BOWDOIN COLLEGE. The oldest seat of learning in Maine. It was chartered in 1794 by Massachusetts, and was named after James Bowdoin, Governor of Massachusetts, of which State Maine was formerly a district. The col lege opened at Brunswick, Cumberland County, in 1802, with Joseph McKeen. D.D., a Dart mouth graduate, as its first president. From the lion. James Bowdoin, the son of Governor Bowdoin, the college received valuable gifts of land, money, books, and paintings. The present buildings of the college, representing a value of $600,000, include King Chapel, the Walker Art Building, the Searles Science Building, Memorial Ball, the Hubbard Library, and a gymnasium, observatory, and dormitories. The course of study leading to the degree of A.B. is based on a knowledge of the ancient and modern languages and mathematics, and in cludes such other courses as are usually given in smaller colleges of the first class. Connected with Bowdoin College is the Medical School of Maine, organized in 1820. The government of
Bowdoin is administered by thirteen trustees, of whom the president and treasurer of the in stitution are ex-officio menfisers• and by forty overseers. Among noted graduates of llowdoin, who have lent prestige to its name, may be mentioned Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry NN'. Longfellow, Rilllann Pitt Vessenden, Franklin Pierce, Sergeant S. Prentiss, John 1'. Hale, Chief Justice Melville NN'. Fuller, Thomas B. Reed, and Gen. O. O. Howard. Among the benefactors of the college may be mentioned Mrs. Valeria G. Stone, Mr. Henry Winkley, Mr. E. F. Searles, Mr. Daniel B. Fayerweather, Gen. Thomas IL Hubbard, lion. W. W. Rice, Miss Sophia Walker, and Harriet S. Walker.
In 1900 Bowdoin had thirty-four professors and instructors. 253 academic students. and 104 medical students. At. the same time the library contained about 70,000 volumes. The college is non-seetarian, but closely affiliated with the Congregational denomination.