USA > New York > Oneida County > Clinton > A historical sketch of Hamilton College, Clinton, New York > Part 7
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In 1878 Professor Chester received, on examination, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, from the trustees of Columbia College, an academic title amply earned by his pre-eminent success as a college instructor, by his unwearied devotion to scientific and scholarly pursuits, and his widely-known achievements as a mining engineer.
COLLEGE TRUSTEES.
More than one hundred and fifty honored men have rendered Hamilton College service as Trustees, since the Institution was chartered. On the long roll are names prominent in Church and State. Some of these eminent men gave the College almost a life service. The late General John Jay Knox, a merchant and banker may be instanced. He was a trustee for nearly fifty years. The love of a cultured family for Hamilton is illustrated in him and his. Four of his sons and four of his grandsons graduated there. The Rev. Dr. Wm. E. Knox, who was a trustee from 1876 until the year of his death, graduated in 1840. Hon. John Jay Knox, Ex-Comptroller of the National Currency, President of the National Bank of the Republic New York City, and a member of the
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present Board of Trustees of the College, was in the class of 1849. Hon. Henry M. Knox, a banker, graduated in 1851, and Rev. Dr. Chas. E. Knox, President of the German Theological Seminary, Newark, N. J., was in the class of 1856.
The chairman of the present Board, Hon. Henry A. Foster, LL. D., has served fifty-three years. The late Samuel B. Wool- worth, LL. D. served forty-four years. The late Dr. Simeon North, forty-five years, and the late Hon. Horatio Seymour forty- . two years. A large number were trustees more than ten years. The present Secretary of the Board of Trustees is the Rev. Dr. Thos. B. Hudson.
The members of the present Board of Trustees are: Hon. Henry A. Foster, LL. D., Rome, elected 1836; Hon. William J. Bacon, LL. D., Utica, 1856 ; William D. Walcott, Esq., New York Mills, 1863 ; Charles C. Kingsley, A. M., Utica, 1867 ; Rev. L. Merrill Miller, D. D., Ogdensburg, 1869; Publius V. Rogers, A. M., Utica, 1869; Gen. Samuel S. Ellsworth, A. M., Penn Yan, 1870; Rev. Henry Kendall, D. D., New York, 1871; Gilbert Mollison, Esq., Oswego, 1871; Hon. Ellis H. Roberts, LL. D., Utica, 1872 ; Hon. Daniel P. Wood, A. M., Syracuse, 1874 ; Hon. George M. Diven, A. M., Elmira, 1874; Hon. Theodore W. Dwight, LL. D., New York, 1875; Hon. Joseph R. Hawley, LL. D., Hartford, Conn., 1875; Pres. David H. Cochran, Ph. D., LL. D., Brooklyn, 1875; Rev. James B. Lee, D. D., Franklinville, 1877 ; Rev. James B. Shaw, D. D., Rochester, 1877 ; Pres. Henry Darl- ing, D. D., LL. D., Clinton, 1880; Prof. Edward North, L. H. D., LL. D., Clinton, 1881; Hon. Elihu Root, A. M., New York, 1883 ; Hon. John Jay Knox, A. M., New York, 1884; Charles A. Hawley A. M., Seneca Falls, 1884; Rev. Thomas B. Hudson, D. D., Clinton, 1884; Horace B. Silliman, A. M., Cohoes, 1885; A. Norton Brockway, A. M., M. D., New York, 1885; Rev. T. Ralston Smith, D. D., Buffalo, 1886 ; Rev. George B. Spalding, D. D., Syracuse, 1886; Hon. Theodore M. Pomeroy, A. M., Auburn, 1886 ; Rev. Thomas B. Hudson, D. D., Secretary, (1885), and Treasurer, 1886 ; Charles A Borst, A. M., Assistant to the Treasurer, 1881.
COLLEGE TREASURERS.
