In 1764 the college met with a serious loss by fire; the first Harvard Hall, containing the library and apparatus, was entirely destroyed, but the loss was repaired to some extent by the generous aid of the Colonies. Harvard was loyal to the American cause during the Revolutionary period; even going so far in the readjustment of its financial affairs as to suffer considerable loss. The alumni and stu dents have ever been patriotic, ready to contrib ute their best to the needs of their country. The fine building, Memorial Hall, was erected by the alumni in memory of their dead who fell in the Civil War. Harvard has always followed a conservative course when parties were agi tating questions of government.
Between 1636 and 1782 Harvard College con ferred only the degrees of bachelor and master of arts, but in 1780 the term university was ap plied to it in the constitution of the State of Massachusetts. The class of 1768 evidently gave some attention to dress, as they voted to wear homespun at their graduating exercises, al though their action on the matter is often quoted to prove their democratic simplicity. In 1782 and 1783 three professorships of medicine were established, and the first degree of bachelor of medicine was conferred in 1788. In 1810 the lectures in medicine were transferred to Boston, and there the first medical college was built. The law school was established in 1817, and it has the distinction of being the earliest school of law in the country connected with a univer sity and authorized to confer degrees in law. The divinity school was a gradual outgrowth of the college; the Hollis professorship of di vinity, which has been mentioned, was estab lished in 1721, but the divinity faculty was not formally organized until 1819. It is now unde nominational, no assent to the special doctrines of any sect or denomination of Christianity being required of any instructor or student. The schools of medicine, law and divinity are the three oldest additions to the college proper, and it was decided that such an institution, hav ing four schools and several departments, justi fied the title university.
In about 1822, a number of the friends of education and of the institution thought the time had come when further changes should be made in the work required of the students. George Ticknor (q.v.), professor in the depart ment of modern languages, urged that some division of studies should be made whereby students might be permitted to pursue special courses or specialize on certain subjects. A
committee, with Joseph Story as chairman, was appointed to investigate the wisdom of such a change, and how best to meet the needs of the students. The committee reported (1824) the advisability of instituting two lines of study— the one a course necessary for a degree, the other a scientific and mechanical course for those not intending to take degrees, but who de sired to fit themselves for certain departments of work. The departure from old customs as recommended by the committee was opposed by many, but in 1825 changes were made and the special students were admitted. Professor Ticknor and later his successor, Henry W. Longfellow, introduced to some extent elective courses in the department of modern lan guages, but not until a number of years later did these courses become popular in other departments.
Charles William Eliot (q.v.) was elected president in 1869. At this time the departments were almost independent schools, to which no entrance examinations were required, but the students were largely from classical preparatory schools, the majority of which were located in New England. The college required certain courses, and all demanded good work and a high degree of scholarship before graduation. In four years practically a reorganization had been made, the departments had been correlated and individual work had been given recognition. In 1909, Dr. Eliot retired and was succeeded by Dr. Abbott Lawrence Lowell, formerly profes. sor of the science of government at the univer sity.
To Harvard much credit is due for the con servative manner in which it has dealt with the question of higher education of women. The Society for the Collegiate Instruction of Women was the name of an organization which began the work (1869) of providing ways and means for giving young women an opportunity to obtain a collegiate education. The name of the organization was changed, in 1894, by the General Court of Massachusetts to that of Rad cliffe College (q.v.). Systematic collegiate in struction is now given in this college, under the professors and teachers of Harvard University. The requirements are the same as for admission to the university.