which Mr. Durant was elected a trustee in 1867,1 served to guide the founder of Wellesley College. Of his aim he himself writes in a letter accompanying his will in 1867: The great object we both have in view is the appropriation and consecration of our country place and other property to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, by erecting a seminary on the plan (modified by circumstances) of South Hadley, and by having an orphan asylum, not only for orphans, but for those who are more forlorn than orphans in having wicked parents. Did our property suffice, I would prefer both, as the care (Christian and charitable) of the children would be blessed work for the pupils of the seminary." The first catalogue to make a formal statement of the aims of the college is the Calendar for 1877-78. Herein is stated under "Course of Instruction in Collegiate Department": * The general design of the college is to provide for the radical change in the education of woman, which is made necessary by the great national demand for their higher education. The leading object in Wellesley College is to educate learned and useful teachers, and this is kept in view throughout all the courses of study and in all the methods of instruction,3 Again, under "Applications" comes this further explanation: Wellesley College has been established for the purpose of giving to young women who seek collegiate education, opportunities fully equivalent to those usually provided for young men. It is designed to meet in the most comprehensive manner the great desire for the higher education of women, which is at this day so remarkable a feature in our national life. * * Its object and aims must not be misunderstood. It is not intended to be like an ordinary seminary or finishing school for girls. It is a college, arranged for collegiate methods or instruction, and for courses of very difficult study, such as are pursued in none but the best colleges. It is intended for those only who have vigorous health, more than ordinary ability, and the purpose to give themselves faithfully to the pursuit of knowledge, and to discipline and develop their minds by arduous study. * One prominent object in organizing the college has been to give peculiar advantages to those who intend to prepare themselves to be teachers. The college is not limited to this class of applicants. Others who have not this intention, but desire an equally advanced education will be admitted.* The course of study offered in the first catalogue of Wellesley was by no means as tentative a plan as that with which Vassar was obliged to experiment. The college curriculum for a woman's college was no longer a new problem. Wellesley's first plan, which held for three years without radical change, was to offer a general college course for which the degree B. A. was granted summa cum laude for special distinction in scholarship. In addition, the catalogue offered courses for honors "established to encourage preparation in advance of the requirements for admission, to meet the wishes of those desiring to 1 Converse: The Story of Wellesley, p. 27. Calendar for 1877-78, p. 28. Ibid., p. 47. take special studies instead of the general course, and to enable them to pursue these studies to an extent not possible in that course.”1 The honor courses were offered in classics, mathematics, modern languages, and science, and consisted of the work of the general courses with advanced study in the subject characterizing the honor course. The general college course was listed as follows: 2 Freshman Year. Latin, mathematics, history, essay writing, elocution, modern English. Greek, German, French. Sophomore Year. Latin, elective after first semester; mathematics, general chemistry, mediæval history, essay writing, elocution, history of literature. Electives: One elective required Greek, German, French, botany. Junior Year. Physics, modern history, essay writing, elocution, history of art, rhetoric, literary criticism. Electives: Two elective studies required Latin, Greek, mathematics (mathematical astronomy), German, French, chemistry, mineralogy, botany, zoology. Senior Year. Mental and moral philosophy, history of philosophy, modern history, essay writing, Anglo-Saxon and early English literature: Electives: Two elective studies required Latin, Greek, mathematics (astronomy), German, French, analytical chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, physics. A foot note added, "The systematic study of the Scriptures will be continued throughout the course." Instruction in music, drawing, and painting was offered, and the domestic work which was a feature of Wellesley until 1896, was emphasized. In 1878-79, the studies were systematized into seven different courses: The general college course, courses for honors in classics, mathematics, science, and languages, the scientific course, and the musical course. The general course differed very little from the previous year except in requiring three instead of two electives in the junior and senior years. The aim of the scientific course was given as follows: "The present course is arranged to meet the wants of teachers; to