Seven Treasurers since 1812, have had the custody of the College funds: Erastus Clark, (Dartmouth,) an able lawyer, James Dean,
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(Union, ) also a lawyer and fine classical scholar, Othniel Williams, (Yale,) another honored member of the bar, and a faithful college officer, Benjamin Woolsey Dwight, M. D., (Yale,) a ripe scholar and an accurate and methodical business man, Othniel Samuel Williams, LL. D., (Hamilton,) a man with a genius for business, and also a scholar of fine literary tastes, Publius V. Rogers, (Hamilton,) and the Rev. Thomas B. Hudson, D. D. (Hamilton,) for a time tutor in the College, and since 1870 Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Clinton.
BEQUESTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS.
The first bequest received by Hamilton College was in 1832, when Hon. William H. Maynard, a member of the State Senate, died of Asiatic cholera in New York City, and left an endow- ment of twenty thousand dollars for the Chair of Law, History and Political Economy. An addition of ten thousand dollars to this fund was afterwards made by Hon. James Knox, of Knoxville, Illinois, who had been a law-student in the office of Senator Maynard. An endowment of thirty thousand dollars for the President's Chair was given by the late Benjamin S. Walcott and his son, William D. Walcott, of New York Mills, whose name is a synonym throughout Central New York, for integrity and Christian generosity. The endowment of thirty thousand dollars for the Observatory was given by the late Edwin C. Litchfield, of Brooklyn, a graduate of the College in 1832. The Professorship of Chemistry was endowed by the late Silas D. Childs, of Utica, and his wife Mrs. Roxana Childs, bequeathed sixty thousand dollars more. The Chair of Natural History was endowed by the late Mrs. Valeria Stone, of Malden, Massachusetts, and the Chair of Mathematics by the late Samuel Fletcher Pratt, of Buffalo. Honorable Gerrit Smith gave twenty thousand dollars for current expenses.
Many smaller bequests, permanent scholarships and timely gifts tell how the passing needs of a College will be provided for, when it faithfully performs its work in preparing young men for the highest duties in Church and State. An example of Christian beneficence has the power of an endless life. The good that good men do can never be buried with their bones. It multiplies itself in endless inspirations of good.
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THE CURRICULUM.
The Hamilton Catalogue publishes as the aim of the College, the training of the mind to habits of accurate discrimination, close reasoning and vigorous application, and at the same time furnish- ing it with the leading facts and principles of Literature, Science and the Arts. To this end, while giving other branches due prominence, the study of Greek, Latin and Mathematics is required as furnishing the long-tested and approved means of mental discipline, invaluable to those who desire to lay a solid foundation for subsequent professional studies. The difference between a College and a University has been set forth in this sen- tence : " In a College you learn something about everything; in a University, everything about something." The College aims to lay the broad foundation : the professional school concentrates the student's thoughts upon that which pertains to his proposed pursuit. The Hamilton curriculum is designed to be broad, but not superficial. Students are urged to read all they can on the subjects they are investigating. What Thomas Carlyle counseled a body of European students, they are counseled : "Count a thing known only after you have bounded it on the north, and bounded it on the south, and bounded it on the east and bounded it on the west."
A contributor to the columns of the " Hamilton Literary Monthly," having compared the Hamilton curriculum with that of an excel- lent New England College, (Williams,) writes :
"In the first place the requirements for admission are as nearly like our own as possible without their being exactly the same. Turning to their curriculum, we are unable to draw a strict com- parison with our own, for they do not designate the amount of time given to the different subjects. For Freshman year the work is practically the same as our own. They have a provision for lectures on health and habits of study which we have not, while we provide for exercises in English Composition, and our courses in Greek and Latin are more comprehensive. They give no elec- tives for Sophomore year and take up Natural History and Chem- istry during spring term of that year. Mathematics as a required study ends with the second term as it does here. As regards Latin and Greek, they have one more term in Latin, for which we substitute French. German is required the first and second term
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in a study of the grammar, prose reading and composition, taking Schiller the last term. During Junior year the modern languages are kept among the requirements, which is perhaps the most rad- ical difference, (so far as one could judge, ) between the curricula. Their system of electives for upper-classmen years is not particu- larly intelligible to one not conversant with their methods. Latin and Greek extend into Senior year as they do here now under the regime adopted during this term. Leaving the electives, which are in no way superior to our own, we find Physics and Astronomy among the requirements for Junior year, which, with one term of Political Economy, the modern languages as above noted, and Rhetorical exercises similar to our own, constitute all their required work for that year. We have Biblical study, Chemistry, Law, and Theism as required studies instead of the languages. The fall term of Senior year is precisely the same as our own in the required studies, omitting two hours per week which we devote to the study of Constitutional Law. In the other two terms of Senior year there is little difference. We have one or two branches put down as elective which they require, and vice versa. Our catalogue all through is more precise and explicit, and the information is just as abund- ant."
