COLLEGES AND SEMINARIES OF LEARNING.

ADRIAN COLLEGE-SECRETARY'S REPORT.

To the Hon. J. M. GREGORY, Supt. of Public Instruction:

DEAR SIR-I have the honor here with to submit, for your examination, the Annual Report of Adrian College for the years

1861-2.

Adrian College was founded March 22, 1859, under the patronage of the Wesleyan Methodist denomination, and is the only College of that religious body in the United States. While it enjoys the support and influence that are secured through this patronage, it is nevertheless liberal and unsectarian in its entire economy, including in its Board of Trustees, Faculty of Instruction, and other departments, friends of education, religion and philanthropy, irrespective of denominational bias.

LOCATION.

It is located on an elevated plat of 20 acres of land adjoining the city of Adrian; a healthy, prosperous and growing city of 8,000 inhabitants, in the midst of one of the most fruitful and wealthy counties of the State of Michigan. The site was donated by Hon. L. G. Berry and Dr. D. K. Underwood, and is in every way well adapted to the uses to which it has been applied. On the south-west corner there is a beautiful grove of native trees which seems to have been left there for the special use of such an institution. Three large and commodious buildings have been erected: one exclusively for the accommodation of ladies, one for gentlemen, with spacious and airy study and lodging rooms that will accommodate in each building one hundred and twenty five students; and a chapel building having a

well furnished chapel room 50 by 80 feet, with large recitation and lecture rooms on the first floor.

PROGRESS.

The College is passing its earlier history in the midst of trying and exciting times in the country and nation; yet it is steadily growing in strength and power, adding to its number of students, enlarging its board of instruction, increasing its financial resources and successfully prosecuting the work of permanent endowment. The last year has drawn heavily from our roll of students. In common with similar institutions throughout the country, we have been called upon to dedicate many of the sons of the College to the service of the nation. This call has been responded to with cheerfulness, knowing that the men were needed for the hour and the crisis; and that just such young men as are found in College halls make valient defenders of their country and ardent lovers of law and order as opposed to treason and rebellion. Nearly one half of the gentlemen in the College classes for the past year are now in the army of the United States, with almost as large a proportion from the preparatory department. The places made vacant have been partially filled by others, and the effort of the Trustees and Faculty has been re-doubled to perpetuate educational advantages and privileges, which will be greatly needed when the terrible war now raging in the nation shall have ceased.

During the past year the chapel building above named has been completed, there has been, notwithstanding the war, a small increase in the number of students, an important addition to the Faculty of Instruction in the election of a Professor of Chemistry and Geology; ten thousand dollars have been raised on sale of Scholarships in the city of Adrian; an extensive Cabinet of Geological and other specimens, valued at from ten to twenty thousand dollars, has been donated by the Professor of Chemistry and Geology, and from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars added to the endowment fund by the sale of

Scholarships and by donations, mostly from residents of the States of Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. In July, 1861, Rev. W. W. Lyle and Rev. G. B. Rogey, both of Ohio, entered upon an agency to secure, chiefly from the Wesleyan denomination, means and appliances for the endowment of the College, The former was, soon after entering upon the agency, summoned to the Chaplaincy of an Ohio regiment of volunteers, leaving Mr. Rogey to prosecute the Agency, for a time at least, alone. Unexpected success, in view of the State of the country, has attended their efforts, and carnest sympathy of the College and pecuniary aid are promised and attained. Under these offers we hope in a few years to have secured a liberal endowment fund.

FINANCES.

The city of Adrian contributed at the time of founding the College, in addition to the land of location, the sum of thirty thousand dollars, to be expended in buildings. In the collection and appropriation of the subscription, some losses were incurred, and buildings were erected on a larger scale than was at first contemplated. To meet these losses and pa a debt contracted by the increased cost of buildings, an additional amount of $10,000 has been raised the past year by sale of . Scholarships. About $5,000 was donated by citizens in the county and applied in part for the erection of the Chapel. A fourth building corresponding in size to the last named, for a musuem, cabinet of natural sciences and library hall, well be erected at an early day. This when finished will afford ample accommodations for the immediate wants of the College in its various departments.

The property of the College is as follows:

1,200 00

Musical instruments, furniture and fixtures,...

Notes and subscriptions for endowment fund,...... 15,000 00