Northwestern University - Syllabus Yearbook (Evanston, IL)

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1 Henry Sanborn Noyes Acting President 185-1 - 1856 PROGRAM OF 1865 DEBATE between Hinman and Adelphic R literary societies. Exciting topics W include Spartacus to the Glad- iators and On Being Found Guilty of High Treason. V1 fa??i?iiif'7lil 'za' rr? Prlze Declamatlon 1 BINMAW .fig AQEL 'WEB SQ' lV'W'IE5 Evanston une 30th 1865 at 8 P M PROGRAMME Eavmyelr O b II R XY CROS C I OFF ELD :L u 'J '. :xslt-1' S ii 'i S o' I ie 0 ' i , 5 C. C. SNYDER. l - .7 ' . ' le vu 1 'elm y, - - - ------- Go. xv. C. CUMSTOCI . 'i .1 ., -,r 9 . , I . 1 . .,L.g,.-.gi gmusiv. ,g ,M '-' is Irish Aliens, ------- - --' 9 EU-- ts-sf' , ff- YY'-1-.-'3'a'E'vr ' . If x wgkgh . M. HIL, lr..4,.fM-. 1.. -... -a ., . . t . ...J . F. X. 'av iv . e . ' 1 -' ' Qlnttlt-aliiralerii eblitiiwtaiitg. 1 A .kg if? l-..-.?- , ' 5, 'I f n I5 fp I . . I ' 'Alf .il i .1 1 av rn W U . :L 'f Y , A 3 1 I 13,5-gh E , - 2. . .. D--L. 5 Q, L-D , . E 5157.1 V 1:11, ' j.,'jI v .l 1 1 . . I. J rl -KI ' 1 12.555 . Q . 1. I ,if ,. 1 p ' iafg? 1 E y, 1 , , .iid 3 1 .' i i-. 1 fl. n ving tbunil Guilty of - igh Treason - - ExnlE1'r. 7: Q 1 . f. . s. Qlffii' i 3 pt. Sp:n'timus to the Glzxdiaitors. ------ KEIl.DG4i-E iv' Tl: I-in WI ll! f l YV ill :V ' l ,C -A 1'l IJ tl I lt Hu A, 4: X K? i S. B. RfXX'BION'D, ' . , -. , --,Ta '. 'I'111J h-, 4 - ll M W' J. COl'PJL1kND. LL 4 7, Spartacus to tht- Romain Envuys, fi T. R. STROBRIDGE. .ni . t'c Speech, ----'---- Dlciussox. 'J' 1 R. D. SI-IIWJP.-XRD. v Qmullrtluu. , ' ' Randolph Sinks Foster -' A 1' r 'n'W'f 'f'1f'a H 1 President 1856 - 1860 The first college year was uncertain and precarious. Classes were conducted in the classical, elective and scientific departments. Une thousand dollars, appropriated for a library, was allocated to the natural science department. The year was divided into three terms of thirteen weeks each and public examinations were held at the close of each term, and at the end of the sophomore and senior years. Entrance requirements for all three departments included a rigorous drill in the classics and higher mathematics. It was soon discovered, however, that the majority of young men within the limits of our patron- age are not prepared for the college course. It was not until a preparatory depart- ment was definitely established in 1859 that this handicap was overcome. Another disadvantage to the University was the fact that most of the first class attended on scholarships. As the tuition was 5545.00 a year, the revenue of the University from fees was only 8175.00 for the first year, of which 871.75 was paid to the janitor. Dis- bursements were on a similarly modest scale, since the faculty had only two members. Pro- is , --A-,A- Wm- , M, ,i ,Qg,,,..L--,,g,..-.-4L.Aa.15:lfJ fessor Henry S. Noyes, in customary Prince Albert and silk hat, fulfilled the functions of acting president, professor of mathematics, acting professor of moral philosophy and rhetoric, treasurer, and teacher of the Sunday Bible class. Professor VVilliam D. Godman, similarly garbed, was professor of Greek, acting professor of Latin, secretary, and librarian in charge of 1,917 volumes, 21 catalogues and 16 pamphlets. ln 1856 Dr. Randolph Sinks Foster, a prominent Methodist clergyman ofNew York City, was invited to H11 the vacancy left by the death of President Hinman. After stipulat- ing a year's leave of absence, he accepted. As a scholar and clergyman, no less than in his understanding of and sympathy with youth, Foster was suitable for the post. He set and maintained high standards of teaching, and was a leader in what little social activity there was on the campus. His chief drawback in the eyes of the trustees was his complete in- ability in money matters, but fortunately these could be left to Philo Judson and Pro- fessor Noyes. In 1856 the Trustees were informed by A'

