THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 75 



Many years ago a few retail apothecaries in this city, who 

 seemed to realize the utter lack of any facilities for the improvement 

 of the yoiinq- men in their employ, conceived \he idea of establish- 

 ing- in this city a College of Pharmacy. This ^novement took place 

 in 1829, and on March i8th of that year, a constitution was adopted 

 and there were seventy-two signatures of apothecaries of New 

 \'crk who took part in this movement for higher education in their 

 profession. In 1831 a charter was obtained from the Legislature 

 of the State of New York, and, as I look down the list of dis- 

 tinguished men who have taken an interest in this College, it is 

 evident that from the outset its importance was thoroughlv appre- 

 ciated. In 1829 there were two instructors, great men in their days, 

 but only two — Dr. John Torrey, the distinguished chemist and 

 botanist, and Professor Stephen lb-own, famous in Materia Medica 

 .ind Toxicology. 



The College has grown ; to-day we have thirteen professors and 

 five instructors, or a faculty including eighteen teachers. When 

 the College was first organized it had no place in which to meet, 

 and the Mayor of the City, appreciating the importance of this new 

 educational enterprise, permitted the lectures to be held in the 

 Cit}- Hall. Later, a single room was hired at the University Build- 

 ing on Washington Square, but the College prospered, has always 

 prospered, and by and by was able to secure a building in East 

 23rd Street. It was really an abandoned church, the congregation 

 having moved uptown and a little alteration adapted it to the pur- 

 poses of the College and by and by the College waxed so strong 

 that it actually borrowed $125,000, a pretty good evidence of 

 strength, and built a beautiful edifice in AVest 68th Street. 



It is customary at this time to say a few words with regard 

 to the present condition of the College. During the ])ast vear the 

 attendance has been excellent. We have liad 125 seniors and 140 

 juniors, 2 students in the course of Food and Drug Chemistry, 7 

 post-graduate students, 15 special students, making in all 309 

 students in attendance, and I am happy to say that, among these, 

 eight young ladies have graced the corridors and lecture lialls of 

 our beautiful building. The College, I may say, was never in a 

 more satisfactory condition. The most recent advance made was 

 most flattering to it. After struggling along for seventy-five years 



