UMBRELLA TREE UNION COLLEGE. 



719 



U. 



UMBRELLA TREE. The tree known under this 

 title is one of the several American species of magno- 

 lias, its specific designation being maffnolia umbrella. 

 It is a small tree, rarely more than 36 ft. high, and 

 with a trunk less than a foot in diameter. Its range 

 is from south-east Pennsylvania along the Alleghenies 

 to central Alabama, and westward through Kentucky 

 and Tennessee to north-east Mississippi, it also oc- 



Uiubrella Tree. 



curring in central and south-west Arkansas. It is 

 most common on the western slopes of the southern 

 Alleghenies, where it frequents rich, shady hillsides. 

 Like all the magnolias it is a handsome tree, bearing 

 very large, white, highly-scented flowers, and a rose- 

 colored fruit. It gets its name from the fact of the 

 leaves being crowded on the summit of the flowering 

 branch in an umbrella-like circle. 



UNION COLLEGE. This institution of learning 

 at Schenectady, N. Y.. was founded in 1795 by the 

 Regents of the University of the State of New York, 

 in response to a petition of 127 citizens of the State. 

 Several earlier but unsuccessful efforts had been made 

 to accomplish the same end. 



The prime movers in all later efforts were the pro- 

 prietors of the Schenectady Academy, originally estab- 

 lished in 1785 under the patronage of the Reformed 

 Dutch Church. In 1792 and again in 1794 the request 

 of its managers for a charter under the title "The 

 College of Schenectady," was denied, but finally a 

 plan was framed designed to obviate the objections 

 Blade to former applications, and coupled with an offer 

 of the immediate use of the academy building. This 

 scheme proposed the name " Union College " and pro- 

 vided guarantees for the independence of the institu- 

 tion from all sectarian bias. The charter was granted 

 on Feb. 25, 1795, over the signatures of George 

 Clinton, governor and chancellor, and De Witt Clinton, 

 secretary. The charter granted all the rights and 

 privileges enjoyed by Columbia College, fixed the 

 number of trustees as twenty-four, gave them power 

 of perpetual succession, of appointing officers of 

 instruction and government, of making ordinances for 

 government, and of conferring such degrees "as arc 

 usually granted by any or either of the universities of 

 England." Subsequent amendments reduced the 

 number of trustees to twenty -one. and admitted certain 

 officers of the State to ex-qfficio membership. In 

 1873, by act of the Legislature, an additional university 

 charter was obtained by which permission was granted 

 several existing institutions to unite with Union 

 College in the formation of Union University. 



The new institution was housed at once in the two- 

 tory brick academy building, 50 by 30 feet, and re- 

 mained in these humble quarters until a new and 

 commodious structure of stone, three stories and 

 basement. 150 by 60 feet, costing about $56,000, was 

 completed in 1804. Since 1854 this building has 



been the main edifice of the public school system of 

 the city. The only evidence of its former collegiate 

 use remains in the name of the neighboring " College 

 street." 



During the first nine years of its history, 1795 to 

 1804, the college had three presidents, Rev. John 

 Blair Smith, D. D., Presbyterian, Rev. Jonathan 

 Edwards, D. D., Presbyterian, and Rev. Jonathan 

 Maxcy, D. D., Baptist. In 1804 began the presidency 

 of the distinguished Eliphalet Nott, D. D.. LL D. 

 At the time of his election to the presidency he was a 

 Presbyterian clergyman in the city of Albany, a mem- 

 ber of the board of trustees of Union College, and 

 known to the general public chiefly as the author of 

 the funeral oration over Alexander Hamilton. Dr. 

 Nott retired from the official management of the 

 college in 1861, alter nearly sixty years of continuous 

 service, but he really continued to direct the affairs of 

 the institution until his death in 1866. He was suc- 

 ceeded by the profoand metaphysician, Rev. Laurens 

 P. Hickok, D. D., LL. D. Upon the retirement of 

 Dr. Hickok in 1868, the nominal presidency was con- 

 ferred upon the Hon. Ira Harris, LL. D., of Albany, 

 then president of tiie board of trustees. The actual 

 management of the college, however, devolved upon 

 Prof. Isaac W. Jackson, LL. D., senior member of 

 the faculty. Subsequent presidents were Rev. Charles 

 A. Aiken, D. D., Ph. D., a graduate of Dartmouth, 

 and Rev. Eliphalet Nott Potter, D. D., LL. D., a 

 grandson of Dr. Nott and an alumnus of Union, 

 who succeeded Dr. Aiken in 1871. During the ad- 

 ministration of Dr. Potter, 1871 to 1884, the build- 

 ings were materially improved, their number in- 

 creased, the classes enlarged, and the funds of the 

 college strengthened. Upon the retirement of Dr. 

 Potter in 1884 to take the presidency of Hobart 

 College occurred an interregnum of four years, 

 during which affairs were directed by Hon. Judson 

 S. Landon, LL. D., as president ad interim. 



In June, 1888, Harrison Edwin Webster, LL. D., 

 an alumnus and former professor of the college, was 

 called to the vacant presidency. Among eminent in- 

 structors connected with the college at various times 

 during its history may be mentioned 1U. Rev. Alonzo 

 Potter, D. D., LL. D., who subsequently became 

 Bishop of Pennsylvania; Rev. Francis Waylund, D.D., 

 LL. D., subsequently President of Brown Univer- 

 sity ; Tayler Lewis, LL. D. , the eminent oriental 

 scholar and author, one of the foremost Greek 

 scholars in the United States ; William Mitchell 

 Gillespie, LL. D., founder of the school of civil 

 engineering at Union ; Isaac W. Jackson, LL. D. , 

 author of various mathematical works ; Jonathan 

 Pearson, A. M.. distinguished for antiquarian re- 

 searches, and John Foster, LL. D. 



The grounds of Union College comprise about 130 

 acres, within city limits but on the north-east verge. 

 They are greatly diversified, and command a wide 

 and charming view. They include also a famous 

 garden of several acres, the memorial of Dr. Jack- 

 son, whose name it bears and to whose devotion its 

 loveliness is a perpetual witness. The present build- 

 ings occupy a broad level terrace nearly half a 

 mile in length. The main structures, North and 

 South Colleges, respectively, are each in the shape of 

 an L, and include between their long arms a campus 

 600 feet in breadth. The front line of buildings, 

 200 feet long in each college, is four stories in 

 height, and is flanked by the residence of a professor, 

 one at each extremity and one at each angle, making 

 four in all. The wings, somewhat lower, and called 

 the colonnades, extend at right angles 300 feet to 

 the rear and include the campus between their parallel 



