Columbian College - Newspaper Advertisement
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"Columbian College in the District of Columbia"
This institution opened two years ago, with about thirty students; there are now present eighty-four. The whole number on the Catalogue is 124, including those who are absent, two who have joined the Military Academy at West Point, two deceased, ten dismissed, two expelled, six who have gone forth from the Theological Department, and those who were preparatory and resident students for a short period.
The buildings already provided, are two houses for Professors; a Philosophical Hall, the upper rooms of which are appropriated to the use of the Preparatory School; and a College edifice, that will accommodate a hundred students. A house for the President of the College, and one for the Principal Tutor of the Preparatory School, are needed immediately; and another edifice for students will be necessary, as soon as it can possibly be erected. Meantime, the rapid growth of the College has rendered it unavoidable to incur a considerable amount of debt, which, owing to the general pressure in pecuniary concerns, is peculiarly burdensome; especially in connection with the urgent necessity of additional buildings. The trustees, however, appeal with earnestness and confidence, to the same generous liberality which has assisted them to accomplish so much in four years, to enable them to follow up the progress of this valuable and promising seat of learning, without suffering any injurious check to its enlargement.
Religious and political party discriminations are unknown in the proceedings and discipline of the College; the students are collected from seventeen of the twenty-four States in the Union, embracing the wide extremes of Maine and Louisiana; and good scholarship, good morals, virtuous habits, industry and talent, constitute the only basis of distinction.
On occasions of great importance, the students are allowed to hear debates in Congress, and arguments in the Supreme Court; but are not to visit either of the neighboring cities, nor to enter any public house in the county of Washington, without special permission. It is the earnest wish and recommendation of the Trustees, that no student should have more than $10 a year for pocket money.
The year is divided into two terms; the first, from the second Wednesday in January to the second Wednesday in July; the second, from the second Wednesday in September to the third Wednesday in December. Vacations were granted from the second Wednesday in July to the second Wednesday in September, and from the third Wednesday in December to the second Wednesday in January. Young gentlemen should present themselves for examination, on Monday or Tuesday preceding the second Wednesday in January, for admission to the College, or, at the Commencement, the third Wednesday in December. They may also be examined at any time and admitted; but no one should offer himself without satisfactory testimonials of a good moral character.
The cost of a student, exclusive of clothing, books, pocket money, and vacations, is about $200, or a little short of $200, a year—that is, the first term, for tuition $30, library $2, boarding, say $2 per week (it is commonly less) $26 weeks 52, steward’s salary 4, rent of room and furniture 9, bed and bedding 5, hire of servants 3, cleaning and blacking shoes $2, in all $107—Second term, tuition $20, library $1, boarding, as above, $14 weeks $28, steward’s salary $4, rent of room and furniture $5, bed and bedding $3, hire of servants $2, cleaning and blacking shoes $1, in all $63—for the whole year, $170—leaving $30 for washing, fuel, lamps, and average of damages; and even this amount can be considerably reduced: any one, who, by the 1st of January, 1825, shall pay $100, with interest from the 1st of October, 1823, to the time of payment, to endow the Professorship of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy , etc, shall have the privilege of keeping students, one at a time on that footing, at the College, without any charge for tuition, for the number of twenty collegiate years. Each student pays $10 for entrance; $15 the first term, and $10 the second term, in advance for boarding.
For admission to the Freshman Class, the requisites are; an ability to make Latin correctly, and to translate with facility Caesar’s Commentaries, Virgil, Sallust, Cicero’s Select Orations, the New Testament in Greek, and Graeca Minora. An acquaintance with the English Grammar, common Arithmetic, and some judicious compendium of Geography, will also be expected.
The following is the course of study, with the text books, exercises, etc. of the several classes.
Freshman Class—Graeca Majora begun; Livy 5 books; Grotius de Veritate, Relig. Christ; Adams’ Roman Antiquities, Cambridge course of Mathematics, comprosing 1st Lacroix’s Arithmetic, 2nd Euler’s Algebra, 3d Legendre’s Geometry begun;--Worcester’s Geography; Murray’s English Grammar; Writing translations of select portions of the Greek and Latin Classics; Declamation; Revision of some of the studies required for admission.
