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rary and commercial intercourse, with nations. using those languages, have induced the Corporation to appoint instructors in those branches.

Mr. Charles A. Coulomb has been appointed to take charge of the French department, and Mr. Jose Antonio Pizarro of the Spanish.

In addition to the preceding appointments, Mr. Charles Upham Shepard has been elected an assistant Professor in the Chemical department, the growing importance of that Professorship, having satisfied the Corporation, that the indefatigable exertions of an individual, would be inadequate to the labor of all its duties, and that the addition of a scientific assistant, would greatly promote the interests of the College.

But few changes, as has been before remarked, have been made in the course of discipline, since the Presidency of Doctor Day commenced, although the regular studies of the University have been considerably extended. The nature and variety of these alterations can be ascertained, from an inspection of the "Course of Instruction," &c. prescribed by the Faculty, and inserted in the appendix to this treatise.

The condition of the College is so fully exhibited in the statements hereafter given, and the impropriety of discussing the merits of its present officers so obvious, that this sketch of Doctor Day's Presidency will be closed by a reference to the only attempt, recently made, to alter essentially the course of studies.

The following extract from the minutes of the Corporation, explains fully the object.

"At a meeting of the President and Fellows of Yale College, Sept. 11th, 1827, the following resolution was passed:

"That his Excellency Governor Tomlinson, Rev. President Day, Rev. Dr. Chapin, Hon. Noyes Darling and Rev. Abel McEwen, be a committee to inquire into the expediency of so altering the regular course of instruction in this College, as to leave out of said course the study of the dead languages, substituting other studies therefor; and either requiring a competent knowledge of said. languages, as a condition of admittance into the College, or providing instruction in the same, for such as shall choose to study them after admittance; and that the said committee be requested to report at the next annual meeting of this corporation.

"This committee, at their first meeting in April, 1828, after taking into consideration the case referred to them, requested the Faculty of the College to express their views on the subject of the

resolution.

"The expediency of retaining the ancient languages, as an essential part of our course of instruction, is so obviously connected with the object and plan of education in the College, that justice could not be done to the particular subject of inquiry in the resolution, without a brief statement of the nature and arrangement of the various branches of the whole system. The report of the

Faculty was accordingly made out in two parts; one containing a summary view of the plan of education in the College; the other, an inquiry into the expediency of insisting on the study of the ancient languages.

"This report was read to the committee, at their meeting in August. The committee reported their views to the Corporation, at their session in September; who voted to accept the report, and ordered it to be printed, together with the papers read before the committee, or such parts of them as the prudential committee and the Faculty should judge it expedient to publish."

The elaborate and learned reports, made in compliance with the directions of the Corporation, and referred to in the preceding transcript of their proceedings, have generally been attributed to President Day and Professor Kingsley. Their successful vindication of the course of instruction pursued at the College, received, with few exceptions, the approbation of men of science, and the languages of Greece and Rome will probably not soon be banished from the studies of the University.

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CHAPTER X.

THE THEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

WITH regard to this branch of the University, it will be deemed requisite to offer but few remarks. The College having been founded for the particular advancement of the interests of religion, ecclesiastical literature was a primary object with those who were charged with its government. From this circumstance, many incidents strictly pertaining to a Theological department, have necessarily been connected with the academic narrative.

President Daggett was the first Professor of Sacred Theology. The Rev. Samuel Wales, President Dwight, and Doctor Eleazer T. Fitch, have in succession occupied that chair. Their names have already been mentioned in the progress of this sketch, and with the exception of the last named gentleman, who now occupies that station, their characters have been noted.

The Professorship of Ecclesiastical History, appears to have terminated on the decease of President Stiles, in 1795. In the year 1822, an important addition was made to the Theological department of the University, by the appointment of a Professor of Didactic Theology. The Rev. Nathaniel W. Taylor, S. T. D., then pastor of the

first Congregational Church in New Haven, was appointed to this new Professorship, and has since that period, been in the active discharge of its duties. This important branch of Theological learning, had its origin chiefly in the liberality of Mr. Timothy Dwight, son of the distinguished President of that name, who contributed five thousand dollars for its foundation. The Professorship, in just compliment to his liberality, and to the Collegiate services of his father, bears the name of the Dwight Professorship of Didactic Theology."

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Mention has already been made, of Professors Goodrich and Gibbs; who, although strictly belonging to the Theological department, have yet important duties to perform, in the classical concerns of the University.

The number of Students connected with this branch of Collegiate instruction, has been continually increasing, as more full advantages for professional preparation were provided. During the last year, forty-nine Theological Students were named in the Catalogue. The other particulars, in relation to this branch of the University, are to be found in the general circular, copied in the appendix.

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