DREW SEMINARY AND FEMALE COLLEGE, 1866. [Furnished by the institution.] Drew Seminary and Female College, located at Carmel, N. Y., was chartered by the legislature of New York, April 23, 1866, to promote the education of both sexes in literature, science, and the arts, and to furnish young women with a collegiate course of study. By the charter the trustees are to be appointed by the annual conference within whose jurisdiction the seminary is located. For twenty-six years the high rank of the institution was due to the personal influence and efficiency of Prof. George Crosby Smith. Several years since the management of the school was committed to the Rev. James Martin Yager, D. D. Since then $12,000 have been expended in improvements. The building has been thoroughly renovated and painted within and put in excellent order. Students' rooms have been newly and well furnished. Contracts have just been given for a new building, to be devoted to a gymnasium, class rooms, and music rooms, to cost $10,000. This new hall will be completed by February 1, 1896. The standard of admission has been raised, and the preparatory, scientific, modern classical, and classical courses of study have been broadened. Every room is at present (October 1, 1895) occupied, and the graduating class of 1896 will be the largest in the history of the institution. It has never been à coeducational institution, and has for years been known as "Drew Ladies' Seminary." In 1895 the collegiate charter was surrendered and a new academic charter granted. RUTGERS FEMALE COLLEGE. Until within a few years this has been the only college for women in the city of New York. Before its collegiate charter, which was granted by the legislature in 1867, it had an academic existence reaching back to the year 1838. It was known as the "Rutgers Female Institute." It has been claimed for this academy that it served as a model for the Packer Institute in Brooklyn and for the Buffalo Female Academy. That it met the real educational wants of the time is shown by the great numbers of students enrolled on its books from the very beginning. THE COLLEGE. Meanwhile the idea of colleges for young ladies providing a classical training and bestowing the ordinary college degrees upon their graduates had become somewhat familiar through the institutions of this type already in successful operation at Elmira and Leroy, in this State, and others in the West. The noble benefactions and extended plans of the late Mr. Vassar at Poughkeepsie had now given a great stimulus to all such views, and the friends of Rutgers began to inquire whether the time had not come for the establishment of such a college in the metropolis, and whether the institution which had led the way in higher female education for the city during so many years were not alike fit and ready to take a new step and assume a new position. It possessed already a charter, an organization, and an honorable record of usefulness. It had long been and still was the only incorporated institution for young women in the metropolis. The multiplication of private schools and seminaries with the growth of the city seemed also to suggest a further advance if the institution would maintain that high and distinctive position which it had held at first. On all these grounds the step seemed wise, fitting, and timely. An application was therefore made to the legislature for a new charter giving the former institute the powers and privileges of a full college. It is due alike to the memory and the services of a lately deceased member of the board of trustees, Jeremiah Burns, esq., to state that he was very largely instrumental in the successful accomplishment of this important change, he having been among the first to propose it and having given a very great amount of time and personal attention to the several steps of its progress. The college, duly chartered by the legislature, was authorized "to confer upon students at graduation the usual college degrees and also to bestow such honorary degrees, etc., as are granted by any university, college, or seminary in the United States, with the exception of such diplomas as entitle their recipients to practice medicine, law, or other specific professions." No degrees, however, were conferred by the college until 1870. After several changes of location, the college is now situated in West Fifty-sixth street. INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS. In the year 1893 there were 34 students enrolled. The college has a corps of 15 instructors. The president was then George W. Samson, D. D., LL. D. In June 1895 the charter of Rutgers Female College was surrendered to the regents and the corporation dissolved. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Charter of Rutgers Female Institute. Laws 1838, chap. 192. Charter of Rutgers Female College. Laws 1867, chap. 328. Regents Report, 1868, p. 194. Account of proceedings on organization as a college. Historical sketch, by Prof. Daniel S. Martin, in Regent's Report of 1877, p. 644. WELLS COLLEGE, 1868. Wells College was founded at Aurora, N. Y., by Henry Wells, and opened for the reception of students in September, 1868. The insti DREW SEMINARY AND FEMALE COLLEGE, 1866. [Furnished by the institution.] Drew Seminary and Female College, located at Carmel, N. Y., was chartered by the legislature of New York, April 23, 1866, to promote the education of both sexes in literature, science, and the arts, and to furnish young women with a collegiate course of study. By the charter the trustees are to be appointed by the annual conference within whose jurisdiction the seminary is located. For twenty-six years the high rank of the institution was due to the personal influence and efficiency of Prof. George Crosby Smith. Several years since the management of the school was committed to the Rev. James Martin Yager, D. D. Since then $12,000 have been expended in improvements. The building has been thoroughly renovated and painted within and put in excellent order. Students' rooms have been newly and well furnished. Contracts have just been given for a new building, to be devoted to a gymnasium, class rooms, and music rooms, to cost $10,000. This new hall will be completed by February 1, 1896. The standard of admission has been raised, and the preparatory, scientific, modern classical, and classical courses of study have been broadened. Every room is at present (October 1, 1895) occupied, and the graduating class of 1896 will be the largest in the history of the institution. It has never been à coeducational institution, and