WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, located at Middletown, Conn.. was established in 1831 under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being the first educational institution of collegiate grade established by that church in the United States. The institution, how ever. has no organic relation with that church sod its charter provides that it shall be abso lutely non-sectarian The founders of the university were offered the buildings of the American Literary. Scientific, and Military Institute if an endowment of $40,000 were raised; the gift was accepted and its condition complied with. In 1868-78 the university's material resources were largely increased and several new buildings erected; and in 1903-16 several additional buildings were erected and the endowment funds doubled; in 1919-20 a campaign for $3.000400 for endowment and was launched. Though founded and now maintained as a college for young men,, women students were admitted from 1872 to 191Z The curriculum was thoroughly liberal ized in 1873 and since that date the range and number of courses have been steadily extended. Thorough revisions of the curriculum were again made in 1907 and 1919. Under the present plan the university offers courses leading to the degrees of BA.. Ph.B. and B.S. In each course requirements for generalization, apply ing in the first two years, provide that the stu dent shall pursue introductory courses in a con siderable range of departments, under snecifi a.tions varying for the several degrees. For the work of the last two years a concentration requirement prescribes that the student shall select the major portion of his studies in a closely related group of departments in order to acquire a considerable mastery of at least one field of study. Departmental honor work is also provided to encourage still greater thor oughness and to develop the student's initia tive. Courses of graduate study are provided leading to the degrees of MA. and MS. There
are two fellowship and 38 scholarship endow ments totaling nearly $250,000. besides the scholarships established by the trustees for the remission of the tuition of students considered worthy of such assistance. The students main tain various intercollegiate athletic teams be sides carrying on a system of intramural ath letics; the control of athletics being vested in an athletic council on which faculty, under graduates and alumni are represented. They also maintain a semi-weekly paper, musical, dramatic and departmental clubs. There are a Commons Club and 11 Greek letter fraterni ties, which have their own houses where many of the students live. The university has a campus of more than 40 acres on high ground at the western edge of the city and overlook ing the Connecticut River. The buildings in clude North College, New Dormitory and two smaller buildings used as dormitories; South College, the administration building, and the only one surviving from the old military acad emy; Memorial Chapel in honor of the stu dents who gave their lives in the Civil War; Rich Hall, containing the library (113,000 vol umes, $107,000 endowment for book pur chases); the Van Vleck Observatory, with a 12-inch equatorial telescope. soon to be re placed by an 18-inch one; Scott Laboratory of Physics; Judd Hall, which houses a valuable museum and the other departments of science; Willhur Fisk Hall, with recitation rooms; and the Fayerweather Gymnasium. Plans are being prepared for the erection of -a chemistry laboratory in the near future. The productive endowment in 1919 was $2,575,000, and the in come was $243,000 In the college year 1919 20 the students numbered 595 and the faculty 52 in addition to the president, William Arnold Shanklin, LL.D.