The University

This weck the Uiiiversity of Michigan begins the flrst yc.ir of its secontl SemiCentennial, and foity-nine years after this one, it is altogether probable Unit one of the zreatest centennial celebrations of one of the greatest schools of learntng in the natlon will be celebrated by the alumni and friends of the U. ot II. here at Ann Arbor. The present year opens witli a larjre attendance in the various departuients, tlie figures the university authorities decline to give at present, but President Angelí assures us that the registraüon in tlie various departments is fully up to that of last year at a coriespondlng date, and that the indications are that there will be an even larger attendance than last year. Ia view or this being the opening week, we have coii3idered it quite appiopriate to give our readers a sort of a university illustratod edition. Consequently excellent cuts of nearly every building on the campus is given in this ssue. We also append a brief hlstory of the institution from its inception to the present time, wliich will prove of interest to many. The goveining power is a board of regents, eight in munber, chosen by the people, two of whom are electcd at the spring election of every even numbered year. Of tliis board the president of the university, Hon. Ja9. B. Angelí, is tlie presuling oilicer, und a member exofficio. The present board of regents is composcd of the following gentlemen: Hon. James Shearer, Bay City. Hou. Ebeuezer O. Grosvenor, Jonesville. IIod. Austln Blalr, Jucksou. Hon. Charles 8. Draper, Kast Saginaw. Hon. Arthur M. Clark, Lezlngton. Hon. Charles J. Wlllett, St. Louis. Hou. Moses W. Field, Detroit. Hou. Charles R. Whllrnan, Ypslliintl. öecretary and 8teward - Jumes H. Wade. Treasurer- Harrison ttoule. A BRIEF niSTORY. Fifty years ago last March, at the first se88ion of the State Legislatura nfter the admission of Michigan into the Union, an act was passed providing for the establishment of the University of Michigan, to eonsist of three departments - the Department of Literature, Science and the Arts; the Department of Law: and the Department of Medicine - to be govemed by a Board of Regents. A short time later the Legislature located the University at Aun Arbor "upon sucli sight as símil be selected by the Regen ts, and couveyed to tliem free from cost, which site shall not be less than forty acres." Detroit, Monroe, Marshall and other cities were contestanU lor the possession of the University, and t was only by a small majority that Ann Arbor i secured the prize. At that time Ann i Arbor had a population of Üttle more than 2,000 peoplo, and its present i lation of about 10,000 may be attributed ' largely to its securing the institution 1 which is now not only the pride of the i state but known and honored in all parts I of the world. At the first meeting of the Regent?, fune 6, 1837, the location of the ground8 vas detertnined upon and varlous 8teps akeu to carry into effect the act of the Li'gislature. By tliat act, the Regenta were given nuthority to e stablish branches of the Univereity in different parts of the tato, and subsequently branches were stablishcd iu l'outiac, MonroV, Kalamaoo, Detroit, Niles, Wliite Pigeon, Teiimseh and Romeo. But in 1848, the onnection of all these branches with the University had partially ceased, the Reents haring decided that they could not ;ive tliem aid without dolng injustiec to tlieccntrul ïistitiition. M.-irch 3, 1 8:ï8, the fust building comni'itlee v:i appolnted, nnd In 1S41 the Injtltutlon was oponed, i f;iculty of two profenon m formad and stndunts were entered. In September, 1841, six young men were tdmttted to its portals as 3tudents, aml the real university coniincnceil. Four professors' houses and the north wing of the main building conMltUted the University buildings t that time. The students then occupied dormitones, and this continued until 18S7. In 1S43, the number of students had incieused to twenty live, and in 1S45 there were lifty live. On Aui?3t 0, 1845, was beid the tirst commenceuient of the Univergity of Michigan, when eleven stiidents received the ile;rce of Bechelor of Arts. It was a greut day for the town as wcll as the University. Merchante olosed their stores and old and young crowded luto the Presbyteriaii church, where the exercises were held. By 1845, the one building uscd for college purposes nffoi-ded insulncient room, but the inconvenience was borne until 1849, when the present south wlng of the main building was completed. In the slimmer of 1850 the medical building was coinpletcd, and the lir-t cominencement in that department occiined In April, 1851, whon there were six rru(Hi!ite. In lS.jfi and 1857 the laboriitory was erected, and the course in plmrmaov WM at once so popular that in lsüi it was necessary to add to the ing. A ractice the regcnts have been obliged to keep up t quite regulur Ínter vals ever since. It was iiot until 1S.1S tliat steps wei taken by tile liegen ts to establish a Law Department. Oh October 3, 1859, th law school was oponed, Messrs. James V Campbell, Tbomai M. Cooleyand Charle I. Walker having been appointed profssors. Tlie liist law lectura was deliverei by Judge Walker, who after twenty-elght years, am' at the age of seventy-five. s still lecturing froui the law platform; and it is only veiy lately that Judges Cooley and Campbell resigneü their positions in that dep.irtment. It was not until 1863 that the present law building was completed. Immediately lifter the close of the civil war tho number of students in the different departtnents was greatly increased. A lew who bad gone into the army wlille yet undergraduates, caine back to finish their course. For several years the cold of winter did not fail to bring out among the students many well worn and dingy blue overcoats. Some, too, carne who had worn the gray uniform, and in October, 1868, came the first one ofthat elass for whora the war had gained freedom. He entered the Law Department and graduated in 1871. In 1867, there were 1,255 students in the University. It was in 1858 that the question of the admUsion of women to the privileges of tfic Universisy first arose. Among the Regenta and Facully the objectiou to coeducation was strong, and applicatlon on the part of theyoung ladies were refused. The controversy over tl) is qnestion timicd uiitil 1870, when by a resolution of the Regenta the University was thrown open to tUe fair scx. Miss Madalon L. Stockwell, of Kalamaüoo, was aümitted to tlie classical course in Februnry, 1870, and in the fall of tlint year eleven other yoiinj ladies eotered tbc Literary Department, three the Departamt of Plmrmacy, fijjlitefn the Medtaü Department and two the Luw Department. The initiiber of ladJtl In the various dep.irtnirnt during the past year was about 300. There was at llrst a decided prejuJice among Ann Arbor jieople against " lady students." Muny of the hoanling places wen iiot open to tin-m aml niany yeurs passed bef ore the odility cettued to atleet people, but to-day inaiiy of our people wlio keep rooiners nnd boarders prefer the "co-eds," as they :ire termed in college vernacular. ín 1871 the present niain hall, connecting the nortli and the soutb wings, was erected; in 1875 the Honiu-opathlc Col lege, the Dental College and the Hospital were provided for by the Legislature ; in 1881 the Literary Building, and In 1886 the Mechanica! Ltboratury was completed. Of these buildings the Literary takel the most important place. Large Danbn daUy visit it; earnci-t work on the part of students Is done in it, and its benefit is universal. President Angelí entered upon tbe duties of liis office in 1871, and under his ailministration the university has pros pered well, and during the past year boasted 1,572 students. It is quite impossible by any conciae statement or scliedules to give an adequate notion of the ilnancial difficulties encouotereu, work done, and the growth and development of the University in its different departinents since its organization, nor to portray the many interestlng events in years past - the " rushes," the haziug, college politics, college organization, etc. The romance of college life at Michigan University is far spent. College life lias become quite civilized, the fierce pleasures of the olden time are gone; yet in the societies, tocret and 0en, in the various college asfodations, in the fiiendships thai one may fortui in the sports which y,ung men iind young wonien can always providc, the student still liinls an attractiou.