COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES.

*** It is now a little over two hundred years since the first college was founded in this country. At
the end of the first century, the number had increased to only three — Harvard College in Massachusetts,
the College of William and Mary in Virginia, and Yale College in Connecticut. The second century
has witnessed an astonishing increase in the number of our colleges, as in the population, and in every
other element of our national growth and prosperity. One college has been added, on an average,
every year during the century, until the number in the United States, as contained in the following list,
amounts to one hundred and twenty.

The number of students connected with the colleges in the United States as undergraduates, at the
present time, is over ten thousand. If to these are added those connected with their preparatory and
professional departments, the number rises to between twelve and fifteen thousand.

There are thirteen colleges in the New England States. Among these are some which may be de-
nominated national institutions, deriving their students more or less from every state, and, sending
out their influence to every part of the Union. They have sent out, from the first, about twenty-one
thousand graduates, and are now graduating about Jive hundred students annually.

In the following notices of the colleges in the United States, we have set down such particulars as
we are able to ascertain with sufficient certainty respecting each; although in respect to all of them,
the account must necessarily be brief. Much the largest part of them have been founded, supported,
and directed, by the clergy and other members of the Congregational and Presbyterian denominations.
In regard to those which are under the direction of other denominations, the fact is always expressly
mentioned. The number of colleges under the direction of the Baptists is 13; Methodists, 13; Epis-
copalians, 8; Homan Catholics, 11. Excepting in the case of the Roman Catholic colleges, and a few
others at the south and west, the students enumerated, where only one number is given, are under-
graduates, as distinguished from those in the preparatory or professional departments, and the instruct-
ors are those connected with the collegiate course. The number of volumes given as in the libraries
generally includes the aggregate of all the books contained in the library of the college and in those
established by societies among the students.

ALLEGHANY COLLEGE, PA.

Incorporated in 1817, and located at Meadville. It had 6 instructors, and 122 students in 1850.
The library, of 8200 volumes, was mostly the donation of Rev. Dr. Bentley, of Salem, Ms. The
college is under the direction of the Methodists. Commencement is on the first Wednesday in July.
Rev. John Barker, D. D., is president.

AMHERST COLLEGE, MS.

This college is situated in Amherst, Hampshire co., about 8 miles east of Northampton. It was
founded in 1821, and incorporated in 1825. It has three large brick buildings, four stories high, for
students' rooms; and a fourth, comprising a spacious chapel, a library room, lecture and recita-
tion rooms, &c. A beautiful building has recently been erected for the reception of the fine mihera-
logical and geological cabinets, collected by the labors and influence of Professor Hitchcock, now
president of the college.

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