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MANY FAMOUS TRAVELERS stopped at passenger station of Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railway with most of the Evanston holdings. Sale of land, leases, and solicitation and sale of scholarships made possible a favorable balance on paper of over 850,000 in the University's accounts in 1854, enough to erect a building and begin teaching. Struggle of lhe College, 1855-1869 On June 15, 1855, the University really began its existence when the cornerstone of Old College at the northwest corner of Davis Street and Hinman Avenue was laid with much ceremony. The building was opened on November Hfth in the presence of the faculty of two QProfessor Henry S. Noyes acting as Presidentl, trustees, townspeople and the four students. The press described the struc- ture as a superb building of three stories having ten large airy rooms besides the chapel. Although Qld College has since served as a college, preparatory school and School of Education, and has undergone two transplantings, it still retains something ofthe atmosphere of 1855. It may be of inte- rest to record that the early trustees of 1855 considered Old College as merely a temporary structure and not, as has sometimes been rumored, as a perpetual monument to the founding of the University. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH, north shore land- mark builtin 1856, was Evanston's First house ofworship 17

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UD. Bonbrightn that, I have the honor to receive your communication informing me of my election to the professorship of Latin in Northwestern University. I have the pleasure hereby to signify my acceptance of election. In accepting the invitation, Professor Bon- bright stipulated that he should be free for one year to continue his professional pre- paration in Europe. He studied for two years at Berlin, Gottingen and Bonn, estab- lishing even in that early day Northwestern's tradition of extensive post graduate prepara- tion for its faculty members. In 1858 Bon- bright began his teaching of the classics which was for fifty-four years one of the principal elements contributing to the success of the Liberal Arts curriculum. He lived in the memory of one student as standing there with his hands beneath his coat-tails, with his eyes fixed on the cob-webs in the cornice, and in his rich bass voice repeating the Odes of Horace. As he spoke we could see the Gods upon Olympus and the snow-white mountain top of Soractef' Regulation of student conduct during these early years was necessarily strict. Gambling, drinking or habitual disorderliness incurred a punishment of dismissal, while absences from prayers, recitations or Sunday religious serv- ices as well'as the students' academic standing were recorded for presentation to anxious parents on request. Parents were urged to deposit funds for students' use with faculty members, who could oversee their expenditure. The University circulars could claim with some justification that: We have never seen a community anywhere in which so large a preponderance of opinion was strictly moral and religious. Parents may send their sons here with the utmost confidence that they will be placed at a distance from temptation. There is almost no record of extracurricular student life during these early years. The small numbers fregistration had reached only 36 by the fourth yearj should have made close association of students easy, but this was counterbalanced by the fact that all but four of the students were boarded with families in the town. The Hinman Literary Society, founded in 1855 and named in memory of the first president, was the first attempt at extra- curricular organization. It met in the after- noons Qto save candle-lightl, heard papers by the faculty or seriously debated such ques- tions as: Resolved, that the Pilgrim Fathers were justified in their treatment of the North American Indian, or, of more current inter- est: That literal translations of the Greek . . ,,. , . . 1 K-.m-mi... diff xnz GRHEUAEING oi-HSS li V -. , Musxc. , ' r as 1: N:-san . ' fafi ' . 5149-is -QE-' ' Wm. ONLY FOUR OF TEN original freshmen and one student who entered later held on long enough I ,V g to graduate at Northwestern's sszwsnxo-non. a - V first commencement in June, 1859. 19