Advertisement, May 31, 1754

"To such Parents as have now or expect to have) Children prepared to be educated in the College of New York.

I. As the Gentlemen who are appointed by the Assembly, to the Trustees of the intended Seminary or College of New York, have thought fit to appoint me to take the Charge of it, and have concluded to set up a Course of Tuition in the learned Languages, and in the Liberal Arts and Sciences: They have judged it advisible that I should publish this Advertisement, to inform such as have Children ready for a College Education, that it is proposed to begin Tuition upon the first Day of July next, at the Vestry Room in the new School-House, adjoining to Trinity Church in New York, which the Gentlemen of the Vestry are so good as to favour them with the Use of it in the Interim, till a convenient Place may be built.

II. The lowest Qualifications they have judged requisite in order to Admission into the said College, are as follows, viz. That they be able to read well, and write a good legible Hand; and that they be well versed in the Five first Rules in Arithmetic, i.e., as as far as Division and Reduction; And as to Latin and Greek, That they have a good Knowledge of the Grammars, and be able to make grammatical Latin, and both in construing and parsing, to give a good Account of two or three of the first select Orations of Tully and of the first Books of Virgil’s Aeneid, and some of the first Chapter of the Gospel of St. John, in Greek. In these Books therefore they may expect to be examined; but higher Qualifications must hereafter be expected: and if there be any of the higher Classes in any College, or under private Instruction, that incline to come hither, they may expect Admission to proportionately higher Classes here.

III. And that People may be better satisfied in sending their Children for Education to this College, it is to be understood that as to Religion, there is no Intention to impose on the Scholars, the peculiar Tenets of any particular Sect of Christians; but to inculcate upon their tender Minds, the great Principles of Christianity and Morality, in which true Christians of each Denomination are generally agreed. And as to the daily Worship in the College Morning and Evening, it is proposed that it should, ordinarily, consist of such a Collection of Lessons, Prayers and Praises of the Liturgy of the Church, as are, for the most Part, taken out of the Holy Scriptures, and such as are agreed on by the Trustees, to be in the best Manner expressive of our common Christianity; and as to any peculiar Tenets, everyone is left to judge freely for himself, and to be required only to attend constantly at such Places of Worship, on the Lord’s Day, as their Parents or Guardians shall think fit to order or permit.

IV. The chief Thing that is aimed at in this College is, to teach and engage the Children to know God in Jesus Christ, and to love and serve him, in all Sobriety, Godliness, and Righleousness of Life, with a perfect Heart, and a willing Mind; and to train them up in all virtuous Habits, and all such useful Knowledge as may render them creditable to their Families and Friends, Ornaments to their Country and useful to the public Weal in their Generations. To which good Purposes, it is earnestly desired, that their Parents, Guardians and Masters, would train them up from their Cradles, under strict Government, and in all Seriousness, Virtue and Industry, that they may be qualified to make orderly and tractable Members of this Society;—and above all, that in order hereunto, they be very careful themselves, to set them good Examples of true Piety and Virtue in their own Conduct. For as Examples have a very powerful Influence over young Minds, and especially those of their Parents, in vain are they solicitous for a good Education for their Children, if they themselves set before them Examples of Impiety and Profaneness, or of any sort of Vice whatsoever.

V. And, lastly, a serious, virtuous, and industrious Course of Live, being first provided for, it is further the Design of this College, to instruct and perfect the Youth in the Learned Languages, and in the Arts of reasoning exactly, of writing correctly, and speaking eloquently, and in the Arts of numbering and measuring; of Surveying and Navigation, of Geography and History, of Husbandry, Commerce and Government, and in the Knowledge of all Nature in the Heavens above us, and in the Air, Water and Earth around us, and the various kinds of Meteors, Stones, Mines and Minerals, Plants and Animals, and of every Thing useful for the Comfort, the Convenience and Elegance of Live, in the chief Manufactures relating to any of these Things: And, finally, to lead them from the Study of Nature to the Knowledge of themselves, and of the God of Nature, and their Duty to him, themselves, and one another, and every Thing that can contribute to their true Happiness, both here and hereafter.

Thus much, Gentlemen, it was thought proper to advertise you of, concerning the Nature and Design of this College: And I pray God, it may be attended with all the Success you can wish, for the best Good of the rising Generations; to which, (while I continue here), I shall willingly contribute my Endeavours to the Utmost of my Power.

Who am, Gentlemen, your Friend And most humble Servant.

SAMUEL JOHNSON

N.P. The Charge of the Tuition is established by the Trustees to be only 25s. for each Quarter."

Text—A History of Columbia University, 1754–1904, pp. 443–445.