tution, and it was proposed to call from Eng- 

 land, Dr. Adam Clarke, the celebrated bibli- 

 cal scholar and author of " Clarke's Commen-j 

 tary," but more practical views prevailed.. 

 In the following October a preparatory school 

 was commenced under the care of Rev. W.I 

 C. Larraeee, a graduate of Bowdoin. In 

 1S31 a charter was granted by the Legislature 

 securing all the rights and immunities of a 

 university, and on the 21st of September the 

 halls were thrown open for the reception of 

 students, the occasion being celebrated by 

 appropriate literary ceremonies. The first 

 student who unpacked his trunk in the rooms 

 of the new college, was Osmun C. Baker, of 

 Concord, N. H., now a bishop ; and among 

 his associates in those early days were the 

 late Abel Stevens, the historian of Method- 

 ism ; Bishop Clark, Col. T. B. Thorpe, of 

 New York ; Dr. Patten, of Boston Theolog- 

 ical Seminary; Dr. Kidder, of Chicago ; Dr. 

 B. F. Tefft ; Dr. Curry, of New York ; Dr. 

 Wentworth, of Troy ; President E. E. Wiley, 

 of Emory and Henry College; John G. Saxe, 

 the poet ; Dr. E. O. Haven, of Michigan 

 University, and many others who have since 

 risen to eminence in the church and in lite- 

 rature. 



Dr. Fisk held his office until his death in 

 1839, and to his untiring labors in its behalf 

 the university owes its prosperity and in-' 

 fluence. 



His name was sufficient to attract a larg *■ 

 number of students at the very beginning,' 

 and his energy and skill secured that finan- 

 cial aid which at that time was much less at- : 

 tainable than now. 



At the organization of the University, in 

 accordance with the peculiar views of Dr. 

 Fisk, which he shared with Presidents Way- 

 land, of Brown University, Durein, of Dick- 



