YALE COLLEGE (ante) received its first charter in 1701 from the colonial assembly, and in the succeeding year Nathaniel Chauncey received the first degree granted. The sessions were held in that part of Killingworth nowknown as Clinton until 1707, Abram Pierson being the first rector of the collegiate school. The removal to New Haven took place in 1716, and valuable gifts from Ehhu Yale (q.v.) led the trustees to call the first college buikling by his name. The title Yale college was formally adopted in the charter of 1745. In this the provision was retained that the ten ministers who founded the institution and their successors, perpetually, should be the trustees of the college. In 1792 the governor and lieut.•governor of Connecticut and the six senior state senators were made ex officio members of the corporation. In 1871 the charter was so changed as to substitute for the state senators six graduates of the college, one being elected each year by graduates of not less than five years' standing. The following is a list of the rectors and presidents: Abram Pierson, 1701-7; Timothy Cutler, 1719-22; Ella's, Will iams, 1726-89; Thomas Clapp, 1739-66; Naphtali 1766-77; Ezra Stiles, 1777-95; Timothy Dwight, 1793-1817; Jeremiah Day, 1817-46; Theodore D. Woolsey, 1846-71; Noah Porter, 1871 to the present time. Among the earlier donors besides gov. Yale were bishop Berkeley and James Fitch. The total number of recipients of degrees of various grades is now a little over 12,000. The buildings of the academical depart ment occupy one of the squares in which New Haven was originally laid out, in the center of the city. Back of the beautiful college green, with its noted elms, stands the line of old brick buildbigs, seven in number. The first brick dormitory was erected in 1752. The more modern buildings stand on the part of the square adjoining the street, the design being to form in time an inclosed quadrangle. The finest dormitories are ' Farnam and Durfee halls. Between the two stands the new Battell chapel, completed iu 1875. On the opposite corner stands the alumni hall, and near it the large and fire proof library building. In 1880 the number of members of the faculty and instructors in all departments was 105. There were in all 1037 students, of whom 612 belonged to the undergraduate academical department. Examinations are held for admission to this department in Chicago and Cincinnati each summer, as well as at New Haven. In the last two years of the course the branches of study pursued are, in great part, optional. Over $12,000 is applied yearly to the aid of students requiring pecuniary assistance. There are three fellowships, yielding about $600 each, and open to recent graduates; also .several scholarships and many lesser premiums and prizes, that most coveted being the De Forest prize medal, awarded "to that scholar of the senior class who shall write and pronounce an English oration in the best manner." The largest class graduated from the department is that of 1879, containing 131 members. The college library proper has nearly 100,000 volumes, besides a very large number of unbound pamphlets. There is also a library of over 20,000 volumes of miscellaneous literature, known as the Linonian and Brothers library, from the two societies by which it was founded. The libraries of the professional schools number about 18,500 volumes. The Sheffield scientific school, occupying buildings a short distance from the main college, had in 1880, 190 students and 25 members of the governing board and instructors. It grants the degrees of bachelor
of philosophy, civil and dynamic engineer, and doctor of philosophy. The school was ' organized in 1840as a school of applied chemistry; in 1860 large donations were received front Joseph E. Sheffield of New Haven; and in 1863 the Connecticut legislature gave to it the proceeds (about $8,000 annually) of the national grant of 1862, "for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts." The course of study for the PII.B. degree is three years. Prof. George J. Brush is chairman and executive officer of the governing board. The theological department occupies two large balls on Elm street, opposite the Battell chapel. The two are connected by the Marquand chapel, a small but elegant 'building. It was founded as a Congregational school in 1822. The course is three years. By, private and church donations the students are provided with furnished rooms rent free. In 1880 there were 93 students. The president of the college is also president of the theological department. Other well-known members of the faculty are rev. Leonard Bacon, D.D., LL.D., rev. George P. Fisher, D.D., LL.D., and rev. George E. Day, D. D. The school has a reference library of 2,000 volumes, and a valuable library of church music presented by the family of the late Lowell Mason. The law school became a department 'of the college in 1822, and now occupies rooms in the county cou•t-house. It had, in 1880, .64 students and 11 members of faculty and instructors. Francis Wayland, LL.D., is dehn of the faculty. The degree of LL.B. is given after a two years' course of study, and that of M.L. after one, and D.C.L. after two years' subsequent study. The law 'library, one of the most complete in the country, has over 8,000 volumes, and was estab .Iished by ex•gov. James E. English in 1873. The medical school was founded in 1813, and in 1814 received grants of money from the state. The number of instructors (1680) was 18; of students, 25. Dr. Chas. A. Lindsley is dean of the faculty. The full course is three years, but residence for that time is not required. The school of the fine arts 'occupies one of the finest college buildings, situated in the general college grounds. This was the gift of the late Augustus B. Street of New Haven. Instruction is given in drawing, painting, sculpture, and architecture. Prof. John F. Weir is director of the school. Women are admitted to the course. The gallery of the college includes the James collection of Italian works, the Trumbull gallery, and other pictures, statues, casts, and marbles. Besides the departments mentioned Yale furnishes many courses of post-graduate study in various directions, which may he pursued with or without the intention of applying for the PII.D. and M.A. degrees. In 1866 the late George Peabody of London gave to a board of trustees the sum of $150,000 to found a museum of natural history in connection with Yale college. Front this fund and its accumulations was erected the first of the Peabody museum at an expense of $175,000. This wing is itself the largest and, for its purpose, the best of the college buildings. Part of the fund still remains, and when it has sufficiently accumulated the building will be completed. The collections are open to the public. A most interesting and complete account of the material and intellectual history of the college may be found in The Yale Book, pub lished in 1878 in two large quarto vols. by Henry bolt & Co. of New York.