Hamilton, in the interests of scholarship, seeks to reach young men, even before they enter its precincts, by offering a prize from the fund founded by Dr. A. Norton Brockway, of New York, to the student who passes the best examination in prepar- atory studies. All through the course, scholarship is rewarded with gold and silver medals and money prizes. Col- lege honors and +. B. K. keys await the young graduates who have maintained high standing during undergraduate years. More than thirty prizes are offered those who excel in Greek, Latin, Mathe- matics, German, French, Natural Philosophy, Mental Philosophy, Biblical Science, English Composition, and Original Oratory. Recently Chauncey S. Truax, Esq., of New York City, estab- lished a fund, the interest of which will be awarded to that member of the Senior class, who maintains the highest rank in Greek studies of the first three years of the undergraduate course. The income of this scholarship is two hundred dollars. A similar fund has been established for the mathematical
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department. Twenty-four scholarships have been established, which vary in their annual income from sixty to one hundred dollars. Enthusiasm for thorough work, which characterizes young men of studious habit, directed by these various prizes and honors, must result in scholarship. One of the younger alumni of Hamilton, Dr. A. C. White, now a Professor at Cornell, has recently written a volume in Latin, which has received merited honor.
The classical scholarship of another Hamiltonian has been recog. nized in the appointment of Dr. Isaac H. Hall, one of the cura- tors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The published proceedings of the American Oriental Society contain many learned and valuable papers by Dr. Hall who graduated at Hamilton in 1859. He was the first scholar in America, who mastered the peculiar Greek dialect of the Cypriote inscriptions, as he found them on the Cypriote antiquities discovered by Gen- eral di Cesnola on the sites of ancient Idalium and Golgos. That Dr. Hall should have made this very important discovery, while a young New York lawyer, who could give to this study only his broken hours of leisure, reflects special credit on the College where he received his classical training.
BELLES-LETTRES AND ORATORY.
The reputation of Hamilton College has been greatly widened by her strenuous advocacy of the study of belles-lettres and ora- tory. The aim is to teach students how to record and voice thought, to graduate young men who will write with musical pens, and speak, not in sleepy monotones, but with natural and effective ac- cents, "ringing all the bells in the chime," commanding and re- warding attention. The Rev. Dr. John Wayland, brother of Ex- President Wayland, of Brown University, the Rev. Dr. Henry Mandeville, the Rev. Dr. James R. Boyd, the Rev. Dr. Anson Judd Upson, the Rev. Samuel D. Wilcox, A. M., the Rev. Dr. Henry A. Frink, the Rev. Arthur S. Hoyt, A. M., and Prof. Clinton Scollard, A. M., have served the College in the department of logic, rhetoric and elocution. The last two are still in the College Faculty.
At the Intercollegiate Convention in the Academy of Music, New York, both years when Hamilton students competed, they carried off the prizes for elocution, although their cultured contestants were students from such colleges as Princeton, Lafayette, Williams,
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Cornell, Rutgers, University of New York, Syracuse University, North Western University and St. John's College. In honor of the prizes won by Hamilton students in this competition, three Binghamton gentlemen presented the Professor of Rhetorie fifteen hundred dollars for the purchase of recent books in polite litera- ture. These volumes constitute a part of the Rhetorical library to which recent additions have been made in annotated editions of English classies for the especial use of classes in English liter- ature.
