The sun., 1895-05-25
Union University,

The current catalogue of Union Univer-
sity is particularly interesting, because this
is the hundrcdth year since the founding
of the college Mt Schenectady, and because
the institution enters on its second century
amid noteworthy changes Of programme,
and with larger capacities Of usefulness.
The college at Schenectady, which was in
corporated on Feb. 25, 1895, by the Regents
of the University of the State of New York,
was the second institution for the higher
education organized in the Empire COM
monwealth. and the first north of the city Of
New York and west of the Hudson River
1t took the name Union" from the cir
cumstance that several religious denomina-
tions coUperated in creating it: the first COL
lege in the United States which was not of
n sectarian character, it has continued to be
representative of Christian unity. BY its
charter it acquired full university powers,
butt was not found practicable to establish
at Schenectady graduate institutions sup
Elementary to the academical department.
Schools of law and medicine, however, and
also an astronomical observatory have long
existed in Albany, only few miles distant.
These in 1878 were Incorporated with Union
College under the collective name of Union
University, and subsequently, in 1881, tho
Albany College of Pharmacy was created
and attached to the institution. These sup
Elemental departments will deserve atter-
tion Mt another time. For the moment we
confine ourselves to the actual and prospeo-
tive condition of the college proper
The whole number of undergraduates in
Union College is at present $685. but there is
nd for
attendance, the freshman class containing
80 members, or as many as the sophomore
and senior classes combined. There are now
27 professors and instructors, and the
trustees have authorized the appointment of
professor Of electrical engineering and
another instructor in modern languages;
these additions to the faculty will be made
before the beginning of the next academical
year. The number of lectures is exception
ally large. There are no fewer than %
designated by the college authorities, and
Ia lectures are to be delivered in the
BUTTERFIELD course by men of remarkable
distinction in their several avocations In
connection with this enlargement of Unions
educational resources should be men
toned some important changes in the
curricula, namely, the adoption of the ad-
vanced English requirements for admission,
which were suggested by the Baltimore con-
ference of educators, and the increase of the
requirements for admission in mathematics
and modern languages. In 1896 all candi-
dates for admission to the freshman class in
any of the regular courses will have to pass
a written examination in English, and no
candidate will be admitted whose writing is
seriously defective in spelling, punctuation,
grammar, or division into paragraphs.
Questions will be set on topics and extracts
drawn from two lists of books the first list
consisting of books to be read thoroughly
with view to the absorption of the matter;
the second, of books to be read with critical
care in annotated editions, and with reference
to dictionary, grammar, and rhetoric. Next
year, too, plane trigonometry and French or
German will be added to the requirements
of 1895 in the case of those candidates who
aim at n degree in science or engineering.
Union College concurs with the great
majority of leading American universities in
refusing to impair the significance of the
degree of bachelor of arts. Candidates for
admission to the classical course leading to
that degree must exhibit not only a pro-
liciency in English composition, and con-
siderable knowledge of English literature,
but also thorough acquaintance with
arithmetic, algebra through quadratics, and
plane geometry. They will be examined
further in Greek and Roman history, in
GLIDING ancient geography, and in the fol
lowing classical works Three books of the
Had and four books of XENoPHoN's Anaba-
sis; six books of the 4Eneid, six orations of
CICERO, and SALLUsT's Catiline or Jugur-
tha. For undergraduates, moreover, who
seek an \. Is. degree, Greek and Latin are
prescribed studies during the first two years,
after which they are optional. The study of
the French and German languages is also
compulsory, SO much for the classical
course. There are five other courses open
to undergraduates in Union College. The
course leading To the degree of bachelor of
differs from the a. Il. curriculum
chiefly in the omission of Greek. In the
course eliminating in the degree of bachelor
of science, neither of the classical languages |
is required; special attention, however, is
given to the modern languages, and the
amount of mathematical and English
studies is increased, The three courses
leading to the degree OF bachelor of en-
gineering are all intended to supply the
basis of an engineering education; they
differ in respect of the special studies pur-
sued, according as an undergraduate intends
to engage in general, sanitary, or electrical
engineering.
The fee for tuition at Union College is but |
s25 term, or S76 year. and the rent of q