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 University of Pennsylvania, March 2nd, 1824. 
 
 " Resolved — that ajcommittee be appointed to inve s- 
 tigate thejexi^ng state of abuses in the Universi- 
 ty, and to report whether any, and what measures 
 are necessary to strengthen the discipline of the 
 schools." 
 
 The committee appointed in pursuance of the above resolu- 
 tion respectfully report, 
 
 •That immediately after their appointment, they entered 
 upon the duties confided to them, and chiefly with a view to 
 the first clause of the resolution, which refers to " the exist- 
 ing state of abuses in the University:" they invited a con- 
 ference with the gentlemen composing the Faculty in the 
 Department of the Arts and Sciences* The Professor of 
 languages was prevented by the state of his health from ac- 
 cepting the invitation, but a full and unreserved interchange 
 of sentiments took place with the Provost and the Vice Pro- 
 vost. Complaints were made of a spirit of insubordination 
 among the students, which had heretofore been active and 
 violent, and though now considerably amended still partially 
 existed. The evil was alleged to manifest itself in various 
 ways; but particularly in offensive noises, and other marks 
 of disrespect, resorted to by the classes, in the immediate 
 presence of their respective professors. For the correction 
 
 
4 
 
 of this abuse chiefly, the appeal to the Trustees had been 
 made; it being supposed that extraordinary powers were re- 
 quired to enable the insulted professor to detect the indi- 
 viduals who committed the offence, and to enable the faculty 
 at large to inflict the necessary punishment. Your commit- 
 tee were impressed with the belief that improper acts done 
 in the face of a professor might readily be traced to their 
 authors by the professor himself; and that the mode of detec- 
 tion suggested, was of such doubtful propriety, and its ope- 
 ration calculated to produce such serious evils, that no ordi- 
 nary emergency could justify its use. Your committee be- 
 lieved also, that the scale of punishments provided by the 
 statutes of the University, was sufficiently comprehensive, 
 to afford the Faculty redress, without the necessity of an ap- 
 peal to the Board of Trustees. The Professors themselves 
 have control over every degree of correction short of dis- 
 mission and expulsion. They may admonish in private or 
 public, remove to a lower class, or suspend for a limited time 
 from the college privileges. An exercise of authority thus 
 extensive, necessarily carries with it a corresponding respon- 
 sibility, and it is just that the responsibility and the power 
 should remain with those who enjoy the best opportunities 
 of knowing the proper occasions to incur the one, and enforce 
 the other. A communication from the Provost, bearing date 
 the 30th of April, has obviated the necessity of farther at- 
 tention on the part of the committee, to this branch of the 
 resolution, as they are requested to consider the proposal of 
 a law withdrawn, and to report to the Board of Trustees, 
 a wish that no resolution should be passed upon the subject. 
 The committee did not consider that the duties enjoined 
 upon them ceased with their relief from the investigation of 
 a single part of the subject. They are also called upon " to 
 report whether any, and what measures are necessary to 
 strengthen the discipline of the schools," 
 
That a deficiency exists either in the system, or the admin- 
 istration of the college discipline, is too obvious to be denied or 
 doubted; an institution liberally, munificently endowed, pro- 
 vided withmoraland physical sources of instruction, establish- 
 ed in the midst of an intelligent population anxiously desirous 
 to discover opportunities for educating its youth without seek- 
 ing them abroad, languishes without a name, and gives in- 
 struction to a number of pupils so limited, as scarcely to ex- 
 ceed that of an ordinary grammar school. The result can scarce- 
 ly be imputed either to defects in the general government of 
 the University, or to objections to the place where it exists* 
 Were other arguments wanting in support of this position, 
 it might be proved by a comparison between the college of the 
 arts, and the sister department of medicine: the one, a per- 
 petual source of mortification and regret; the other, unrivalled 
 in prosperity and reputation, an object of pride to the parent 
 institution, and an ornament to the country by which it is 
 sustained. Your committee believe that the evils are not 
 incurable. They entertain no doubt that an ardent and ex- 
 clusive devotion of the several professors to the duties of 
 their honourable trusts, and an immoveable determination 
 fearlessly and faithfully to discharge them, aided by such 
 provisions as this Board has power to make, will redeem the 
 credit of the college, and establish it upon a basis at once 
 honourable to yourselves, beneficial to the faculty, and high- 
 ly advantageous to the community. To facilitate the attain- 
 ment of these desirable objects, the following alterations are 
 proposed in the discipline and government of the department 
 in question: 
 
