Evening star., 1911-09-01
UNIVERSITY IS OLD
Brown Reaches 147th Year
of Its Age.
IS SEVENTH IN COUNTRY
Institution Always Stood for Liberty
of Conscience.
SOME FAMOUS GRADUATES
Tristan Burgess, John Hay, William
L. Marcy and Samuel Grid
ley Howe in Alumni.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald

June. 1t is seventh In age among the
600 colleges Of the United States. and is
the only one that represents specifically
liberty Of conscience, which at the time
OF its establishment was a much more
serious matter than it is today. 1t is
situated on College Hill. in the center Of
the residence portion Of Providence, with
beautifully shaded campus of twenty
five acres. entered by monumental gates.
erected by several of the classes. There
are thirty buildings. several of them be-
ing admirable examples of architecture
and presenting a great variety Nearly
every school is represented. and they are
arranged in much better locations than
one would expect. The oldest Of the
buildings, called University Hall. dates
from ITO, and was erected by popular
subscription.
The latest. a pure classic library OF
white marble, was built in 19O9-1O as a
memorial to the late Col. John Hay. am
bassador to England. Secretary Of State,
author Of "Jim Bludsoe," of The Prairie
Belr' and 'Banty Tim" Col. Hay was
an alumnus Of the class Of 1858. served
for many years as trustee Of the uni
versity and was always deeply interested
in its welfare The inscription upon the
the tablet describes him as: Poet, His
torian, Diplomatist. Statesman. who main
tained the Open Door and the Golden
Rule"
In the report at the close Of the 1924
commencement in 1910 the alumni list
bore the names Of 1907 graduates-6,4I9
men and 52S women. OF these 625 received
honorary degrees, including George Wash
ington and of the entire number 1914, or
56 per cent. were living.
Among the most famous OF the gradu-
ates are the following: Tristan Burgess,
class of 1863. whose fiery eloquence John
Randolph of Roanoke could not with
stand: Henry Wheaton, 1902. authority
on International law; Marcus Morton,
ram Judson. 1907. pioneer American mis-
sionary; William L. Marcy. 1905. Secre-
tary of State of the United States; Hor-
ace Mann, 1919, foremost organizer OF
public education: Samuel 6ridley Howe,
1921. reformer and philanthropist; Marcus
Morton. 1888. chief justice Of Massachu-
setts; Albert Harkness, 1912. instructor.
through his Latin grammar, OF the youth
of America; James B. Angel, 1S49, pres1-
dent of the University Of Michigan; Alex
Bessemer steel process into America: Ma
thaniel p Hill. 1855. metallurgical ex-
pert and United States senator from Colo.
RADIO; Richard Olney. 1856. Secretary OF
1855. Secretary of State of the United
States: William W. Keen. 1889. dean OF
the surgical profession in America:
Robert H. Thurston, 1859. professor OF
mechanical engineering at Cornell: FL
mer L. Corthell. 1867. engineer and build-
er in the three Americas: Frederick B.
Hall. 1867. chief justice OF Connecticut;
z. BENJAMIN Andrews, 1870. former presi-
dent Of Brown University and chancel-
lor of the University Of Nebraska: j. b.
F. Herreshoff, 1870 American chemical
engineer: Benjamin I. Wheeler, 1873,
president of the University of California: :
Charles E. Hughes, 1881. Governor Of
New York and justice of the United
States Supreme Court; Edward c. Stokes
c. Bumpus, 1884. director of the Ameri-
can Museum of Natural History; Joseph
Walker. 1887, speaker of the Massachu-
setts assembly.
Large Student Body.
The number of students in the univer-
sity approximates 1000. OF these nearly
700 are undergraduate men, nearly 200 are
UNDERGRADUATE women and over 100 are
graduate students. OF the latter about
two-thirds are men and approximately
one-third took first degrees at other col
leees. In the student body as whole
twenty-six states. one territory and five
foreign countries are represented
There are five main courses OF study IN
the university, each four years in leng;h.
These lead to five degrees-bachelor OF
arts, bachelor of philosophy and bachelor
Of science in civil. electrical and mechan-
ical engineering. Practically one-half the
course leading to the degree of bachelor
of arts is required. the other half elective.
The course leading to the degree of bach
elor of philosophy contains more elective
studies. The engineering courses are
university also grants the degrees OF
master Of arts and doctor Of philosophy
for advanced work. The graduate depart
ment. with a dean of its own, has about
100 students.
The officers of administration and in
struction of the university are 100 in num-
ber. The executive officers are William
Herbert Perry Faunce. d. D.. LII D., pres
ident; Alexander Meiklejohn. Phi. D., dean
Of university; Carl Barus. Phi. D., LII D..
King, A. NJ. dean of women's college:
Frederick Taft Guild. A. NJ, registrar and
secretary of the faculty.
The famous Bishop Berkeley came to
America in 1729 with ng-cherished
design Of planting a Christian college in
Rhode Island and lived at Newport for
three years. waiting patiently for the
money, which had been appropriated by
he was compelled to abandon his project
and return to England overwhelmed
with disappointment In 1862 Rev. Nor
gan Edwards. Welshman and pastor Of
the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia.
started movement TO found seminary
ernment of the Baptists."
James Manning. who had just been
graduated from Princeton, undertook the
work of organization. and in 1884 the
friends of the movement obtained from
the legislature of Rhode Island a charter
framed in quaint and redundant phrases
to the effect that Whereas, Institutions
for Liberal Education are Highly Bene-
ficial to Society by forming the risin z
Generation to Virtue, knowledge and
Useful Literature: thus preserving In the
Community a Succession Of Men duly
qualified for discharging the On1ces OF
Life with Usefulness and Reputation"
Liberal Charter Granted.
Now therefore. know Ye, That being
willing to encourage and patronize such
an Honorable and Useful Institution, we
| the said Governor and Company. in Gen
| eraI Assembly convened, Do, For Our
selves and Our Successors in and by Vir-
tue OF the Power and Authority within
the Jurisdiction of This Colony. to US by
the Royal Charter granted and commit
| ted. Enact, Grant, Constitute. Ordain
and Declare, and 1t hereby is Enacted
Granted, Constituted, Ordained and De-
clared" that certain gentlemen named
were authorized to organize, regulate
order and govern an institution and
| Hold Use. and Enjoy all the Liberties
Privileges. Exemptions Dignities And
Immunities Enjoyed by any College ol
University Whatever"
| The charter then proceeds to state tha
! THE number of the Trustees shall. ant
may be Th.rty-six, of which twenty-five
i shall forever be elected OF the Denomina
1 ton Called Baptists, or rAntipeadobaptists
Five shall forever be elected of the De