and related branches of study, enabled the
trustees to enlarge the facilities for instruction on the side of
science. A professorship of civil engineering was created in 1867. This
department has been enlarged gradually, until now men may receive
complete courses of professional instruction in civil, mechanical, and
electrical engineering. Some very able engineers, holding important and
responsible positions, have received their training here. The subjects
of natural history, physics, and chemistry have each been assigned to
separate chairs. The department of physics has two excellent working
laboratories. Besides the regular work in physics with the College
classes, original investigations are carried on under the direction of
Dr. Dolbear, the professor of physics, and assistant-professor Hooper.
In the department of chemistry, the organic research laboratory has been
very carefully equipped for that line of work, and offers facilities for
original investigation which will compare favorably with those of any
similar laboratory in the country. During the past year very
considerable additions to chemical knowledge have been made by Professor
Michael and his able corps of assistants. Of the department of natural
history we shall speak later on.

The only degree given in the beginning as a reward for residence and
study in the College was that of Bachelor of Arts. But the presence of a
large number of students who were not prepared to take that course of
study in full led to the organization of two additional courses, one
leading to the degree of Civil Engineer, and the other to the degree of
Bachelor of Philosophy. The latter course has received many
modifications, and in the autumn of 1875 it was determined to make it a
four years course, the same in all respects as the regular course,
except that it omits Greek and substitutes instead of it the modern
languages and some elective work in science. Previous to 1875 the work
of the College was mainly prescribed, with but little opportunity for
optional or elective studies. At that time the scope of electives was
greatly broadened. There are now eleven full courses of electives open
to students. From the middle of the junior year, a very large percentage
of the student's work is in those lines which he chooses for himself. It
was decided also, immediately after the elective system went into
effect, to confer special honors at the time of graduation upon any
student who attai