Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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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 Whist and poker and a love for con- Yersatxon in some select social atmosphere superseded theatre-going - which was held immoral by the college authorities.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.

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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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Page 18 1925 Liber Brfumensis During the presidency of Elisha Benjamin Andrews C1889-18985 the number of departments in the university increased to twenty-five, the faculty to eighty members, and the student body from two hundred and sixty-eight to nine hundred. Even the endowment grew to the new sum of S51,100,000. The year 1891 found Wilson Hall completed, the total cost, S100,000, derived from a bequest of Mr. George Francis Wilson. In the same year Mr. Herbert Ladd donated the Ladd Observatoryg the Lyman Gymnasium was built at an expense of over S570,000. Maxcy Hall, built in 1895 for S50,000, and the Women's College erected two years later completed the expansion of the university under Dr. Andrews. Great as this addition of buildings seemed, it was by no means sufficient, a crying need for more and more room presenting itself. However, funds were painfully lacking. President Andrews imparted a spirited impetus to the athletic life of the university, his enthusiastic attendance at practically all the games adding not a little to the im- mense popularity he had gained with the undergraduates. Under his energetic hand Brown University had become a vigorous, healthful institution of learning with a substantial increase in both faculty and student body. Since the selection in 1899 of Dr. William Herbert Perry Faunce as its ninth presi- dent Brown University has made greater progress than at any previous period in its history. Through his far-sighted and capable administration of the affairs of the college its borders have grown to their present proportions. Intellectually and physi- cally and athletically Brown University ranks with the best institutions of learning in the world. The splendid tradition laid down by James Manning and his followers is as vital a reality today as it was at the birth of the college. The preamble of the charter is as living a code now as it was at its inceptiong to form the rising generation to virtue, knowledge and useful literature is to this day the aim of the university. Religious prejudice is still a stranger. And, lastly, in the words of President Faunce: It can never be said that Brown University has expended its resources for brick and stone rather than for teaching. ...... We still value men more than material.