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life, other than theology, law, and medicine, which 

 require a peculiar education. This has been the case to 

 some extent, and the tendency in that direction is 

 increasing. It is beginning to be felt that college 

 education, in the discipline of the powers and the 

 balancing of the faculties of the mind which it gives, 

 not only does not disqualify, but lays, in general, the 

 best foundation, for the after education of the scientific 

 farmer, of the enlightened merchant, and of men in the 

 various departments of active life, which manufactures, 

 rail roads, mining, and the like, open to the educated. 



In the second place, the establishment of this new 

 department recognized the fact, that there are very 

 many in the community, who for various reasons, can 

 not go through with the preparatory studies in a 

 collegiate course, and was intended to give such the best 

 opportunities possible for their professional education. 

 The age (twenty one) which the degree of Bachelor of 

 Philosophy requires, shows that it was regarded by the 

 corporation as a testimonial of a completed preparation 

 for the active duties of life — as in the case with the 

 degrees in law and medicine. 



Finally, in the institution of this new department, the 

 corporation of the college proceeded with cautious steps, 

 and with a wise foresight of the necessities of education 

 in our land. Schools of physical science might be dis- 



