Connecticut Historical Collections

be nienilonoJ as cli^tiiij^ui.shed Lcno('nctui'.> of tliC inslitiition. Sir Isaac Ncwloii, Sir Richurd Sl^'ele, Dociois Burnel, Wouilu ard^ Ilallcy, P.enlly, Kcniici, Cabiniy, Ed- wards, llie ]\ijv. Mr. Heniy, iind Mr. AVhisfon, picseiitcd ilieir own works lo the library. Many ulher re.sjiL-clablo meii alunvaids uiadi.' biinilar presents. In 1745, a new charter, drawn by the lion. Thomas Fitch, Esq. of Norwalk, afterwards governor, was ;;ivcn to the trnstees, in \vliich they were named. The President mid Ftllows of Yale College. This is the present charter of the institution. In the year 1750, another coHege was huih, and named Connecticut Hall. The bnikhng, as originally constructed, was 100 feel long, 40 feet wide, and three stories high, with a cellar under the whole. Jt was huilt of biick, and contained thirty iwo chambers, and sixty two studies. This is the only college ol" that period that now remains, and e\en this has been essentially altered and enlarged by the addition of a fourth story. It is known in the language of direction now used by the students, as the South Middle College. The expense of this building was dC 1,660 sterling. In April, 1761, a chapel was begun, and finished in 1763. This chapel, in modern limes, has undergone much alteration, and is at this time devoted solely to academic purposes, under the name of the Athenieum. In 1782, a brick dining hall was erected, sixty I'eet in length, and thirty in breadth. This hall has since been converted into a chemical laltoratory and lec- ture room, and is now used for these purposes, in April, 1793, the corner stone of the building usually designated as the South College was laid. This building is of brick, one ]iu\idred and four feet long, thirty six feet wide, and four stories high, anti was completed on the 17th of July, 1794. The faculty, to whom is committed the government and instruction of the students, consists of a president; a professor of chem- istry, mineralogy, and geology ; a professor of the Latin language and literature ; a professor of mathematics, natural philosophy and astrono- iny ; a professor of divinity ; a j)rofessor of rhetoric and oratory ; a pro- fessor of the Greek language and literature ; and eight tutors. The whole course of instruction occupies four years. In each year there are three terms or sessions. The general library of Yale College consists of above ten thousand volumes, exclusive of pam[)hlets. The libraries of the Linonian Society, and of the Brothers in Unity, comprise each rather more than five thousand volumes. The Calliopean Society, which is com- paratively of recent formation, has made a collection of three thou- sand eight hundred volumes. In adfliiion to the several libraries, there is a collection of books belonging to the IMoral Society, con- sisting of five or six hundred volumes. The aggregate of books in the several libraries, is about twenty five thousand volumes. The col- lege possesses a handsome mineralogical cabinet. In 1811, Col. George Gibbs deposited in this seminary two cabinets, one consisting of more than six thousand choice specimens, and the other of about eighteen thousand, the two best collections ever opened in this country. In 18-25, this collection was purchased of Colonel Gibbs, at a ]irice of twenty thousand dollars ; of which sum the officers of Yale College and the citizens of New Haven contributed ten thousand dollars, the 148 N K \V HAVEN. citizens of New York three thousand dollars, and the alumni of South Carolina seven hundred dollars, and an individual tivc hundred dollars.* The principal edifices of Yale College face the western boundary of the green, and present an imposing front, including passage ways, of upwards of eight hundred feet. The buildings are chiefly constructed of brick, and consist of five spacious edifices, each four stories high, one hundred and four feet by forty, containing thirty two studies ; a chapel for religious worship, and ordinary public exhibitions ; a Ly- ceum, containing the library and recitation rooms ; an Athenaeum ; a chemical laboratory; an extensive stone dining hall, containing also, in tlie upper story, apartments for the mineralogical cabinet ; a separate dining hall for theological students; a duelling house for the presi- dent ; a large stone building occupied by the medical department ; and the Trumbull Galleri/, a neat and appropriate building, erected as a repository for the valuable historical and other paintings of Col. Trumbull. In the cut, the first building with a tower, on the left, is the old chap- el or Athena3um ; that on the right is the new chapel, erected in 1824. The middle building is the Lyceum. "J'hci'c are many more trees in the yard in front of the college building'^, than are represented in the cut, but it was thought advisable not to insert the