The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-17
AMERICAN COLLEGES.
The leading Educational InStItu.
tIOns OF the United States.
Sketches of the College Of New Jersey.
Columbia College, the Univer-
sity Of Pennsylvania, and
Brown University.

We resume to day our series of articles on
the principal colleges of the United States,
irving sketches of the following institutions
The College of New Jersey,
locatod at Princeton, dates its origin back to
tbe wear l740. when the original charter was
nrocured from the authorities of the pro-
THince The movement which resulted in its
foundation grew out of dissensions in the
PRESBYTERIAN Church, caused by the preaching
of whitfield in the year l741. The religious
education Of the adherents of the new church
party had become a matter of great conside-
ration, especially after the death of the Rev.
William Tennent, who had been giving in
struction at Neshaminy in what was known
as the Log College, from which several emil
nent divines had gone forth. The first
President selected was the Rev. John
Dickinson, who died in 1747, before
the institution was ready for operation.
A new charter was obtained from Governor
Belcher in 174S, in which year the Rev. Aaron
Burr, father of the eccentric politician of the
same name, was chosen President. The
first class, numbering six members, graduated
this year. Burr died in 1757 the year in
which the college was permanently located at
Princeton. The new institution appears to
have been quite prosperous under his man
agement, ia students having graduated from
it during these ten years.
The distinguished metaphysician, Jonathan
Edwards, was next chosen President but he
died in 1858, just as he was about entering
upon the discharge of his duties. The Rev.
Samuel Davies, an eminent divine, was the
next President, but his career was also cut
short by death in 1861. Previous to his ap-
pOintment he had visited England, and sue
seeded in obtaining considerable contribu-
tiOn, by which means a college building was
erected in 1856, which was not only the finest
structure of the kind in the country, but the
largest single edi6ce in the colonies at that
time. 1t was named Nassau Hall, in honor of
the great Protestant hero William III, name
which the splendid building now used by the
College still bears. The original Nassau Hall
was nearly destroyed by fire in 1872; and
again, ii harch, 1855, it was ravaged by the
same disastrous element, the walls alone being
left standing
From 176l to 1866, the presidency was filled
by the Rev. Samuel Finley. The Rev. John
Witherspoon was then called from Scotland to
occupy the place, and in 1858 he was inaugu-
rated, remaining at the head of the institution
until his death, in 1874. During the Revolu-
honary war, however, he served as a member
Of the Continental Congress, and on the esta-
bhshment of peace he did not return to the
active discharge of his duties. At the out
break of the War of Independence the College
was in very prosperous condition in point
OF numbers, the graduating classes having
averaged about 20 members for several
years previous, that of 1773 containing 30.
The classes of 1775 and 1776 numbered q each
bat that of 1777 was reduced to 7, and
the next seven years there Surlng
duates altogether. ~ ..sre only 4S gra-
indeed, were -ae College exercises,
time - . sadly interfered with at this
-, tne battle of Princeton being followed by
u contest between the American and British
forces in its very precincts. The latter were
then occupying the buildings, and during the
contest stray shot from the American lines
passed directly through the portrait OF George
II which hung in the chapel in Nassau Hall.
The Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith, an accom-
pIshed and popular scholar, who had been
acting as President for several years, was
elected to that position in 1875, and retained
the Office until his resignation in 1872. He
was succeeded by the Rev. Ashbel Green, from
1872 to 1922, and in 1923 commenced the Ions
presidency of the Rev. James Carnahan, d. d.
LII. D., lasting until his resignation in 1854
Since then the position has been filed by tn,
Rev. John Maclean, d. D., LII d.
From the Revolution to the present tim
the College has been among the most prospe
rous in the country, although its membershi
suffered considerably from the civil war,
large number of its students having previousl
come from the Southern States. The class
1906 was the largest in its early history, nun
bering 81 members. For several years prect
ding the late war, the classes averaged about x
that Of 1850 rose to 80; and that of 1861 to 81
In 1862, however, there were but 40 graduates
and in 1853 only 81. The last general cat;
logue was published in that year, and COZ
tained the names of 1880 graduates, of whol
1919 were dead and 1861 still living. Anon
the celebrated men which Princeton has give
TO the world were the two Richard Stocktons
President Reed, DIR. Benjamin Rush, Olive
Ellsworth, James Madison, President of til
United States, Aaron Burr, John Sergeant, an
Theodore Frelinghuysen.
The present condition of the institution
shown in the following statement of the nun
ber of students in attendance during the pas
two years.
ls66,67. 1866
VI O2
Juniors. 90 ~
SOphOmOreF.. OV II
Freshmen ......,'........''..."" OA 40