 1. To connect at least one additional grammar school with 
 the University. While each of these establishments is placed 
 under the general government of the institution, it may be 
 proper that neither of them should be held in the same build- 
 ing with the College of the Arts. 
 The objects of this arrangement are, 
 
I . To increase the number of students in the college, as 
 the pupils of the grammar schools will naturally be advanced 
 into the lowest class, if the reputation of the college should 
 justify it. 
 
 Q. To adopt one extensive system of instruction prepara- 
 tory to the course pursued in the college. 
 
 II. The introduction of a fourth class. The present course 
 of study might with advantage be enlarged, and general ex- 
 perience and example indicate the utility of four instead of 
 three classes. 
 
 III. The confinement of the recitations in general to the 
 morning, and the devotion of the whole of the morning to 
 that object, and of the whole of the afternoon uninterrupted- 
 ly to study and preparation. 
 
 IV. An increase of the exercises in public speaking and 
 composition. 
 
 V. The appointment of an additional professor. 
 This is to be effected, 
 
 1. By introducing a President, with general powers of 
 superintendence, and particular devotion to certain studies 
 of the higher classes. Or, 
 
 2. By introducing an Adjunct Professor of such sciences 
 as require most attention and time. Or, 
 
 3. By an independent Professorship of those sciences, leav- 
 ing some of them under the care of the existing Professors. 
 
 The compensation of this additional Professor may be 
 provided for, 
 
 U By dividing the fund among four Professors which is 
 now appropriated to three. Or, 
 
 2. By giving him a certain proportion of the money to be 
 received from the students, without interfering with the pre- 
 sent specifick salaries. Or, 
 
 3. By creating a new and independent salary. 
 The objects of this arrangement are, 
 
 1st, And principally; to give new credit and reputation 
 
to the College, by the name and services of some gentleman 
 of distinguished talents and erudition, and at the same time 
 to give real strength to the Faculty. 
 
 2ndly. To provide means of relief, by the substitution of 
 one professor, when another is prevented from attending to 
 his duties by absence or ill health. 
 
 3dly, To introduce and encourage emulation among the 
 members of the Faculty. 
 
 The following resolutions are respectfully submitted. 
 
 1. That a professorship of be instituted in the 
 department of the Arts and Sciences. The professor of 
 
 shall be a member of the Faculty of the Arts, and 
 shall receive an annual compensation of dollars in 
 
 lieu of all other emoluments, and a proper apartment shall 
 be assigned to him by the Committee of Finance. 
 
 2. That there shall be four classes of under graduates, 
 viz. 
 
 A Senior class. 
 
 A Junior class. 
 
 A Sophomore class. 
 
 A Freshman class. 
 And that the studies of each class shall continue for one 
 collegiate year. 
 
 3. That as soon as a professor of shall be ap- 
 pointed, a Freshman class shall be formed, to consist of all 
 such persons as upon examination by the Faculty shall be 
 found to be possessed of those acquirements which, accord- 
 ing to the existing statutes of the University are requisite 
 for admission into the Sophomore class. 
 
 4. That in the department of the Arts and Sciences, in- 
 struction and recitation shall take place between the hours 
 of eight in the morning and one in the afternoon, and that 
 the time specified shall be devoted to the objects aforesaid. 
 
 5. That a portion of each Monday morning be assigned 
 to exercises in elocution and composition, including occa- 
 
028 334 676 6 
 
 sional forensick dialogue — the students in the Senior and 
 Junior classes to pronounce pieces written by themselves. 
 
 6. That there shall be two grammar schools attached to 
 the University, one shall be established north and the other 
 south of High Street. They shall be subject to the same 
 regulations as apply to the existing grammar school; — but 
 neither of them shall be held within the building in Ninth 
 Street, and the course of study pursued in both shall be 
 uniform. 
 
 All which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 J. R. Ingersoll, 
 Peter S. Du Ponceau, 
 W. Rawle, 
 Philip F. Mayer, 
 Jos. B. M'Kean.