Swarthmore College - Halcyon Yearbook (Swarthmore, PA)

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Swarthmore College. Its Origin, and Some Notes upon ris Early History. By Edward H. Magili,. CHAPTER n. HE third year of the College opened in the autumn of 1871, with six members of the Faculty, this body having been increased by the addition of Thomas W. Lamb, A. M., M. D., Professor of Chemistry and Physiology. The whole number of officers of government and instruction, resident and non-resident, was 21, and the whole number of students, 236. Only 57 of these were members of the college, 7 juniors, 18 sophomores, and 31 freshmen. The rest were members of the Prepara- tory School. It was at the opening of this third year that arrangements were first definitely made to furnish those students desiring it a course in Civil Engi- neering, leading to the degree of C. E., and Joseph B. Davis, C. E., a graduate of the University of Michigan, was appointed teacher of Physics and Civil Engineering. A provision had been made, and announced in the catalogue for the previous year, and repeated in that of this year, for giving the degree of A. B. to those students who had pursued twelve annual cou rses of study, comprising the studies of four years, with three studies in each year, and had passed in these satisfactory examinations. These examinations were to be considered satisfactory if tw-enty-five per cent, of correct answers were given. Of these twelve courses two at least must have been in Mathematics, one in English Language and Literature, one in History, one in Physics and Chemistry, and two in an Ancient or a INIodern Foreign language. The other four were to be elected from any of the studies presented in the course, and announced in the catalogue. No pro- vision was yet made for giving any degree in science, although quite a full

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the Afensi r is a social one. In that land the sons of men in the lower walks of life meet in the university the representatives of a numerous petty nobility, and the duel has been an important means of establishing and maintaining social equality between the two classes. The son of the baron must respect his fellow-student or fight. In America no need of this kind is felt, since each man stands for just what his character warrants. Looking at the tendencies and influences of the two systems it would appear that the custom of American students is superior in every respect. It may safely be affirmed that no Swarthmore student has ever been taught to drink or gamble by the college athletics; not one has been permanently injured or defaced, or made ungentlemanly in conduct or disposition. On the other hand, our college athletics have given city boys a chance to develop a robust physical manhood, and to cultivate a resolution and a pluck in the face of obstacles that are sure to be of service in the battle of life ; they have furnished the country lad with a means for preventing the decadence of his physical powers while undergoing the rigorous mental discipline of prolonged study. Furthermore, they have given the natural physical exuberance of youth a free, legitimate outlet. Who hears of hazing or fighting, or of outrages upon persons or property at Swarthmore ? Yet our German brothers always make the duel a scene of drinking, if not of dnmkenness ; they slash the head and face with cuts that are often long and deep ; and they take this recreation, not in the open air, but in some remote beer room, dense with tobacco smoke. As a means for physical develop- ment the duel amounts to almost nothing. It develops no college spirit, nor can it be said to promote even indirectly a high type of manly conduct. That some departments of athletics have in our larger colleges developed undesirable features every one admits ; that these abuses will be speedily reformed, everybody believes. It will, however, be an unfortunate day for American virility when our college youth eliminate their physical enthusiasms, and degenerate into dudes of the street or pale recluses of the study ; or when their recreations exchange the manliness of the athletic field for the carousing of the Germans or the gentleness of the kitten chasing its own tail.

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course of scientific studies was provided. It will be seen that thus early, two years before the first degrees were conferred by the College, a liberal elective system was in full force. I extract the following from the Managers ' Report of this third year: While great care is taken to offer to all an opportunity to pursue a full classical course of study, students are enabled, by the introduction of the optional system, to make choice, under the advice and direction of the Faculty, and their parents or guardians, of such a course as may be most congenial to their tastes, or best adapted to the pursuits of life in which they are to be engaged. This important change in the organization of the College, while it necessarily involves eventually a considerable increase of the corps of instructors, is likely to prove eminently satisfactory to the friends of the institution, enabling the College to meet more fully the wants of all classes, and thereby more nearly fulfil the end for which it was originally established. This step, thus early taken, placed the College in the front rank of the later advance movement in favor of elective courses, and it is but just to say now, after a further experience of twenty years, that the expectations of the Managers as to the favorable results of this change have been fully realized. Under the direction of Dr. Joseph Leidy much was done during this year to increase the Museum of Natural History, and to furnish proper cases for the preservation of the specimens. It was also during this year that Anson Lapham, of Skaneateles, New York, had a room fitted up for the collection of Friends ' books, which was called at first the Anson Lap- ham Repository, a name since changed to Friends ' Historical Library. A gymnasium was also erected and fitted up this year at an expense of between ; 4,ooo and $5,000. This modest accommodation has served the College a good purpose for more than twenty years, and it is hoped that it may now soon give place to a much larger and more substantial structure, better suited to the increased needs of the College and the demands of the times. It should be stated that provision is now made in this respect for the yOung women, by the erection of the new Somerville Hall. At the close of this year occurred the third and last of the Com- memoration Days, this name having been given at first to the closing