232 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
in silently endorsing the part they have taken in its 
gradual development the Corporation has already 
done us a great service. But we now stand, as you 
know, in need of their more direct intervention, with- 
out which the farther progress of the Annex is likely 
to be checked, and indeed I hardly believe it could be 
long maintained were its present conditions under- 
stood by the public to be permanent. For this insta- 
bility there are two causes, — first the uncertainty of 
our instruction as long as it depends upon the cour- 
tesy of the Professors and the consideration of the 
Corporation, — second, the lack of any College de- 
gree. With reference to the first we ask that our pres- 
ent instruction should be continued to us as an edu- 
cational department of the College, with the authority 
of the governing boards, and second that under this 
provision should be included the granting to our 
students of the academic degrees. In asking for the 
latter it should be understood that we think of them 
only as credentials of scholarship, eliminating every- 
thing that may concern rights and privileges of grad- 
uates in the business affairs of the College, — as votes 
for various offices, etc.,ete. Within the last few months, 
we have been made to feel more than ever our want 
of a secure foundation. Our efforts to raise money 
in order to come to the Corporation with a fitting 
endowment have been met everywhere with the ob- 
jection that we have no direct relation to the College, 
and no one is willing to give us any considerable sum 
without any assurance that the University will take 
us under its protection. That doubt removed we are 
