Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-08-15
IIaverrord College.
IRIS ORGANIZATION, HISTORY, AND PRESENT ,

IRIS ORGANIZATION, HISTORY, AND PRESENT CON-
DITIoN.
The following description of Haverford College, |
in Delaware county, about nine miles from Phil |
adclphla, is interesting.
The College is in charge Of the Orthodox branch |
of the Society of Friends and is esteemed as one
of the best schools in the State. The charter con-
ferifng upon 1t collegiate powers, was granted by
the Legislature in 1856, but the movement for the
original establishment of the institution dates
back to 1880, when meeting of the most intei-
gent and prominent members of the Society of
Friends in the city of Philadelphia was held, to
consult upon the best plan for removing the dis
| advantages under which the younger members Of
their religious society labored in their efforts to
obtain liberal education. The assistance of the
Friends Of New York was invoked and by the
close of the year, the whole proposed capital of
100000, in shares of 300 each, was subscribed.
The amount of the capital was soon after increas-
ed to s6OOOO In 1881 a farm of about two hun
| drcd acres was purchased, at an expense of els,
| 0OO and in October, 1888, the school was opened
| with twenty-one pupils, the number soon rising
to twcniy-six. charter had been obtained from
the State Legislature u few months BEFORE al
though not without great difficulty, in conse-
| qucnce of the excited partisanship of the times
and the discussions which then existed in the So
ciety of Friends ITSELF BY supplement to the
charter approved, January %, 1885, the associa-
tion was authorized to increase Its capital to
:l00,e0O. Samuel Hilles was the Superintendent
of the school at the time Of Its opening, and
among Its teachers were John Gummere, an emf
ncnt mathematician, Daniel b. Smith and Joseph
Thomas. Samuel Hilles was succeeded as Super
intendent by John Gummerc, and subsequently
by Isaac Davis and Jonathan Richards. In its
early days the school was quite prosperous, but
in 1899 it had become burdened with debt of
S195O0, which seriously interfcred with its career
ofusefulness. 1t was happily relieved from this
by the generosity Of Nathan Dunn, who made it
present of s20,575. In 1913 il again became so
embarrassed, financially, TINT its exercises were
suspended, and the managers proposed to lease
the building and grounds but before this was
effected, II new subscription was started, and an
endowment Of 75O,00O obtained, $10,000 of which
was given by George Rowland, OF New Bedford.
! Previous to 1856, when the institution was
chartered as a college, with the power Of confer
ring the customary degrees, its course OF instruc-
ton was very thorough, and its examination
more rigid than those of many regular colleges.
Diplomas were granted to such us completed the
full course with distinction bul the degrees be-
ing lacking, 1t was felt TINT its alumni were not
+ ON an equality with these of other institutions
: For this reason the managers set aside theil
heredity prejudces against titles of all kinds the
: supplementary charter was applied for and OBJ
a tanned, and since that time Haverford has takef
# rank as college in every sense of the term. TIL,
d FIRST President was the late Joseph r. Harlan. NJ
$ A., who was succeeded in 1862 by the present in
i cumbent, Professor Samuel J. GuInmere. Til,
g number of students now averages about 30, nj
&c though there are accommodations for 10. II
d 1856 there were about that number in attendance
T. During the year just closed there were ~ seniors
9. juniors, 10 sophomores, and IS freshmen
o total of d5. The preparatory department has re
/, Gently been abolished, that all the students
s. In the regular collegiate course. The alumni As
N ISOLATION has 225 members, 175 Of whom com
lie pleted the full course of study and receive,
0, diplomas The libraries contain G20o we-select
+. ed volumes, the observatory is well furnished
re and there is likewise attached to the College
II large Chemical laboratory and extensive philo
r. sophical apparatus. The lawn in which tn
c. buildings arc situated contains 90 acres, and
le planted with one hundred and thirty differen
varieties of trees presenting very attractive up
pearance.