Swarthmore College - Halcyon Yearbook (Swarthmore, PA)

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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

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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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exercises generally called Commencements. It was at this time that Edward H. Magill, who, as Principal, had Ijecn the acting head of the College and School combined, since the resignation of I resident Parrish, was inaugurated President, with appropriate exercises. At the opening of the fourth year, 1872-3, the Faculty was increased from six to seven, William B. Phillips and Thomas W. Lamb having resigned, and the following having been added to the list: Eugene I ' aulin, A. M., Professor of the Latin and French Languages; Arthur Beardsley, C. E., Professor of Applied Mathematics and Physics, and William H. Appleton, A. M., Professor of the Greek and German Languages. This year for the first time there was the full number of college classes, the first freshman class, now reduced to six, becoming the first senior class. The whole number of students this year reached 260 : 6 seniors, 10 juniors, 14 sophomores, 40 freshmen, and 190 members of the Preparatory School. As degrees were to be conferred for the first time at the close of this college year, the courses of study, and the conditions of conferring degrees received the earnest attention of the Faculty, now increased by the addition of three new members, who have since served the College so long and well. To the degrees already named in previous catalogues that of Bachelor of Science was added for those w ho completed the scientific course, and second degrees of A. M. and M. S. were to be conferred three years after graduation upon those students who, after receiving respectively the degrees of A. B. or of B. S., should have engaged during that period in professional, or in literary and scientific studies. It was during this year that the first step was taken toward diminishing the large Preparatorv School, by deciding to receive no students hereafter under the age of thirteen years. The progress of change from a small college combined with a large school to a college proper has been slow but sure, and now at the end of twenty years more, we can say for the first time that all reference to a Preparatory School is at last eliminated from our catalogue, to the great satisfaction of the Alumni, and other friends of the College. The course in Civil Engineering having been partially arranged last year, was now made more complete and definite, under the care of the new head of this 13