THE MAYNARD-KNOX LAW SCHOOL.
The Maynard-Knox Law School has added to the roll of Ham- iltonians two hundred and fifty-three names. Theodore W. Dwight, LL. D., a graduate of Hamilton, and now the distinguished Warden of Columbia College Law School, New York City, Ellicott Evans, LL. D., an alumnus of Harvard, and Francis M. Burdick, A. M., a graduate of Hamilton and now Professor of Jurisprudence in Cornell University, have been professors in this law school. Hon. Wm. Curtis Noyes, LL. D., an honorary alumnus of Hamilton, after a life of eminent service, professional and political, bequeathed the College his law library. The collection numbers about five thousand volumes. The books were collected during a practice of over twenty-five years, at a cost of not less than sixty thousand dollars.
THE CAMPUS.
Not many parks in the land afford more beautiful views than Hamilton College Campus, with its winding foot-paths, carriage drives, shade trees, shrubbery, hedges, and class stones. A long row of tall poplars, like old continentals in line, sentinel the clas- sic halls. The trees were brought from Philadelphia, whither they had been imported by Thomas Jefferson from Lombardy. They were planted on College Hill between 1804-8 under the di. reetion of Samuel Kirkland and his daughter. The beauties of the Campus are supplemented by Professor Root's garden, where sylvan shades, fragrant flowers and the "liquid lip " of a babbling brook invite the student who loves nature. Scattered through the Campus are class trees, planted by graduating classes, and marked by memorial marbles and granites, hewn and unhewn, and of various designs. These monuments are inscribed with class mottoes, such as
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"Έργα πρό λόγων. 'Αλήθεια και νίκη. Ήμιν άθλον Άθήνης., Κράτος κρατούσι. Μηδαμώς ίχνια άφ. Σοφία το πρώτιστον. Οδκ εθάνομεν έτι, "Έκαστος πάσι, πάντες κάστω. Τέλος άρετή κρατεί. Τόλμησον, μή δ'άγαν τόλμησον,
THE COLLEGE HALLS.
Upwards of thirty buildings in Clinton roof the Faculty and Students, the class-rooms, libraries, fraternities, cabinets and apparatus of the College. South College is a "store house of memories." A few years ago, through the generosity of Hon. John H. Hungerford, "Old South " was remodelled and improved. It is now known as Hungerford Hall. Middle College is called Kirkland Hall. North College, formerly known as Dexter Hall, having. been repaired and improved, is called after the name of the generous gentleman who enabled the Trustees to make these changes-Wm. H. Skinner Hall.
In the observatory, in addition to the large telescope, which is mounted on a granite shaft, are a portable Transit instrument, an astronomical clock, a chronograph, a siderial chronometer, an aneroid barometer and two fine portable telescopes. The building has been connected by a telegraphic wire with the nearest station, and the longitude of the observatory has thus been accurately determined by exchanging star signals with the Harvard College Observatory at Cambridge, Mass. In its turn the observatory on College Hill has become the basis of several longitudes in the State and of the longitude of Detroit Observatory at Ann Arbor, Michigan, which latter forms the fundamental point for the longi- tude of the lake survey. The latest work of this kind has been to determine the longitude of the western boundary of the State of New York. The zone star observations taken at Litchfield Observatory, now number over 100,000. Twenty of the celestial charts, for which the zone stars form the skeleton, were published four years ago, (at private expense), and distributed gratuitously from the Litchfield Observatory to other observatories, learned societies and private individuals, in return for favors received. The late Edwin C. Litchfield, LL. D., of Brooklyn, liberally endowed the chair of astronomy and the observatory which is named in his honor.
