The University In 1851-2

Through the kindness Mr. E. H. Clarke the Courier was yesterday shown a copy of the University Calendar for 1851-2. It was of no little interest bringing out as it did the contrast between the University of the present and tliat of forty years ago, or when it was but ten years old. The total number of students then registered in the literary department, the only school at that time, was fifty-seven, distributed as follows: seniors, 10; juniors, 14; sophomores, 25; and freshman, 8. The P. G.'s were at that time a rara avis. Among the list of students appear gome well known ñames. J. Sterling Morton, present secretary of agriculture, was then a sophomore, registering from Toledo. Jay A. Hubbell, one of Michigan's most prominent public men, was then a junior. Ashley Pond, of Detroit, was asophomore and Henry M. Cheever a junior. Freshmen were allowed to matricúlate at the tender age of fourteen years; now the limit is sixteen. The subjects in which freshmen were examined were as follows: English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetio, Al gebra through simple equations, th first part of " Kreb's Guide for Writing Latín," Latin reader, Cornelius Nepos Cicero's orations against Cataline, Vir gil's Aeneid, Greek reader to poetry Latin and Greek grammar, Keightly's Grecian and Roman history, and last and most striking, tbe four Gospels. No student was a regular niemberof tbe University until lie bad finisbed a probation of twelve weeks. Each class attended at least tbree recitations or lectures daily, and on Saturdays tbere were elócutionary exercises. At tbe end of eacb term there were public examinations that were attonded. by tbe board of visitors and a comniittee of the board of regenta. The library boasted of between four and five thousand volumes, bougbt a few years ago in Europe. The admission fee was then, as now, $10, but the other incidental expenses amounted only f rom $5, to $7.50 for room rent and janitor, dormitorios being then in vogue. Tbe total expense for the year's schooling was between $70 and 1100. Much stricter discipline prevailed in those years, according to this calendar, whieh says that the "faculty keep in mind that some substitute for parental supervisión is necessary." Paronts were advised to appoint guardians in Ann Arbor to take charge of the funds for the use of their sons. All students were required to attend daily prayers and to be present at public worship on. Sundays. Every Mondav noon there was instruction in the Greek testament. All the courses tlien otfered occupied only a simple page. There were only fifteen professors and tutors, all told. Among some of the familiar ñames were those of Andreas Ten Brook, professor of philosophy, Ludqyicus Fasquelle, professor of modern lanuages, Asa Gray, and Abram Sager, professors of botany and zoology. A great deal of the calendar was in Latín, and was typical of an institution of older traditions than the Üniversity of ' Michigan.