PENNSYLVANIA, 'UNIVERSITY OF, in Philadelphia, was chartered in 1755 and is the sixth in the order of succession of American colleges. It is the outgrowth and successor of the college of Philadelphia, which was founded chiefly through the influence of Dr. Benjamin Franklin and Dr. William Smith. The latter was the first provost, and is con spicuous in history as having established in 1757 the curriculum of study which was adopted substantially by the colleges of later foundation. The medical department was established in 1765; that of law in 1789; the auxiliary facility of medicine in 1865; the Towne scientific school in 1S72; the dental school in 1S78. 'Die university embraces six departments: 1. The department of arts; 2. The Towne scientific school; 3. The depart ment of medicine; 4. The department of law; 5. 's he department of music; 6. The depart ment of dentistry. The university is located on the western side of the Schuylkill river, on two squares of about sixteen acres, at tire junction of 36th st., Darby road, and Locust street. It has separate and commodious buildings for the medical hall, the university hos pital, and for the departments of arts, science and law. The building for the departments of arts and for the Towne scientific school 11 one of the largest and most conveniently arranged college buildings in the country. The trustees have lately introduced into the official cuniculum of medical study the methods which have long been used in European schools, and which, in all other departments of science, have given vitality and practical utility to the older didactic systems. The department of law has also been lately reor ganized, with is view to more thorough and systematic instruction. The department of dentistry combines thorough practidfl instruction in mechanical and operative dentistry, with such medical studies as arc considered essential to the well educated dentist. Great additions have been recently made to the libraries of the university. Besides the old library of the university, and those libraries which are designed for the use of students in chemistry and engineering:there is the Co14ell library, composed of a very complete collection of books relating to social and political science, which has been augmented by the bequest of the statistical and economical library of the late Henry C. Carey. The extensive and valuable classical library of the late professor Allen has been presented to the university. A very choice collection of books. intended to illustrate the instruction
in history and English literature, has also been added; and, lastly, a library selected with great care, and designed to aid in the study of the English language, and of the early English literature, has been procured. The libraries of the literary and the Franklin scien tific societies of the university arc also open to their members. The design of the scientific, school is to give a thorough technical and professional training to those who propose to engage in the following, among other pursuits, viz: in chemistry, with its manifold applications to the industrial arts; in metallurgy and assaying; in mineralogy, geology and mining; in civil, dynamical or mechanical, and mining engineering; in mechanical drawing and architecture; and in studies preparatory to medical study. The cabinets and apparatus are of the first order. The chemical department contains over 10,000 specimens of minerals, representing the most important forms and varieties of nearly every established 'species. The metallurgical and assay laboratories are furnished with the requisite furnaces, also with diagrams and models, representing many of the most important forms of furnaces and machinery, and a spectroscope, especially constructed for observations in the production of Bessemer steel. The geological department has a collection of American fossils (exclusive of the vertebrates), arranged chronologically, in two suites, the first lithologieril, the second paleontological, for the purpose of showing not only the characteristic genera and species, but their changes in relation to the sedi ments containing them. There are also suites of European fossils and collections of American coals and iron ores. In the department of physical engineering, the cabinet contains a very full collection of models, charts, and apparatus for fully illustrating the subject. The provisions for medical and surgical instruction and demonstration are very complete. The law department is thoroughly organized and effective. Number of pro fessors (1879-80). 57; demonstrators and instructors, 67. Students—department of arts, 139; scientific, 133; music, 14; medicine, 528; law, 141; dentistry, 75; whole number, 1,030. Provost, Charles J.. Stifle, LL.D.