764 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Ashe, Hugh Williamson, and John Hay. The course planned by 

 this committee in 1793 gave great prominence to the scientific 

 studies, especially those which could be applied to the arts. The 



report further recommended the 

 purchase of apparatus for experi- 

 mental philosophy and astronomy, 

 in which must be included a set of 

 globes, barometer, thermometer, mi- 

 croscope, telescope, quadrant, pris- 

 matic glass, electrical machine, and 

 an air-pump. The ancient classics 

 were made elective, the degree of 

 Bachelor of Arts being obtainable 

 without the study of either Latin or 

 Greek. In 1800, however, Latin was 

 made a required study, and an elec- 

 tion allowed between French and 

 Greek ; and in 1804 Greek was added 

 to the required studies. It is re- 

 markable that this scheme, adopted 

 in 1792, is almost identical with that 

 adopted by Congress for the col- 

 leges to be formed under what is 

 known as the Agricultural and Me- 

 chanical College Land Act of 18<!"2. 

 But its interest for us to-day lies in 

 the fact that it led to the establish- 

 ment of the first astronomical observatory in the United States, 

 to the first geological survey by public authority in America, and 

 to the first equipment for the teaching of electricity. 



The men chosen by the trustees to begin this work were David 

 Ker, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin ; Charles W. Harriss, 

 a Princeton man of the class of 1789, Professor of Mathematics ; 

 and Samuel A. Holmes, also an alumnus of Princeton. Mr, Har- 

 riss was succeeded in his professorship by Joseph Caldwell, 

 Princeton, 1791, who was a tutor at Princeton at the time of his 

 appointment to the professorship in North Carolina. 



To Dr. Caldwell we owe the realization of the hopes of the 

 original committee, the ultimate establishment of the observatory, 

 the geological survey, and the electrical laboratory. A letter 

 written by Prof. Harriss from Chapel Hill, April 10, 1795, shows 

 something of the spirit which Dr. Caldwell was to find in the 

 young university. In it this Princeton man says : " The constitu- 

 tion of this college is on a more liberal plan than that of any 

 other in America, and by the amendments which I think it will 

 receive at the next meeting of the trustees its usefulness will 



Joseph Caldwell. 



From the collection of lion. Kemp 



P. Battle. 