has for years been known as "Drew Ladies' Seminary." In 1895 the collegiate charter was surrendered and a new academic charter granted. RUTGERS FEMALE COLLEGE. Until within a few years this has been the only college for women in the city of New York. Before its collegiate charter, which was granted by the legislature in 1867, it had an academic existence reaching back to the year 1838. It was known as the "Rutgers Female Institute." It has been claimed for this academy that it served as a model for the Packer Institute in Brooklyn and for the Buffalo Female Academy. That it met the real educational wants of the time is shown by the great numbers of students enrolled on its books from the very beginning. THE COLLEGE. Meanwhile the idea of colleges for young ladies providing a classical training and bestowing the ordinary college degrees upon their graduates had become somewhat familiar through the institutions of this type already in successful operation at Elmira and Leroy, in this State, and others in the West. The noble benefactions and extended plans of the late Mr. Vassar at Poughkeepsie had now given a great stimulus to all such views, and the friends of Rutgers began to inquire whether the time had not come for the establishment of such a college in the metropolis, and whether the institution which had led the way in higher female education for the city during so many years were not alike fit and ready to take a new step and assume a new position. It possessed already a charter, an organization, and an honorable record of usefulness. It had long been and still was the only incorporated institution for young women in the metropolis. The multiplication of private schools and seminaries with the growth of the city seemed also to suggest a further advance if the institution would maintain that high and distinctive position which it had held at first. On all these grounds the step seemed wise, fitting, and timely. An application was therefore made to the legislature for a new charter giving the former institute the powers and privileges of a full college. It is due alike to the memory and the services of a lately deceased member of the board of trustees, Jeremiah Burns, esq., to state that he was very largely instrumental in the successful accomplishment of this important change, he having been among the first to propose it and having given a very great amount of time and personal attention to the several steps of its progress. The college, duly chartered by the legislature, was authorized "to confer upon students at graduation the usual college degrees and also to bestow such honorary degrees, etc., as are granted by any university, college, or seminary in the United States, with the exception of such diplomas as entitle their recipients to practice medicine, law, or other specific professions." No degrees, however, were conferred by the college until 1870. After several changes of location, the college is now situated in West Fifty-sixth street. INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS. In the year 1893 there were 34 students enrolled. The college has a corps of 15 instructors. The president was then George W. Samson, D. D., LL. D. In June 1895 the charter of Rutgers Female College was surrendered to the regents and the corporation dissolved. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Charter of Rutgers Female Institute. Laws 1838, chap. 192. Charter of Rutgers Female College. Laws 1867, chap. 328. Regents Report, 1868, p. 194. Account of proceedings on organization as a college. Historical sketch, by Prof. Daniel S. Martin, in Regent's Report of 1877, p. 644. WELLS COLLEGE, 1868. Wells College was founded at Aurora, N. Y., by Henry Wells, and opened for the reception of students in September, 1868. The insti tution was chartered in the same year, with full collegiate powers and privileges, by the legislature of the State of New York, under the name Wells Seminary. In 1870 the name was changed, on petition to the regents of the University of the State of New York, to Wells College, the better to express the real purpose of the founder in establishing the school. A preparatory department has been maintained from the first, but it will probably be dropped entirely at an early date. Announcement to this effect would have been made already had it not been for the interruption of our plans occasioned by the loss of the main building by fire, in August, 1888.1 BUILDINGS. The main college building, which replaces the original building, was completed and occupied at the beginning of the collegiate year 1890-1891. It has a west front, overlooking the lake (Cayuga) of about 140 feet, with north and south wings, each extending back 160 feet, with a square tower, terminating in a graceful spire 160 feet in height, rising from the center of the structure. Besides rooms for resident teachers and students, it contains ample class rooms; library, with capacity for from 15,000 to 20,000 volumes; chapel, music hall, offices, and other public rooms, all on the first floor; gymnasium fitted with the Sargent apparatus, dining-room on second floor; a fine studio and society halls on the upper floor.2 PRESIDENTS. The first president of Wells College was the Rev. William W. Howard, who held office only one year. From 1869 to 1873 the Rev. S. Irenæus Prime, D. D., was the acting president, and he was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas C. Strong, D. D., who resigned in 1875. The Rev. Edward S. Frisbee, D. D., was then elected as president, and he occupied the office until June, 1894. Under his administration this institution has been steadily improving in all the appointments for study and instruction, and in a character for thorough scholarship and genuine literary and Christian culture. In the letter from President Frisbee above referred to attention is drawn to a peculiar feature in the policy of this institution. He writes: A special point may be taken into the account, which was intended by the founder, and has been kept steadily in mind from the beginning, namely, the limitation of numbers. Originally the limit was placed at 75. For the last two years it has been considerably less, solely because since the fire we have been unable to provide room for a larger number. On the completion of the new building the limit will be raised to 100, experience showing that such number is not too large for the best results. 1 From a letter of President Frisbee, of date March 6, 1890. 2 Annual catalogue. 1891. 3 Quoted from Public Service of the State of New York, III, p. 410, |