George Washington University Law School - Class Book Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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although on june 30, 1821, the Preparatory School Was contem- plated. The first President was Dr. Staughton, a native of England and an eminent pulpit orator. A prospectus of the college was issued june 27, 1821, and referred to the institution as one of National locality, considera- tion, and benelit, founded on the most liberal principles. It contained, among others, a Warm endorsement by President Monroe. A college building, the construction of which was commenced in 1820, and costing about g35,000, was completed in 1822. Agents of the college were sent to England and other parts of Europe, and after visiting the principal seats of learning, returned with many valuable suggestions as to the best methods of higher education. Among the foreign contributors to the funds of the college were the then Chancellor of the Exchecquer Cthe Right Honorable Nicholas Vansittart, Lord Bexleyj, the Bishop of Durham Qthe venerable and evangelical Dr. Shute Barringtonb, Alexander Baring Qafterward Lord Ashburton, Who with Daniel Webste1', negotiated the Ash- burton Treaty of I842D, Thomas Babbington Cuncle of Lord Macauley, and from whom he was namedj, Dr. Adam Clarke Qthe eminent Methodist divine and commentatorj, Williani Wilberforce, CphilanthropistD, and other persons of distinction in church and state. The Medical School was projected November 15th, 1821, and a few days later it was decided that a Law School should be estab- lished at no distant day. The first commencement was held December 15, 1824, and was a notable event in the history of the college. The President of the United States, with several members of his cabinet, distinguished members of Congress, including Henry Clay, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, and General Lafayette, then visiting this country, were present. Although auspiciously inaugurated, all was not smooth sailing for the new enterprise, for about this time there arose serious dif- ferences of opinion among the trustees as to the relavite importance I2

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The University. The Baptist Church, progressive and well established in this section of our country, builded wiser than it knew, when, in the days when the Republic was young, it founded in the Capital city a theological school for the education of Christian Ministers in the faith of that Church. The efforts so well directed in that early day have matured into the present renowned Columbian University. In the year 1817, Rev. Luther Rice, a returned missionary from India, solicited subscriptions for the establishment of the pro- posed school, and in 1819 a tract of land containing 465 acres lying on the heights north of the city and bounded by the present Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, and extending from near the foot of The Hill 'l to about Columbia road, was purchased for 37000. Many persons of prominence contributed to the fund, among them John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, and john C. Calhoun, at that time members of President Monroe's Cabinet, and thirty-two Members of Congress. A charter was granted by Congress in February, 1821, creating The Columbian College in the District of Columbia,', for the pur- pose of educating youth in H languages, liberal arts, sciences and literature, with power to confer all degrees usually granted and conferred in collegesf' The iirst meeting of the Board of Trustees was held March 5, 1821. The only departments instituted at that time were the Theological and Classical-the former to begin in September of that year 5 the latter, in january ofthe year following- II

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of the departments, and as a result the Theological School was dis- continued. Then came financial diihculties, which were more serious, and in 1827, the faculty resigned in a body. In the Spring of 1828, the college reopened its doors, and its progress, sometimes slow, was steady from that time until interrupted by the Civil War of 1861, at which period the institution was free from debt, sub- stantially endowed, and the student body larger than at any previous time. But in common with other institutions the college felt the harmful effects of war. Exercises were suspended in some depart- ments and the college buildings performed good service as a hospital for sick and wounded soldiers of the Union army. College work was resumed in 1865, and from that time the progress of the institution has been rapid. By an act of Congress of March 3, 1873, it was provided that the corporate title ofthe institution should be THE CGLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY. In 1884 the present university building, corner of Fifteenth and H streets, was occupied, the trustees having decided in 1879 to remove from the suburbs into the heart of Washington. The late W. W. Corcoran was the largest contributor to the building and endowment funds of the university, his contributions of money and realty aggregating nearly f200,000. john Withers, of Virginia, contributed 57o,ooo, and President john Quincy Adams, a part of j,5E18,ooo. Columbian University ranks high in the list of educational institutions of this country. While ably directed, and having a faculty of unusual distinction, proper consideration for its superior location must be had. That Washington is destined as an educa- tional centre is manifest from the progress of a single decade. The city having many kindred societies, has become the meeting place for many of the prominent historical, philosophical and scientific societies of the United States. Theimmense libraries, the labora- tories and the museums belonging to the Government-all open to the students-help to make Columbian great. I3