The Perry H. Smith Library Hall furnishes space for sixty thousand volumes. In this building are the Edward Robinson,
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: the Wm. Curtis Noyes, the Truax, and the Mears libraries. An interesting apartment in the library building is the Memorial Hall and Art Gallery. It is set aside for " historical paintings, land- scapes, plaster casts, figures in bronze and marble, engravings, tablets, ancient coins and other works of art, along with auto- graphs and portraits of distinguished alumni and of officers and benefactors of the College." Here are portraits of the Rev. Sam- uel Kirkland, the Rev. Samson Occum, the Indian Orator, Presi- dents Backus, Davis, North, and Fisher, Dr. Edward Robinson, Professors Catlin, Avery and North, Hon. Gerrit Smith, the Rev. Albert Barnes, Hon, Henry A. Foster, Judge Charles H. Truax, Hon. John Jay Knox, Wm. C. Noyes, Silas D. Childs and others prominent in church or state or college. Here is also a portrait bust of the Hon. Edwin C. Litchfield, by Hiram Powers. Among portrait painters represented are Huntington, Spencer, Elliott, Andrews, Wells, Healy, Peebles and Carpenter. The first named of these artists, Daniel Huntington, President of the National Academy of Design, was at one time a student at Hamil- ton. While in College he painted upon "bass-wood canvas," a portrait of the College janitor, " Professor Twitchell," who "one day as he was going his dusty rounds was quite willing to rest awhile in the young artist's room and be " booked for immortality." This portrait is still preserved in the College library with a label in the Greek professor's "eagle-quill chirography : " " Ta Meddovra Tpooxtaket," "coming events cast their shadows before." Here are also portraits of students who fell in battle for their country.
The late Hon. James Knox, LL.D., of Knoxville, Ill., bequeathed a fund to the College, which has enabled the trustees to com- plete the Knox Hall of Natural History. Students inter- ested in plants find the Sartwell Herbarium of great value, and the Barlow collections afford fine facilities for those espec- ially interested in ornithology and entomology. In the Laboratory is suitable apparatus for the use of students of chemistry. Those who wish to become more thoroughly acquainted with mineral- ogy find the extensive College collections of great service.
Old alumni of Hamilton College will be surprised as they wander up the "old poplar " walk to South College, to see a handsome brick building of modified Romanesque style, con - fronting them at the entrance to the campus, near South College, says the Utica Herald. It stands like a porter's lodge, guarding
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the gate, and the fitness of such a guardian will be recognized when it is known that it is to be the home of the Young Men's Christian Association of the College. The building was erected through the generosity of Horace B. Silliman, of Cohoes, who is one of the Trustees of the College, and equally interested in Edu- cation and Christian Association work. Mr. Silliman was a prominent member of the late State Convention of the Y. M. C. A., held at Watertown. His connection with the College Asso- ciation at Old Hamilton will be more than simply providing a comfortable and even luxurious home for it, but will take the form of personal interest in its welfare. Yet it is but proper to add, that to the Christian young men of the College belongs some of the credit of this elegantly appointed Hall, for had they not labored faithfully in Christian work and for their fellow students, the donor would not have felt like bestowing such a valuable piece of property upon the institution. The Association at Hamilton College stands higher in interest and results than any other Association, and this building will not detract from its usefulness or zeal. The structure is of Deerfield red brick, with heavy brown stone trimmings. A tower at the southeast end ter- minates in a covered balcony or observatory. The tower is about the same height as the peak of the main roof, and is very grace- ful, giving a finish to the eastern facade. The facade contains, on the right, the main entrance, under a protected arch or vestibule of brown stone, over which are several Roman windows, and a recessed balcony built in the wall. The gables are neatly capped and trimmed, and are at right angles.
