The New International Encyclopædia/Lehigh University

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY. An unsectarian institution of higher learning at South Bethlehem, Pa., founded in 1865 by Judge Asa Packer (q.v.), of Mauch Chunk, with a gift of $500,000 and 115 acres of land, and incorporated in 1866. By his will Judge Packer, who died in 1879, endowed the university with $1,500,000 and the library with $500,000. The object of Judge Packer was to afford the young men of the Lehigh Valley a complete technical education for the professions represented in the development of the peculiar resources of the region. The university is organized in two departments: the school of general literature, comprising a classical and a Latin-scientific course, leading to the degree of B.A., and the school of technology with highly developed courses in civil, mechanical, metallurgical mining, and electrical and chemical engineering, electrometallurgy, chemistry, geology, and physics, leading to the corresponding engineering degrees and B.S. Graduate courses are offered in both departments, conferring the master's degree in art and science, and summer schools in the engineering courses form part of the required studies. The college buildings, 13 in number, include Packer Hall, the Packer Memorial Church, three well-equipped laboratories for chemistry and metallurgy, physics, and electricity and steam engineering, the Sayre astronomical observatory and a modern gymnasium, valued, together with the apparatus and grounds of seven acres, at $1,250,000. The productive funds in 1903 amounted to $1,250,000, and the annual income to $100,000. The university had an attendance of 581 students, a faculty of 52 instructors, and a library of 117,000 volumes.