College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

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f istorp of College The Cullei e of William and Mary is an institution of learning near Williainshurg, Va. ; in its antecedents the oldest in the Iiuited States, dating hack to 1617, and in its actual operation standing next to Harvard, having been founded in 1693. A grant of land for the establishment of an Indian college and an English seminary of learn- ing at Henrico was made by the Virginia Company in 1619, and 1,500 was raised by the bishops — of England for the encouragement of Indian education. A colle- giate school was opened at Charles City in 1621, but was suspended by reason of the Indian massacre of 1622, and a second project, to found a ITniversity to be called Academia Virginiensis — et Oxoniesis — on an island near the mouth of the Susque- hanna, failed on account of the death of its chief advocate, Edward Palmer. In 1660 the colonial assembly of Virginia voted to purchase land for a college and free school. Subscriptions of money were received from Gov. Berkeley and others in the col- ony as well as in England, and in 1691 the assembly sent Rev. James Hlair, I). 1)., to secure a charter from the English crown. King William and Queen Mary ap- proved. The charter was signed in Feb. 1693, and the Government approiiriated, toward the support of the college, lands, funds, a duty ou exported tobacco, and all fees and profits arising from the office of surveyor-general. Dr. Blair became the first president. Six masters or professors, who were graduates of Oxford and Cam- bridge, were appointed. Several scholarships were founded, a school for Indians was established about 1697. and at Dr. 151aii ' s death (1743) the college was highly

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Calcutiflr Suiulay. June 23, 1901, 11 A. M., Final Sermon. Sunday, Jmie 23, 1901, 8 P. M., Sermon before tlie Vounu; Men ' s Christian Association. Mondav, June 24, 1901, 8 p. .M., Celebration of Philomathean Society. Tuesday, June 25, 1901, 8 P. M., Celebration of the Phoenix Society. Wednesday, June 26, 1901, Celebration of the Society of the Aluunii; Ora- tion, II A. M. : Banquet 9 p. -M. Thursday, June 27, 1901, 11 a.m., Oration before the Literary Societies: 12 M., Awarding Diplomas, Medals and Scholarships. Next session begins Thursday, October 3, 1901. The thirteenth of May of each year being the day the first English settlers landed at Jamestown, is a general holiday. The session of each year ends on the Thursday before the twenty-ninth of June, the date of the adoption of the first written Constitution of ' irginia.

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prosperous. It was tlii. ' Wfallhit-st colletje in America wht-ii Ur- Revolution broke out, but the war deprived it of all endowments, — save 20,000 acres of land, b - the sale 1)1 which a new moneyed endowment of about S2oo,() x5 was obtained. In 17.S1 the buil(linu;s were t)ccupied alternately by the liritish and the French and .■ merican troops, and while used as hospitals by the latter were injured b - fire. The college exercises, however, were interrnjited for a few months only. During the civil war the college was closed, the buildings and grounds were occupied by U. S. troops, and several buildings, together with the library and apparatus, were destroyed. In iS6g the main building was restored, and the college was reopen- ed: but in iS,sj financial embarrassment made it necessary to close its doors. In 1888 the general assembly of X ' irginia appropriated Sio.ooo a year, subsequently increased to 815,000 to establish in connection with collegiate training a system of normal instruction and traiuiug. The college was reopened in 1888 with a full faculty, and has since enjoyed fair success. In 1893, by an act of Congress, it received S6 ,ooo indenniifying it for losses sustained during the civil war. The present faculty consists of a president, Lyon G. Tyler, seven full pro- fessors, and four tutors. It confers the degrees of master of arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of letters, and licentiate of instruction. There are seven depart- ments. As an adjunct to the department of pedagogy- a well equipped model school 10