INTRODUCTORY.

The history of the College of California is an important chapter in the educational history of the State. As such it deserves a permanent record, which it has not hitherto had. It deserves it all the more, because it belongs to the earliest period of that history, and if unwritten would be forgotten.

Inasmuch as I was Secretary of the Board of Trustees from the beginning, and the executive officer of the College for eight years, the duty of writing this history seemed to fall to me. Perhaps I am the only one who could write it with so full a recollection of the facts. Besides, I have carefully preserved the materials necessary to its composition, such as the record of the transactions of the Board of Trustees, the Treasurer's books, the correspondence of the College, its annual catalogues and occasional circulars, the reports of the Faculty of Instruction, also copies of printed addresses, orations, poems, Alumni proceedings, reports, etc. These materials I have freely used, guided by my own recollection of events as they took place. It has been my purpose, not only to give a correct view of the progress of the institution in a general way, but also a clear idea of its grade of scholarship, and of its principles and aims, both educational and religious. At the same time I have made it to represent quite fully the literature which grew up within the College and around it, giving in full most of its publications.

The idea of founding a college in California was entertained as early as the year 1849. The emigration from the United States, consequent upon the discovery of gold, brought some people to this country who, even then, proposed to settle here and make it their home. A few of these who became known to each other, began at once to plan for the founding of a college. They wanted it to start early enough to come into actual existence, as a college, in their own life-time. But in order to do this, they were well aware that it must be a college in which all could unite. Otherwise, in a country new and remote, and likely to be settled slowly, it would have no prospect of the desired growth within that length of time. Nor was this any disadvantage or hindrance in their view, because the sphere of a college education is common ground.

My own home was at that time in Monterey, the capital of the country. Thomas O. Larkin resided there, and I found on becoming acquainted with him, that he also felt a decided interest in the idea of founding a college in California. He may have been led to this partly through the influence of the Rev. Dr. William M. Rogers, of Boston, who was a relative of his. Dr. Rogers was at that time one of the overseers of Harvard University; and I suggested to Mr. Larkin that he should write to him, and get his ideas as to the best plan for the organization of a college in a new country. Mr. Larkin approved of the plan of writing, but referred the work of doing it to me. Accordingly I wrote a letter to Dr. Rogers, dated April 17, 1849. In due time, a carefully prepared reply

came, dated Boston, June 25, 1849. The points as Dr. Rogers made them, were these:

"I. A college or University ought to be established. (a) For the general good of California. Your distance from the Atlantic renders it indispensable that you look to yourselves, and not to us for the benefits of college education. (b) The character and well-being of the people of California will depend, as they have depended in New England, on the educated men of the country, and on the educated sons of the country. "II. The site should be so chosen as to give the college for all time the benefits of a country location.

"III. A University includes the studies comprised in a liberal education, as well as schools of law, divinity, and medicine, and endowments to meet these wants, whether from individuals or the Government, must be generous. Indeed, a University with all its apparatus, must be the growth of time, and I think that the benefactors of the institution contemplated with you, ought to be content if, at the outset, they can secure what will equal a New England high school, waiting for the gradual growth of the country, and the institution. (a) All lands given for this purpose around the site, should be inalienable, and the sale of such lands should be a forfeiture to the heirs of the donors, or in their default, to the commonwealth of Alta California. I write this because landed property is safest, and because the college would increase in wealth exactly in proportion with the country (b) One quarter part of the yearly avails of lands other than the site of the institution, should be devoted to the giving of gratuitous instruction to indigent and promising young men.

"IV. Somebody must hold all funds, and be responsible for their due application. After watching very carefully the result of many plans in founding colleges, I am satisfied that it is undesirable to have a State college, because, among other reasons, such a foundation will, of necessity, be affected by the political agitations of the country. I suggest that a definite number of gentlemen, say seven, to begin with, be constituted a Board of Trustees, with power to hold the prop