University of Vermont - Ariel Yearbook (Burlington, VT)

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I-ION. 'JUSTIN S. MORRLLL

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were greatly increased to keep pace with its constant growth along other lines. It Was this Department that reaped the greater part of the benefits of that period of developmenti' in the decade or so fol- lowing the year 1892. In this year, the Engineering buildings were erected, and four years later, the VVillia1ns Science Hall was built and equipped, one of the most elaborate science buildings in the country. In 1906 Morrill Hall was completed for the accommoda- tion of the Agricultural section. From the year 1871 to the year 1891 a fixed course of four years was required in each of the curricula of the Scientific Department giving the degree Bachelor of Philosophy. In the year 1891, the degree conferred upon the graduate of this Department was changed again to that of Bachelor of Science, and the courses of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering were added to those of Civil Engineering, Agriculture, and Chemistry. During, and after this period of 1865, the Academical Department remained unchanged in any radical Way. The courses offered were still classified according to the general outline established by President Marsh. The four sub-divisions formulated by him Were expanded, as time Went on, to accommodate the increases in the curriculum, into six:-those of English Literature, Languages, Mathematics, Natural Science, History and Political Science, and Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, all of which are now found in the Classical Course. In 187 5 was established the Iiiterary Scientific Course, the differ- ence between that and the Classical course being that Greek is omitted and its place supplied by substitutions from the Department of Science. In 1902 the department of Commerce and Economics was estab- lished, a course under the Department of Arts, leading to the degree 0 B.S. This course was introduced through the initiation and gener- osity of John H. Converse of Philadelphia, and was designed to give Hinstructi on preparatory to a business career. The Medical Department of the University of Vermont is one of the oldest institutions -of its kind in the United States. Anatomy and Surgery Were taught as early as 1809. The first full and regular course of lectures Was not given until in the fall of 1822. In 1836, the enter- prise Was abandoned because of the death of some of its leading spirits and for- the lack of students. The re-organization and successful re-establishment of the school was chiefly due to the efforts of Dr. S. VV. Thayer. His efforts date back to 1840 and were finally successful in 1853. The prosperity of I9

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the newly organized Department soon became manifest, and a material enlargement of the old medical college at the head of Main Street was accomplished in 1854, and again in 1-870, through the generosity of the citizens of Burlington. In 1884, John P. Howard gave a commod- ious building at the head of Pearl , Street which was iirst occupied in f 1885. 5 In 1895, the course of lectures was increased from twenty weeks to six months. Two years later, a four-year course of study under a graded system was ma.de a requis- ite for graduation. Until 1889 the relation of the college to the Uni- versity was chiefly nominal. It was then re-organized and made a co- ordinate Department of the Univer- sity, under the control of the Board of Trustees, and its facilities both for teaching and study were mater- Dr- Samuel W- Thayer ially increased. In 1903 the course was lengthened to seven months and in 1907 to seven and one-half months, giving thirty weeks of actual instruction. In December, 1903, the building which had been occupied by the Department for twenty years was destroyed by fire. A new building was begun in 1904 and completed in January, 1906. Each year has witnessed large accessories to the equipment and teaching facilities of this Department. , In 1909, the University established the Department of Education, Hin continuance of measures taken in several. past years and in the line of its policy to maintain its position the head of the educational system of the state. ' ' In 1910 was formulated the Department of Home Economics, in recognition of the increasing importance of a policy of co-education. Military Tactics was one -of the subjects that were included in the Morrill Act of 1862 regarding the appropriation of public lands to the various states encouraging instruction in the subjects specified. Military Science has, therefore, been one of the requirements imposed upon every male student of the University since 1866. The first in- a! 4 I I 21