Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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Distribution of Students Attending the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1871-1908 Year 1870- 71 1871- 72 1872- 73 1873- 74 1874- 75 1875- 76 1876- 77 1877- 78 1878- 79 1879- 80 1880- 81 1881-82 1882- 83 1883- 84 1884- 85 1885- 86 1886- 87 1887- 88 1888- 89 1889- 90 1890- 91 1891- 92 1892- 93 1893- 94 1894- 95 1895- 96 1896- 97 1897- 98 1898- 99 1899- 00 1900- 01 1901- 02 1902- 03 1903- 04 1904- 05 1905- 06 1906- 07 1907- 08 From Wore. Wore. Co. (excl. city.) Wore. Co. (inel. city.) State Mass. (excl. Co.) State Mass. (inel. Co.) u. s. outside Mass. Foreign. Outside State Mass. Total. 35 39 74 o o 77 5 0 5 82 25 38 63 12 75 14 0 14 89 29 30 59 33 92 16 0 16 108 40 33 73 26 99 19 0 19 118 26 24 60 34 94 24 0 24 118 26 27 53 26 79 14 6 20 99 33 22 55 22 84 17 5 22 106 35 18 53 16 69 15 3 18 87 43 19 62 12 74 14 2 16 90 43 15 58 16 74 18 1 19 93 32 18 50 20 70 28 3 31 101 34 20 54 35 89 32 1 33 122 30 26 56 34 90 41 1 42 132 31 30 61 34 95 41 0 41 136 39 30 69 37 106 33 o t) 36 142 45 36 81 43 115 31 i 38 153 52 32 84 23 107 30 4 34 141 58 35 93 27 120 33 4 37 157 69 41 110 28 138 27 3 30 168 79 40 119 23 142 27 2 29 171 91 45 136 25 161 29 6 35 196 112 57 169 33 202 34 7 41 243 111 3 184 37 221 49 9 58 279 92 72 164 34 198 51 8 59 257 74 60 134 25 159 44 6 50 209 67 48 115 34 149 46 5 51 200 78 52 130 35 165 50 6 56 221 79 53 132 34 166 47 O 50 216 88 62 150 37 187 45 4 49 236 85 62 147 46 193 56 4 60 253 92 62 154 53 207 59 4 63 270 79 53 133 66 199 50 6 56 254 83 44 127 61 188 52 8 60 248 95 46 141 66 207 56 9 65 272 99 45 144 93 237 78 10 88 325 111 61 172 107 279 95 14 109 388 110 63 173 136 309 116 12 128 437 93 66 159 167 326 128 11 139 465 “Some Phases of Institute Growth,” II ' . ' . . Journal, January, 1906. 20

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It is also interesting to note the requirements for admission at that time, as are laid down in the following newspaper article. From “Wor¬ cester Daily Spy,” Sept., 1868: ORCESTER COUNTY Free Institute of Industrial Science. The First Term of this Institution will commence on TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 1868. An examination of candidates for admission will be held in the Chapel of the Institute, on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 9 o’clock a. m. An examination for advanced standing, on Friday, at 9 a.m. Candidates will be expected to give satisfactory evidence of their acquaintance with the usual studies pursued in the District Schools of the County of Wor¬ cester, especially Arithmetic, Geography, and the History of the United States. Applicants for admission to the examination are required to present, in writing, through the Post Office, their request, addressed to Hon. D. Waldo Lincoln, Secretary, enclosing a certificate from some responsible individual, stating the age, residence, name of parent or guardian of the applicant, and testifying to his good character and habits, and his intentions in entering upon the course of study pro¬ posed in the Institute. A circular, containing a description of studies and other particulars, will be returned to each applicant, or sent to any person desiring information. Tuition to residents in Worcester County, FREE. To all others, $60 per annum. The Professor of Chemistry, C. O. Thompson, has charge as Principal, with competent Instructors in the several Departments. STEPHEN SALISBURY, President. DAVID WHITCOMB, Treasurer, D. WALDO LINCOLN, Secretary. EMORY WASHBURN 1 ICHABOD WASHBURN, ALONZO HILL, GEORGE F. HOAR, J. K, PURVEAR, J. B. BLAKE, C. H, MORGAN, A. HARDING, S. SWEETSER, Worcester, Sept. 19,1868. } Trustees. sept 23-8w Growth of the Institute in Numbers But perhaps the most exact way of showing the growth is by actual numbers. The first class consisted of 32 or 33 members, of whom 16 were graduated. The first catalogue was issued in 1871 and was a pamphlet of twelve pages. The students all came from Massachusetts, when it was first started; now nearly every State is represented, there being besides eleven or twelve students from foreign countries. The percentage of Worcester County students is decreasing and the number of students outside of Massachusetts is increasing. The following will show the exact growth along these lines: 19

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Growth in the Studies Far more interesting than the growth in numbers is the difference in the course of then and now. For instance, for a long time the course was fo r three years, and there was an apprentice or preparatory class, which was obliged to spend most of its time in the shops and in freehand drawing, before it could be admitted to the school. Others who desired admittance were obliged to show mechanical knowledge and skill equal to those who had taken the course. The three classes were then called the juniors, mid- dlers, and the seniors. For many years there was a summer school, which consisted mostly of shop work. Can you remember for the moment the stiff exams that you have taken in this school? If so compare them with these, which were the first entrance exams. There were four of them, and although they seem simple today, the records show that many of the appli¬ cants flunked, and some of the exams were flunked outright. The follow¬ ing is a list of the questions: History 1. Who were among the first settlers of America? 2. Who settled New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina and Florida? 21