New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-06
COLLEGE COMMANDMENTS.
AMHERST COLLEGE.

SITUATION AND SURROUNDINGS OF THE COL
LEGE-THE VARIOUS CABINET COLLECTIONS
-ORATION OF PROF. J. L. DIMAN OF BROWN
UNIVERSITY.
IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
AMHERST COLLEGE, Mass, July 5.-Amherst
College and the state Agricultural Institution are the
OF attraction in handsome town OF 5000 inhap
tants on tho eastern slope Of the Connecticut valley IL
would be difficult to surpas It in natural features by any
portion Of New England combining 1t does the beauty
OF the rich auval valley with the bold and rugged out
line Of the HolyoEe range the south, Mount Tom on
the southwest ard the lofty Mettawampe on the north
The Immediate site Of the College was established
half century ago. the founders dedlcating 1t IN prayer
and faith God aud their country. It's success III rear
ing up men followers OF all the professions dependent
upon liberal culture is well known. But Il Is IN Ne"
and important field of culture that Amherst has maze
herself valuable for the past few years Am
herst Is among the first Of similar hiSu-
tutiOns which have acted on inc law
students bodies we'll as minds ana hearts,
and that the physical man needs attention U'uHE
of education well as the intellectual inc
credit Of this due to President stearns Who with
the consent OF the Trustees, established department. IN
this college nine years ago. styled Protessorshlp OF
Physical Education aud Hygiene" This branch has been
tested for two fun college generations Ieigt years. ana
Dr. Nathan Allen Of Lowell, of the Board man who
has ever been specially jealous In this de-
partment, has just published report
giving the result OF the system thus far pursued The
duties Of tins Professor 10 see that the students have
regular daily PhyHe9d Hxtrese M wee 9 pIon and
at the regular hour the roll called by the Professor
with a moderate amount Of exercise under his
eve. Absence from this exercise meets with the
same dlscredt absence from Greek or Lain rec-
ton Besides this the incumbent OF this chair gives lee
lures upon anatomy, physiology and health 70 the ctsSt
and also expected to have eye 10 any habits OF BODY
or mind which detrimental to general health and to
freely and privately confer with the students upon these
habt In OF sickness the students are required 70
notify him, and receive his advice though NOT REQUIRED
10 take prescriptions medicine from him, provided
they prefer the advice OF any Otner eHlCdl luan -.
other words and briefly the Professor Is expected to
know the physical condition Of every student N town
during term time As result Of TINS system upon tno
health Of thc students we have nut 10 compare me
Ithe fun years record hnd that sick
Another interesting feature 10y this department
is mat the sickness dimniShes very iaNy from INC
sickness Freshmen for the past eight years is repre-
sened by Il. while that OF the SeOrfor the same period Is
bntahttie more nan five The vital statistics OF the Coese
not less interesting The or the students averages
7 years the weight 1924 pounds the night 90 Ieet ana
the garth of chest S5l inches Qnetelet the RUSSIAN st
tisucan, gives the average weight OF an adult male as
1863 pounds. and the hight 80 feet DIR Aleu- IN his re-
port lsclSSts ne matter OF tue pest Inu Ol phS
exercise for stucns, ana while giving balpaylng boat
regards the socaed hight musical gym.
ncs the kind 10 be decidedly preferred by COLLEGE
neLts and xcitements are only those which are health
FIJI and natural addition 10 which there IS little dan
ger of indulgence In them to excess l may remark,
finally n tins particular connection, that this branch OF
education on the Amherst plan has been adopted in at
least three other gland Colleges aud in several
of the academies and preparatory schools.
further glance the internal arrangements and APP
OF Amherst College SHOWS u aDuuddhly sup
Icd with and material Of all Kinds Tor the work OF
education That the practical, natural, ana appneu
sciences hold important place ID te institution Is
shown in the extensive cabinet OF Natural history,
mainly that OF the distinguished geOI0glst, Tue
late President Hitchcock which is among the
largest and most varied OF any on this continent
In looking over these Connections " Is
iu such shape 10 make the mass Of materials available
for the practical education Of devOtee 10 those studies
/ tfln
superior America; and but few in Europe. There IS
also "A fine massiug OF meteOntes. The department OF
pnysics under Prof SHELL is very superior while the APP
paatus in the department OF optics Is alike extensive
ana noticeable.
The Department Of Chemistry IS conducted by Prof.
Harris His spacious laboratory Is well arranged and
deliberately furnished, beng supplied with all the con-
velences illustrating extensive course OF chemical
lectures. The opportunities Tor the cheinlca student 70
work practically are bnth oppOrluue anu eACtlIeh. III
the laboratory Under its present organization, tins
branch of the curriculum cannot fail to ultimately prove
Is forward rs any in the country.
large, fashionable and learnedly brilliant audience
assembled College Hall TO listen 10 the annual Grafton
before the Massachusetts Gamma Of the Phi Beta Kappa
Society IL was delivered by Prof j. L. Diman Of Of
the Chairs Of Instruction IN Brown University at PrOy
dence. The Grafton not upon subject Interesting 10
the IL was however scholarly EFFORT adapted
10 the medatye consideration Of the large number OF
earnest who listened TO its periods with unnis
taxable pleasure.
The College Social Associations or Secret Societies
generally this evening The meetings Of the Alpha Delta
Phi, Chips, PsiUpsOn, and Delta Kappa Epsilon frat
erntes were alike large ana enthusiastic Aud were
marked by speeches, supper5, ana the Indulgence OF
liberal society galalsm, whose effects upon the invited
stranger exceedingly genial and happy Ot these
societies. II appears that Of the Chi Psi Is the Oldest
fOushng, aud popular at tins seat ~ learning thOugh
all Of them are well grounded IN the directions ana Khdy
regards OF the Faculty and students many OF the former
grazing their Alumni lists.
FAIRFIELD n " the second 10 G. W Simpson, Cratsbury,
Va first FIRES prize 70 +. s. Fiske, Brooklyn N Y;
second to G. E. Church, Woodstock, Conn.,