The New International Encyclopædia/New York University

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. An institution of higher learning in New York City. It had its inception at a meeting of citizens of high business and professional standing in the rooms of the New York Historical Society, January 4, 1830, when a committee of nine was elected to proceed in the establishment of a new university on a liberal and comprehensive foundation. The committee secured a long list of subscribers to the undertaking and finally merged its existence into that of the first University Council elected by the subscribers, October 16, 1830, and chartered April 18, 1831. The original university building was erected in 1835 on Washington Square. The University College was opened in 1832; the Law School in 1835; the Medical School in 1841; the School of Applied Science (formerly Civil Engineering) in 1862; the Graduate School in 1886; the School of Pedagogy in 1890; the Veterinary College (incorporated with the university) in 1898; and the School of Commerce in 1900. The greatest era of development in the history of the university was the period between 1890 and 1900. In 1891 the grounds on University Heights overlooking the Harlem River were acquired, and in 1894 the College of Arts and Pure Science and the School of Applied Science were removed to the new site, the schools of Law and Pedagogy and a part of the Graduate School remaining in a new structure on Washington Square. The various schools hitherto loosely connected were now reorganized into one university system. The university in 1902 comprised six faculties besides the School of Commerce, the Woman's Law Class, and the Summer School, having in all 212 professors and instructors, and 2101 students. (1) University College confers the degrees of B.A. and B.S. (2) The University Law School (coeducational) confers the degrees of LL.B., LL.M., and J.D. (3) The Medical College, together with the Veterinary College, confers the degrees of M.D., D.S., and D.V.S. (4) The School of Applied Science confers the degrees of C.E. and M.E. (5) The Graduate School confers the degrees of M.A., M.S., Ph.M., and Ph.D. (6) The School of Pedagogy confers the degrees of Pd.M. and Pd.D. The School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance confers the degree of B.C.S. (bachelor of commercial science). The Summer School had in 1902 12 instructors and 113 students. The library of the university contained in 1902 over 55,000 volumes, including the Oswald Ottendorfer Collection. The campus covers about 22 acres, and its chief architectural feature is the library building, completed in 1900, at a cost of $750,000. An open colonnade known as the Hall of Fame (q.v.) extends partly around the library, overlooking the Harlem. The total value of the buildings and grounds in 1902 was $2,945,342; the endowment was $2,080,179; the gross income $467,839, and the total value of the college property $5,025,522. The government of the university is vested in a Senate consisting of the chancellor, the deans of the several schools, and six professors elected, one from each school, together with advisory members. The chancellors of the university have been James Matthews, Theodore Frelinghuysen, Isaac Ferris, Howard Crosby, John Hall, Henry M. MacCracken.