Requirements  for  admission  in  the  Early  Days  of  the  University  -  At  f i rst ,  aA«
mission  to  the  University  was  solely  by  prescribed  examination,  and  the  require-
ments in  all  colleges  were  very  low.   At  that,  scarcely  more  than  half  of  the  stu-
dents could  meet  the  conditions.   In  the  first  catalogue,  the  requirements  for  ad-
mission to  the  regular  course  in  science,  literature,  and  art  was  natural  philoso-
phy (physics),  physiology,  algebra,  geometry,  latin  grammar,  Caesar,  Cicero,  Vir-
gil's Georgics,  and  Aeneid.   In  addition,  it  was  recommended  that  each  student
should  be  at  least  eighteen  years  of  age,  although  the  minimum  was  fixed  by  law  at
fifteen,   As  listed  in  the  1868-69  issue  of  the  University  Circular  and  Catalogue,
the  requirements  for  admission  were  detailed  as  follows:


17

1.  "Each  studont   is   required  by  la";  to   be  at   least   fifteen  years  of  age,    but
it    is  believrd  that   fev;  rdll   be  found  nature   enough  at   this  aiiC  to   enter  -nth  the
hi,:hcst   profit  upon  the   studies  of  the  University,    and  it    is   rcconj;-,cndcd  as  a  gen-
eral  rule,    that    students   shoi-.ld  be  at   least   cii^hte^'n  years  old  before   entering.
2.  "Che  lav  also   proscribes   that    'no    student    shall   be  adnitted  to   instructioi
in  any  of   the   dcpartncnts   of  the  University,    who    shall  not   previously  undorf-^o   a
satisfactory  o:rn::.iination  in  each  of  the  branches   orr'.inarily  taught   in  the  comiaon
schools   of  the  State'.      In  addition  to   those,    candidates   for  any  particular   de-
partment   iTill   bo  c:canincd  in  such   studies  a.s  nay  be  necessary  to   fit    then  to   viursuc
successfully  the  course   in  that   dcpartnent.
"The  chief   ain  of   fill   nxfiainations   for  adnission  to    the  University  is   to   ascrr
tain  the   student's  preparation  to   pursue   successfully  the   studies  of  the  course.
