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The first and most important obstacle to the founding of postgraduate courses having been overcome by this reorganization, the other disappeared on the completion of Hamilton Hall, a fully equipped building with a frontage of 200 feet on Madison avenue and a depth of about 60 feet on both Forty-ninth and Fiftieth streets, erected, at a cost of over $200,000, for the accommodation of the school of arts.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE POST-GRADUATE SCHEME.

In accordance with a resolution of the trustees, dated June 7, 1880, a scheme of instruction was drawn up to go into effect the following fall. This course was open to all bachelors of arts, of science, and of philosophy of this or of any other college of equal standing, and the degree of master of arts was conferred at its completion. The scheme provided for three hours a week each in Greek, Latin, mathematics, and history; four hours in astronomy, two practical and two theoretical; two hours each in physics, chemistry, philosophy, English literature, political economy, Anglo-Saxon, and Sanskrit, and one hour each in Italian and Spanish literature, besides which the following lecture courses in the school of mines were open to members of this department: Chemistry, general, theoretic, and applied; botany, zoology, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, and crystallography.

This system was capable of indefinite expansion and within one decade resulted in the thorough establishment of the university, to which President Barnard had so long looked forward.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SCHOOL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE.

The first university faculty was created on the 7th of June, 1880, when it was resolved "that there be established a school, designed to prepare young men for the duties of public life, to be entitled a School of Political Science, having a definitely prescribed curriculum of study extending over a period of three years and embracing the history of philosophy, the history of the literature of the political sciences, the general constitutional history of England and the United States, the Roman law and the jurisprudence of existing codes derived therefrom, the comparative constitutional law of European states and of the United States and of different States of the American Union, the history of diplomacy, international law, systems of administration, State and national, of the United States and comparison with European systems; political economy and statistics.

In speaking of the study of the political sciences in 1882, Professor Burgess said:

During the last half decade an awakening of interest in the study of the polit ical sciences has manifested itself throughout the public at large, such as no previous generation since the beginning of our national existence has experienced. The conviction is now already deep and general that, unless a sounder political wisdom and a better political practice be attained, the republican system may become but a form and republican institutions but a deception. It is then hardly

a question any more whether we need a higher political education. The common consciousness of the nation is already beyond that point, and is now occupied with the invention of the means and methods of its realization. Of course, chief among these means should stand our institutions of superior learning-our colleges and universities.

This "higher political education" is what Columbia aimed at giving her students in the foundation of the school of political science. The whole structure of the course is built upon an historical foundation. "Theory and speculation in politics," says Professor Burgess, "must be regulated by historic fact." To this intent the student desiring admission is required to have completed the junior year in the school of arts or some other college of equal standing.

In this arrangement Columbia for the first time recognized the distinction between gymnasial and university work. Up to the close of the third year the courses in the school of arts are of a purely gymnasial character. University work begins with the senior year, and it is here that the elective system enables a student to select the subject in which he will continue his education. It is on this principle that the school of political science is open only to seniors.

A glance at the curriculum will show that the historical work does not stop with the end of the gymnasial course, but becomes rather a study of "the history of institutions, the origin and development of the State through its several phases of political organization down to the modern constitutional form." The student then advances through "history to the existing, actual, and legal relations of the State,

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and finally through comprehensive comparison to generalize the ultimate principles of our political philosophy, aiming thus to escape the dangers of a barren empiricism on the one side and of a baseless speculation on the other."

At the close of the first year is conferred the degree of bachelor of philosophy, which does not differ in character from the degree of bachelor of arts, and thus places the recipient on an equal plane with the student who has completed the fourth year in the school of arts. The final degree is given two years after the first, and to obtain this is a much more difficult matter. The requirements are threefold:

First, a direct oral examination of each candidate upon any or all of the courses pursued in the presence of the entire faculty and by each member of the same; second, collateral examinations upon Latin, German, and French languages, and third, the examination of an original dissertation prepared by the candidate upon a subject either assigned to him by the faculty of the school or selected by himself under their approval at least six months before the date of the examination. The candidate must furnish each member of the faculty with a copy of his dissertation at least one month before the date of the examination, and, at the time fixed, must appear before the assembled faculty of the school and defend his fact, his reasoning, and his conclusions against the criticism of each member of the same.

The successful candidate receives the degree of doctor of philosophy, or the degree cum laude, or magna cum laude, according to his ability.

The school of political science was opened on the 4th of October, 1880.

Its faculty edits The Political Science Quarterly, the first periodical of its kind published in this country.

Connected with the school is an academy of political science, a voluntary association of the graduates of the school, formed to carry on the studies which have been begun. Meetings are held at frequent intervals, at which papers are read and discussed. From the academy a lecturer is chosen each year to serve three years in the school, and thus the faculty is recruited and young thought and strength brought into it. Throughout the course the work in every department is of the highest character, comparing favorably with the best European schools.

EXPANSION OF THE SYSTEM.

Numerous and frequent changes in the elective system in the school of arts followed the opening of the school of political science, but the principle in both undergraduate and university work has remained the same. In the year 1883-84, history and the English language were the only obligatory studies in either the junior or senior years. This expansion proving too comprehensive, it was followed by a slight reaction, and has since been more gradual and logical.

Professor

The personnel of the college has altered very rapidly. Nairne retired, receiving the title emeritus, and his chair was divided. Prof. Thomas R. Price was elected to the professorship of the English language and literature, while Dr. Archibald Alexander was promoted to the professorship of philosophy, ethics, and psychology.

The department of chemistry was enlarged and strengthened by the appointment of Profs. Pierre De Peyster Ricketts and Elwyn Waller to the chairs of assaying and analytical chemistry, and in this and the other departments of the school of mines a large number of instructors, assistants, and tutorial fellows were added.

In 1884 the Hon. Maj. John S. Billings, M. D., assistant surgeongeneral of the United States, was appointed lecturer in sanitary engineering and hygiene. The lectures which this eminent physician delivered during the following three or four years formed the basis of the school of sanitary engineering, a department which has grown rapidly in the public favor.

Another very popular school, that of architecture, originated in 1881, when a chair in that subject was founded in the school of mines. To this professorship was called William R. Ware, B. S., a graduate of Harvard and of the Lawrence Scientific School, and sometime professor of architecture in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Through the efforts of Professor Ware this branch of study has been greatly developed. Architecture has been made the sixth separate department, a number of instructors and assistants have been

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