Sophomore Class—Graeca Majora continued; Hoarce; Cicero de Officiis, de Senectute, and de Amicitia; Legnedre’s Geometry finished; --4th. Lacroix’s Algebra; 5th. Analytic Geometry begun, comprising plain and spherical Trigonometry begun, and Algebra applied to Geometry, particularly to Conick’s Sections--Blair’s Lectures on Rhetoric; Hedge’s Logic; Tytler’s General History; S. Morse’s Geography; Gray’s Memoria Technica; Composition; Declamtion.
Junior Class—Graeca Majora continued; Cicero de Oratore; Analytic Geometry continued; 6th Topography, or the application of Geometry to Projections, Diallinger, Mensuration of Heights and Distances, Navigation, Nautical Astronomy, Surveying, Leveling, etc. Cavallo’s Natural Philosophy; Kaimes’ Elements of Criticism; Paley’s Natural Theology; Campbell’s Philosophy of Rhetoric; Natural History; Chemistry; Paley’s Moral Philosophy; Declamation; Composition.
Senior Class—Homer’s Iliad; Cavallo continued; 7th Differential and Integral Calculus; Astronomy; Stewart’s Philosophy of the Mind; Paley’s Evidences; Butler’s Analogy; Vattel on the Laws of Nations.
Strict attention is paid during the whole four years to the Languages, Criticism, Rhetoric, and Oratory.
THE FACULTY CONSIST OF THE
Rev. William Staughton, D.D. President, and Professor of General History, Belles-Lettres, Rhetoric, and Moral Philosophy.
Rev. Ira Chase, A.M. Professor of the Learned Languages.
Rev. Alva Woods, A. M. Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.
Thomas Sewall, M.D. Professor of Anatomy and Physiology.
James M. Staughton, M.D. Professor of Chemistry and Geology.
William Ruggles, A.M. Tutor, and Secretary of the Faculty.
Rev. Samuel Wait, A.B. Principal Tutor of the Preparatory School.
Alexis Caswell, A.B. Tutor and Librarian.
Henry Kirke Green, A.B. Tutor and Keeper of the Meteorological Journal.
The President lectures on some of the branches assigned him as Professor, Wednesdays, at 3 o’clock, P.M.; Professor Woods on the subjects pertaining to his professorship, during the terms—Professor Sewall and Staughton deliver their respective lectures in the winter evenings. The President will also deliver a course of Botanical Lectures in the spring, till the Chair of the Professor of Botany shall be filled. To these courses of lectures, the two higher classes are admitted.
Resident students may be admitted in the College, with permission of the Superintending Committee.
Candidates not sufficiently qualified to join the class they intended, may complete the requisite attainments in the Preparatory School.
To the Theological Department students are admitted, bearing with them satisfactory recommendations and credentials. This Department is instructed by the Rev. Dr. Staughton,, Professor of Divinity and Pulpit Eloquence—the Rev. Ira Chase, Professor of Language and Biblical Literature—and the Rev. Alva Woods, Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Christian Discipline.
A Medical Department, a Law Department, and a General Philosophical Department, will be brought into operation as soon as circumstances shall make it convenient.
Connected with the General Philosophical Department it is intended to collect a most valuable Cabinet of Curiosities, and an extensive Museum; Such as contribute any specimen of Natural History, or article of curiosity, for the aforesaid Cabinet and Museums, will be entitled to the gratitude of the Trustees.
An excellent and very extensive Apparatus has been procured.
The Library consists of between three and four thousand volumes. Those who contribute to augment the number of books, will confer a favor that will be thankfully acknowledged.
By order of the Board of Trustees.
O.B. BROWN,
President of the Board.
LUTHER RICE,
Treasurer and Agent.
Enoch Reynolds, Secretary.
College Hill, District of Columbia, Near Washington City, Jan. 1824.
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Author or Source: Rhode Island American, March 19, 1824
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 21, 2006
Prepared by: Lyle Slovick, Assistant University Archivist
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