open the way for future special study; and also to provide satisfactory preparation for those who intend to become physicians." The studies pursued in the scientific course were: General course studies: Freshman year. Grecian history, essay writing, elocution, history of literature. Mathematics, French and German, chemistry. Sophomore year. General course studies: Roman history, English literature, essay writing. Mathematics, German, chemistry, botany. Junior year. General course studies: Mediaeval history, literature, essay writing. Scientific: Mathematics, physics, mineralogy. Electives: Botany, zoology, astronomy, chemistry. Senior year. General course studies: Mental and moral philosophy, modern history. Literature, essay writing. Scientific: Mathematics, mathematical astronomy. Electives: Chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, botany, biology. A five-year musical course commenced with the collegiate year of 1878-79, which enabled those who took it to graduate in any of the regular college courses, and at the same time to acquire a scientific musical education. Music took the place of one regular study and was allowed the same time for lesson and practice that would have been required for preparation and recitation. The musical department grew rapidly and was reorganized and enlarged in 1880, when Music Hall was built by the founders. Avowedly intended in the beginning for the training of teachers, Wellesley early took steps to provide especially for them. In September, 1878, the teachers' department was organized for women who were teachers already, but desired "peculiar facilities for advanced studies." A special building, Stone Hall, was provided by Mrs. Valeria G. Stone; teachers were given the utmost consideration; and they flocked to Wellesley in large numbers. They were allowed 1 Calendar for 1878-79. to enter without examination, and under the title of "Course of Study in Teachers' Department," we are told that "They will be allowed to take the courses of study which they may desire in any of the college classes and such as no other students are allowed to take." 1 At the same time the Teachers' Registry, which flourishes to this day, was opened to procure positions for the students. The fate of the teacher specials seems to have been much the same as in Vassar. Says Miss Converse: At first there were a good many of them, and even as late as 1889 and 1899 there were a few still in evidence; but gradually, as the number of regular students increased, and accommodations became more limited, and as opportunities for college training multiplied, these "T. Specs," as they were irreverently dubbed by undergraduates, disappeared, and Stone Hall has for many years been filled with students in regular standing." The calendar for 1879-80 announced the discontinuance of the academic or preparatory department. Like Vassar, Wellesley had felt the inhibiting effect of preparatory students upon her collegiate progress, and like Vassar, as soon as preparatory schools had been established which could serve as feeders, she closed the department. That she was able to do this eight years earlier than Vassar points probably to thriving finances and perhaps to a little better business policy in establishing schools. The names of several are recommended by the college, and one which was established by a former Wellesley teacher has its circular appended to the catalogue. The report of the Teachers' Registry for 1891 notes cannily that out of 166 young women who were seeking positions at the beginning of the year, and are now placed, 73 have found their work in schools preparatory to the college. This fact alone demonstrates the usefulness of the registry. The trustees decided in 1879 to admit students on certificate. Two years before Vassar had admitted on certification, and colleges in general were adopting that method. With the resignation of Wellesley's first president, Miss Howard, and the appointment of Alice Freeman in 1881, the curriculum was reorganized by simplifying and standardizing the courses of study. The courses were called classical and scientific, although courses for honors might be elected by students of superior scholarship. In 1870 Vassar after a three years' trial had given up the division of courses into classical and scientific, but Wellesley continued it until 1893, when a single course was offered for B. A. and the degree of B. S. was discontinued. 1 Calendar for 1878-79. 2 Converse: The Story of Wellesley, p. 55. 3 The President's Report, 1892, p. 17. It would be neither fair nor significant to compare the classicalscientific arrangement of the curricula of the two colleges, Wellesley and Vassar, since in the early years when it was offered at Vassar the curriculum of all colleges was narrower and more restricted as to electives. The two tables, nevertheless, show much in common, except that Vassar made Latin or Greek a fundamental requirement of all students, as she does now. The parallel columns following show the subjects which the classical and scientific courses of Wellesley had in common and the subjects by which they were differentiated. |