to approximately a million dollarsg 1878 Slater El uuigs were added. Among these were the .lohn Carter Brown Library Rhode Island I3 H 879, and Sayles Hall 1881. The paintings that had been kept in The students ha d wtere moved to Sayles and the former building received an addition. University Hang d een complaining incessantly about the wretched condition of his administratio n at last 1t'was renovated-ata cost of 2B50,00Q.. Towards the end of sion, President R, as a culmination of all his tireless and ambltious efforts for expan- commenced d 0 1nson had the .pleasure of seeing construction on Wilson Hall an Plans for a gymnasium well under way.