New-York tribune., 1876-12-16
COLLEGE TOPICS.
PRINcEroNs NEW DEPARTURE

THE MANAGEAENT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF NEW
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF 1HE GREEN En-
DowMENT-GROwTH OR DECAY THE ALTERNA-
TIvE-THE WORK or FIGHT YEARS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The annual catalogue of Princeton Col
ege the 130th year OF the institution has just been
Issued The number OF students In attendance Is 472
few less than last year. although the accession OF new
students is greater than before the net decrease
being occasioned by fact that the number graduated
at the last 117-the first class that
had exceeded 100. The graduation this year will
be the same the senior classes In the academic
and scientific departments number 1ls The statement
made in an article The Independent OF June 20, that
Princeton has yet graduated 100 in class was
slngulary i'll timed appearing as it did on the day after
III diplomas had been granted and year aiter tne
number 90 had been reached.
1t has not little amused those familiar with the facts
that recent article in THE TRIBUNE should claim for the
editor OF The Independent the credit OF having so aroused
the dormant energies OF Princeton's president and
trustees 20 have led to the late announcement that
two new proessorshps have been established and two
be added at early date The truth B that
these additions have been freely talked OF for several
years and have only been delayed for the want OF GER
tain funds fully expected, but only recently made avail
able The President in his opening address In January
1876 referred To the fact that he had already d oeore
the Board OF Trustees formal scheme for extending the
curriculum and adding several new instructors, notably
languages.
In this connection wish to correct the statement
made In the article entitled "The New Departure ut
Princeton College," In THE TRIBUNE OF Dec 2, that the
four new proessOrshgs founded upon the SlOoOOO
lately received the estate Of Mr. John O. Green and
tho unwarraute deduction that the new Professors OF
Greek and Latin viii be only "assstants," and VIII
take the place of tutors" Tho Adjunct ProiessorShp
OF Mathematics and Engineering, to which Prof. William
H. Burr C. T., late OF the Troy Polytechnic Institute,
was elected the last meeting Of the Board OF Trustees
mad been provided for by mr. Green before his death
but ns the Department Of Civil Engineering was only In
its infancy the aid OF an assistant was not Immediately
reopired The PROFESSIONALLY OF Architecture ana Applied
Art also otherwise provided for that the entire IN
come OF 100000 is free TO pay full salaries to the Hell
est and Latin and Princeton is seeking only men OF
rstrate abilities teachers aud phiologss TO iii these
chairs. The classical professors already give instruction
to the Freshman Class, aud il Is tie intention OF the
college government TO elevate and improve the wh0le
tutoral system
The writer s also in error IN charging that the trustees
and President have been Indifferent In regard TO seeking
-endowments for chairs. They have most persist
emily "imporuncd' the friends OF the college Tor such
endowments and have received them. but there are
reasons more worthy than these named In the article
why so much has been expended in building Any one
familiar with the condition Of things IN Princeton eight
years ago readily understand why the rst thng 10
be done was build. The recitation rooms were mostly
conddOned cellars and attlcs One of the best had 70
do double duty as general and chemical labora
tory; another as geological museum and lecture roon
An addition OF new professorships and any extended
aystem OF elective courses impossible until more
rooms could be had. Even the present "meager
faculty OF twenty professors and six tutors, with
fifteen elective courses, could not be accOmm0-
dated In eight recitation rooms, none of which
could be crowded to contain 100 students,
while only three would seat over GO or 70 The
old library could not contain the few books which
Princeton tncn had, and hundreds OF volumes were
packed away In boxes piled in odd corners The dor
mtorios when crowded TO their utmost capacity, could
only accommodate 200 students and exOrbant prices
were charged eligible infhe town. Even now,
after building two new dOrmltries adding 20 two old
ones and occupying the Woodruff Buildings, at least $50
students seek lodgings in highprced town rooms
the poorest OF which rent for much as the DeSt rooms
in college 1 gather from the present catalogue that
even after the dormtory, WtherspoOn Iial Is oe-
cupcd there win be 1875 students ro0inng IN t0wn-a
few with their parents, but most of them in hired
IoJGtngs Under these circumstances the spendn Of
large sums in building not q yangorious display,
ESSENTIAL 70 the very existence OF the college, for 20
cease to grow WAS inevitably TO decay ana die
But the growth of Princeton during the past eight
years has not only in the extent of Its grounds
and IN number Of its buildings. These have SO 1cd
the public eye, and have been hora0ed in the public
press that the higher kind Of growth has been lost sight
Of comparison OF the present catalogue with tha OF
1865 shows an increase Of eight professors ana four
tutors in tho Faculty, and the addition OF seventeen
branches Of study TO tho curriculum. think ID may be
doubted whether any other college has made great pro-
gress within short period. These new branches are
noteworthy n themselves Psychology, history OF philo-
sophy civil government science OF history science OF
language English language, French language and htera-
trc German language and literature, physics organic
chemistry analytical chemistry, mineralOgy Zoology,
botany, civil engineering, applied mathematics, ana ar-
chltCcture and applied ART
IA Princeton Is yet the peer of Harvard aud Yale In
the number OF her teachers-alth0ugh the difference In
real working force is not great appears Princeton
having ornamental appcud3SAs-I mnst DC fS-
mebored that while Harvard and Yale we've largely en-
doWcd Princeton hundred years maintained
her hgn position with endowment, save small fund
Tor tins aid OF tho ngelt students for the ministry OF
the Presbyterian Church, and possibly few scholar
ships So far tnen, from her shortcomings beng the re-
gut failures In administration" the long line Of her
gused presidents. than whose no greater names
are 10 found tho roll OF any American college,
deserve the highest need Of praise for having
conplshCd much with such mcager financial resources.
Princeton, ~ j., Dec. q, 1876. WI.