The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-25

manned in operation ever since.
SCHEME OF INSTRUCTION.
There are three classes OF students at vassar-
the regular collegiate; the specials, or irregular
collegiates, and the regular Preparafories rme
classes-the senior. junior, sophomore and iresh-
man-constitute the college proper In order to at
passed examination in all the required studies.
though she may recite with the class in any branch
for which she Is prepared while bringing up aer
include those who are pursuing IN the college
classes eclectic courses arranged for them lndi-
ceary ened Resi It is denied young per.
sons in the regular process OF their education ana
granted only to those VINO nave ALREADY attained
study benefcially In college classes They must be
over nineteen years OF age and must pass examina-
and all the freshman studies The regular prepara-
tories are those VINO are pursuing studies prepara-
tory to the freshman class. students OF TINS KIND
are received only so long as the accommodations
are not oil required for the two former. Such only
are admitted as are over fifteen years OF age and
have passed satisfactory examinations IN English
grammar. arithmetic, geography and the United
There are nine departments or instruction-tnat
OF the English Language and Literature; Ancient
and Modern Languages; Mathematics and Physics;
Astronomy; Natural History; Physiology and
Design dnclnding Drawing, Painting and Model
nngl, and Music. In the department Of English
Literature are embraced elementary rhetoric,
grammatical analysis, the history OF English liter
ature, English ctymology and synonyms, rhetoric.
logic, elocution ana composition. In the depart
ancient a medieval and modern history, Latin,
French, Greek and German. algebra, geometry,
trgonometry, general geometry, calculus natural
Department. Of Mathematics and Physics In that
OF Natural History are physical geography botany,
zoology, mineralogy anu geology. Pianoiorte and
organ playing are equally cultivated in the depart.
ment OF music, ana especial instruction is
given in musical theory and In solo and
choral singing No student Is permitted to take
three
studies, unless they. are reviews, with one art
study, and 1t is therefore impossible for any pupil
within the prescribed four years OF the course TO
pursue all the branches taught. The aims and
methods Of instruction in the various departments
are similar to those of any well organized male
H anssse ana eFsurs 10 aeao&
the laws OF thought, expression ana utterance, 10
train the student practically TO goou s,yis "
In specialties OF the English WORD ana sentence,
and TO introduce her to English literature. The
cipllne-that is the exercise and development OF
the faculties as basis Tor subsequent special
studies. The chief objects are to tamilarize the
student with the Latin and Greek idiOms, the chief
stages in the historical development Of the Ian
guages. the laws Of difficult forms Of poetcal and
b e PEST gecas 70 6s
several works belong, and ancient life and
culture as Illustrated thereby. In the study OF or
to the arts are included, such as the chemistry Of
bread making, general culinary chemistry, toxi-
cOogy and antIdotes, dyetng and printing coal tar
of leather; eleotro-plating and eectrocasting,
and photography. SUITE OF
three rooms Is assigned Tor instruction IN chem,
lecture room one side, the students laboratory
on the other Each student Is provided with cold
and not water, gas steam, Sinks basins and wall
tables The experiments are Tor the most part
performed by the students themselves, and large
blackboards, high on the walls, AFFORD room for a
full statement oi the methods IN detail f0r the par
ticuar practice in hand.
The National History department has, as matter
of course. given rise to museum, consisting OF q
cabinet Of minerals, rocks and fossils, the Graud
collection OF North American birds, cabinet OF
comparative zoology, and herbarium. The min
erals number about four thousand, and both the
crystalliZed and the amorphOus conditions OF the
mineral are represented. Every specimen Is
separately mounted on Vanished BLOCK which
egibly inscribed. There are also series OF models
In wood and glass, solid, transparent and dissect-
ing. for illustrating crystalography; another series
exhibiting the physical characteristic of minerals !;
and third. u ''workng series" or specimens for
the use OF students. The Theological cabinet. con-
tanning seven hundred specimens, Is CLASSIFIED
series OF all the important rocks rom granite TO
peat. The cabinet OF paacontology contains
4, 800 fossils from the standard localities or
Europe and America. distributed according to
geological formation. Each specimen is mounted
and labelled as in the mineral cabinet.
The herbarium contains about five hundred plants
from New England and New York, uniquely ar
ranged for reference. But especial admiration
IS due to the cabinet OF North American
BIRDS which is really one Of the most valuable in
the United States Unfortunately their collection
is very much crowded. and would only show to ad
vantage in room six or eight times as large as
the one it at present occupies. 1t embraces 1000
specimens representing over seven hundred Species
s sRe tSs m
celebrated drawings. Mr.. Graud the donor, left q
fund Tor the completion OF this cabinet, and this
thoughtiulness on his part will one day make 1t a
perfect collection OF all the species between Pan
anna and the Arctic ocean.
Finally, the cabinet of general zoology, number
N Thousand
rapidly increasing. 1t comprises 500 mammals,
birds and reptiles from South America, collected by
largest series OF hummIng birds In any college mu-
scum; representatives OF vertebrateS from our own
country; a small collection OF insects and shells
sufficient for class purposes; good collection OF
corals and other radiates, embracing an unusually
perfect specimen OF the rare Pentdcrfnns haNe'f,
the last OF the crinods fine astrological series,
DR.. AuzOuX, OF Paris.
Periodical lectures are given in the chapel in re.
gard to food and digestion, circulation, the skin,
bathing, dress, sleep, exercise care OF the eyes,
care OF the SICK &C., and the sanitary regulations
OF the household are far as the personal Obser-
walton OF your correspondent permitted him to
Judge, calculated to ensure regularity in work. re-
creation, rest, bathing and eating ; perfect vcnti-
laton and cleanliness an abundant supply oil
good and nutritious food the careful anticipatory
treatment OF any pupil threatened with illness,
and tho isolaton.of any exposed to or attacked by
Vassar, however, no contagious disease has found
Judgment there, ana only two deaths have occurred
bHcTe anu LuOSe tluUuk puplls. Ouc vi Iutui
was that of the founder Of the college, which oc-
Cured unexpectedly and instantaneously while he
was delivering to the trustees his annual address
the other was that Of Miss Lyman, a teacher. who
was suffering from consumption at the time OF her
assuming her position there.
In the department of philosophy Sir William
Hamnton's psychological system is studied in de-
tail and compared with the doctrines OF Reid.
Stewart and Brown also lind place, and lectures
convey an idea OF Mills criticism upon Hamilton.
The manual OF DR.. Wayland the old friend Of many
of readers school days is still adopted as an
ethical guide. Some remarks are also due TO the
PROCESS that is being made In relation to music
and art. In the department OF music 1T was re-
freshng for your correspondent to observe that no
models OF inferior merit are permitted to its rooms
For the pianofore the works of Bach, Scaratti,
Haydn, Clement, Mozart, Beethoven, Moscheles,
Weber, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann and
List form the foundation; for the organ, those OF
Rink, Hesse, Ritter and Bach; for singing, the
methods, vocalises and solieggi OF Garcia, vaccaj
Concone, Bardogni and Marchcsi, together with
arlas from the best Italian and French operas and
songs by Schubert Mendelssohn Schumann
Il. Franz and other good German CON-
posers In the field OF drawing and
painting the purpose has been to impart the power
"a iynita an mot tn trni a