thither. They devised it neither as a church nor as a state institution, but gave it, through its charter, responsible academic liberty. And lastly, they bequeathed to it practically absolute autonomy to manage its own affairs, to elect its own officers, to frame and administer its own laws, the ex officio presence of the governor on the board of trustees being the only external check. These privileges, guaranteed by both charters, are not to be ignored when considering the assumption of the university title by the College in 1896.

THE COLONIAL PERIOD

Building President

The First Commencement. Location at Princeton. Nassau Hall. Governor Belcher and President Burr. Edwards. Administration of President Davies. Administration of President Finley.

THE formal records of the College begin with the minutes of a meeting of the board of trustees held at New Brunswick on October 13, 1748, one month after the charter finally passed the Great Seal. Thirteen of the trustees were present, "who having Accepted the Charter, were qualified and Incorporated According to the Direction thereof," by taking the three customary prescribed oaths, first the one appointed by "An Act for the further security of his Majesty's person and government, and the succession of the Crown in the heirs of the late Princess Sophia, being protestants, and for extinguishing the hope of the pretended Prince of Wales"; second, the oath required by an act of Parliament "preventing dangers which may happen from popish recusants "; and the third, an oath to administer faithfully the trust reposed in them by the charter.

After electing a clerk the board proceeded to vote an address of thanks to Governor Belcher, to which he sent an appropriate reply. The board then adjourned to meet at Newark on Commencement Day, November 9. On this date seventeen trustees, including the governor, assembled and five, with the governor, took the oaths. Mr. Burr was then formally elected president according to arrangement, and he was "pleased modestly to ac

cept " his election. The board then adjourned to attend the first commencement of the College of New Jersey.

In solemn procession, headed by the six members of the graduating class, walking two by two uncovered, and followed by the president and the governor, they proceeded from the parsonage to the church, where the exercises of the day were to be held. The procession entered in inverted order, the graduating class and the trustees halting at the door and dividing into two lines, through which the governor and the president passed into the building, the bell ringing steadily. After prayer by the president, the audience was requested to stand and "hearken to His Majesty's Royal Charter, granted to the Trustees of the College of New Jersey.' This ceremony by itself was of sufficient solemnity and importance to constitute the morning's proceedings, and the president announced that the graduation exercises would be held in the afternoon. At two o'clock accordingly, after a procession similar to that of the morning, thepublick Acts" were opened by President Burr's inaugural," an elegant Oration in the Latin Tongue, delivered memoriter," tracing the history of education from ancient times to Great Britain in her universities, thence to New England in Harvard and Yale, and now at last to New Jersey in the college whose munificent charter had that morning been formally published to the world. After President Burr's oration followed the customary disputations by the graduating class, on theological and philosophical topics in English and in Latin. The president then demanding of the trustees in Latin formula whether it was their pleasure that the candidates be admitted to the bachelor's degree in arts, and his excellency the governor in the name of his colleagues on the board signifying assent, the president descended

FIRST COMMENCEMENT

33

from the pulpit and "being seated with his Head covered received them two by two; and according to the Authority to him committed by the Royal Charter, after the manner of the Academies in England" admitted the candidates to the degree. Public recognition of the governor's services was then made the climax of the occasion and the honorary degree of master of arts was conferred on him. The exercises concluded with a Latin Salutatory by Daniel Thane of the graduating class, and prayer by the president.

"' of

The occasion had been one of fitting and impressive academic dignity for which the governor was largely responsible. He had intimated to Mr. Burr the propriety, aside from his own desire, of " a wise Frugality " at commencement ceremonies, and an elimination of "the Too Common Extravagances and Debauchery such occasions, which in his opinion would be "no honor to what may laudably pride itself in being called a Seminary of Religion and Learning." His must have been the most radiant face in the whole company. His great desire had been attained, the College was a reality and possessed an adequate charter, and with just enough of academic ritual to give the ceremony the weight in public esteem that the cause of higher education in the province demanded, the first degrees had been conferred and the College of New Jersey was started on its

career.

The responsibilities of the trustees had, however, just begun; there was still plenty of unfinished business; and when commencement exercises were over the board met again at Mr. Burr's house to consider and adopt the necessary code of rules and orders which the president had drawn up for the government of the institution. Requirements for admission were laid down;

the conditions of graduation and of application for the higher degrees were adopted; rules of worship and college laws of discipline and attendance were codified; college fees were settled; it was decreed that Commencement Day hereafter should be the last Wednesday in September; a seal was adopted, and a treasurer elected. One suspects that the governor's mercantile experience of the value of publicity was responsible for the resolution that a full account of that day's exercises be published as soon as possible in the papers.1 Plans for raising funds were next considered. Each member of the board was urged to seek benefactions, and agents were selected to receive subscriptions. As a trustee expressed it in a remark that is no less truthful to-day than it was then, "the Principal thing we now want is a proper Fund to enable us to go on with this expensive Undertaking." A special committee was named to approach the general assembly of the province and induce its aid. At the next meeting the committee was ordered to renew its application and especially to ask for a lottery; but the assembly refused, and subsequently a lottery was drawn in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, some £800 had been collected.

Nothing seems to have been done about a permanent location for the College. Governor Belcher, however, had no intention to allow a matter of such importance to drop out of sight. He clung to the original choice of Princeton; but several of the trustees favored New Brunswick, and that place had been chosen for the next commencement. In September, 1750, the board ordered that proposals be made to both New Brunswick and Princeton, asking what bonus each would give in return

The account was prepared by William Smith, and was published in the New York Gazette of November 21, 1748.