On the right of the vestibule is the reading room, 18x30 feet, well lighted and finished in oak, with open fire-place, and door leading to pleasant parlor in the rear. On the left is a hand- some refreshment room, 19x20 feet. Near the entrance are the cloak room and Secretary's office. The cellar contains ample storage room, and a Cohoes steam heater, with a patent steam register under the hall. A curved stairway and balustrade lead to the second floor. There a pleasant suite of rooms is found, part of which are for the Association President, or Secretary. A large room for prayer meetings and similar gatherings occupies the main portion of this floor, being separable into two rooms by folding doors. There is also a small committee-room. The rooms are all handsomely ceiled and finished, and well heated
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CLINTON, N. Y. [EAST OF PARK.] CLINTON, N Y, WEST OF FANK ]
MILLIMAN HALL, LY. M. C. A. ] HAMILTON COLLEGE.
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and ventilated. The wood work is in the natural oak. A narrow stairway leads to the half story above, where there are a commodious loft and two " summer rooms " opening out into a balcony, the wooden floor of which is laid over a tin roofing. From these, there is a fine view of the college grounds. In the basement of the buildings are to be baths, supplied with hot and cold water. The college boys may well thank Mr. Silliman for his generous gift, which, when complete, will have cost him over $20,000.
The thoughtful spectator looking out from the balcony of the Y. M. C. A. Hall, will rapidly survey a century's changes and improvements* on College Hill. Before him will appear a multi- tude of thoughtful faces, youthful and old, and the forms of many men, Indian and whites. He will see Kirkland and Sehen- andoa and Steuben laying the corner-stone of the first building. He will see the Principals and Students of the old Oneida Academy going in and out. Then will follow a long procession, in which he will see many eminent and godly men-College Trustees, Benefactors, Presidents, Professors and Students. The dates of the erection of the various buildings testify to the uninterrupted efforts of the friends of learning, and of Christianity to enrich the minds and purify the hearts of successive student generations.
* Hamilton Oneida Academy, corner-stone laid '1793. Commons Hall, built 1813, used as Mineralogical Cabinet 1850, remodeled as Knox Hall of Natural History 1883. South College, (Hamilton Hall), erected 1814, remodeled and renamed. (Hungerford Hall), 1873. Middle College, (Oneida Hall, erected 1797), Kirkland Hall erected 1822. North College, walls built 1824, completed as Dexter Hall 1812, remodeled and renamed. ( Win. Il. Skinner HIall), 1881. Chapel erected 1825-7, refurnished by the Hon. Truman P. Handy, Cleveland, Ohio. 1882. College Bell presented by Mr. Dan.el Nolton, Holland Patent, N. Y. Motto ou Bell. Ora et Labora, (Pray and Labor) ; Clock in Chapel spire, presented by the Hon. John Wanamaker, Philadelphia, Penna., 1877. Hamilton Oneida Academy pulled down 1829. Gymnasium erected 1853. Litchfield Observatory erected 1854: Telescope Mounted, 1857: Observatory enlarged. 1875. Chemical Laboratory erected 1855. Perry H. Smith Library Hall, corner-stone laid 1866, completed 1872. Silliman Hall. (Y. M. C. A. Building), erected 1858. Society Halls .- Sigma Phi Place, corner-stone laid 1871, completed 1873. Alpha Delta Phi Lodge, ( Eells Memorial). corner-stone lald 1876, completed 1883. Chi Psl House, purchased 1882, remodeled 1883. Psi Upsilon House, erected 1885. Delta Kappa Epsilon House, purchased 1835, burned Angust 17. 1886. rebuilt 1888. Delta Upsilon House, erected 1888. Theta Delta Chi House, erected ISS8. In 1553, the campus park was laid out at a cost of $6000. At that time the stone walls, etc., were removed to make room for hedges. Previous to this date a continuous walk extended in front of the Halls as now, and paths from North College, South College and the Chapel lead to the openings In the fence in front. The original College Campus was a rectangular plot of four acres. The plan of those having charge of Improvements, was to bring under cultivation about twenty acres of land Immediately surrounding the College buildings. This would Include the plot especially designated for an ornamental garden, by Mr. Kirkland In his deed In the Trustees of the Hamilton Oneida Academy.
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