whole number, as it would much obscure the view of the buildings. The last college build- ing was erected in 1835 ; it stands in a range with the others, north of those seen in the' engraving. General Ilosjjital of Connecticut. " The General Hospital Society of Connecticut was chartered in May, 1826, no similar institution having previously existed in this state. To aid the infant undertaking the legislature of the state appropriated the sum of five thousand dollars, and individuals from dillerent parts of ♦ A well written work, b)' tbu lile Ebcnezer IJ.ililwin, Es(|. entitled "i\niials of Yale Collesre," has been publi'^heil iulluscilv; likewibe a luore recent lusloiy, by Professor Kingsley of Vale Culles^'e. NEW HAVEN. Ml> the stale have contributed handsome sums. With funds obtained fioin these sources, tlie society have erected a neat Ijuilding on an eminence souti) westerly i'roin the densely pcopleil part of the city ; commanding an excellent view of the town and harbor, and Long Island sound, to- gether with the distant ridge of hills which appear to skirt the horizon on every side except that bounded by the water. The building was completed in July, 1832. It consists of a center and two wings, its whole length being one liundred and eighteen feet ; its breadth in the center is forty eight feet. The number of rooms is about twenty, be- sides those in the basement, and a large room for operations in the attic 6tory. The building is of stone, stuccoed on the outside. In front of the center is a portico with four columns, constructed after the best Grecian models. The whole expense of ilie building was about twelve thousand dollars. The funds of the society being limited, it was not deemed prudent to build on a more expensive scale at present. Should more room at any future time be wanted, additions can be made to any extent required, without injuring the aj)peaiance of the edifice. " The design of this institution is to allbrd medical and surgical aid, and other necessaries of sickness, to such as cannot command such ne- cessaries elsewhere. The poor, whom we ' id ways have with us,' if wounded or taken sick, wiiliout jiossessing the means of procuring ne- cessary aid, will here fnul an as}lum, infinitely superior to that, but too often resorted to, in the town alms-houses. The stranger, sojourning with us, taken ill at a public boarding-house, with no friend or relative to care for him, may here find a substitute for the aiiectionate attentions of liome. The sick mariner will here find a ' snug harbor.' To the poor every thing will be gratuitously furnislied, board, bed, medicines, nursing, and medical and surgical aid. Such as are wealthy, and may choose to become inuiatcs of the ho3|)ital, will be expected to pay for board only. All medical and surgical aid is to be in all cases gratuitous. It is to be essentially a charitable institution ; and, should more a[)ply than can be received, the poor are always to have the preference o\er those who arc able to pay for their accommodations." The cut on the next page is a rejiresentation of the southern termina- tion of West Rock and a part of the village of AVestville, (formerly known by the name of llotchkisstown,) about two miles n. w. from the state house in New Haven. That part of West Rock seen in the engraving, is about 400 feet in height, and is similar in its formation and general appearance to the East liock, about two miles n. e. from New IJaven. These rocks are trap, and are composed of hornblende and feldspar : iron enters considerably into their com[)osition ; hence, during their ilecompo- sition, iron rust gradually covers tlie exterior of the stone, thus giving it a reddish brown appearance. It forms an excellent building stone, and is extensively employed for that purpose in New Haven. Tlieir fronts are composed of vast assemblages of columns, more or less regular, and are full of cracks and fissures, from which cause it jnoliably arises that tliey are liable to break of}' and fall. Hence vast masses of broken rocks, from the smallest size to that of the largest columns, are found sloping 150 N C W 11 A \' i: N Southeastern view of }\'a>t Liocic (iiul U'cstril/c. from the bases of llii'se inoiiiitaius u|) their fidiits, for nioic than half tlieir height. They are also dislinL'iiished by their backs (iL-chning so gradually that whilst the ascent is olten easy, in front it is iiii|)raelicaljle. The above view was taken from the sandy bluif rising at the east- ern extremity of the village. The building seen on the exti'eme left in the distance, is the Congregational church. The Methodist house of worship is seen in the distance, at the base of West Rock, in the cen- ter of the engraving. There are three paper mills, one iron foundery, and some other manufacturing establishmenls in the village, which con- tains about 600 inhabitants.