The annual reports of the president and officers of Harvard University just issued contain many facts of marked interest. The year 1887-88 was unusually successful, both intellectually and financially. The increase in students was 124, and was divided mainly among the college, the graduate department, and the law school. The veterinary school is the only department of the university which ended the year with a deficit.

The university suffered severely the past year by the deaths of Asa Gray, professor of botany and a man of worldwide reputation; of Earnest Young, recently appointed professor of history, and of Robert Dickson Smith and James Freeman Clarke, members of the board of overseers.

The resignation of Joseph Lovering and his appointment as Harris professor of physics Emeritus is announced; together with the selection of two new preachers to the university.

The optional examination system was used for the first time exclusively and proved very successful. The second year of the voluntary religious system has proved even more successful than the first. The report of the athletic committee is most encouraging, and in reply to the critics of our athletics the faculty urge, that dyspepsia is less tolerable than a stiffened knee or thumb, and that effeminacy and luxury are even worse evils than brutality." A new regulation requires holders of scholarships to take two physical examinations during the year.

The Graduate Department contained in 1887-88, 97 students, 17 more than in any previous year; and of these 52 were new comers.

The Divinity School had also an increased number of students. In its curriculum, there are at present nine courses which are accepted by the college faculty from candidates for the degree of A. B. It is a significant fact that more beneficiary money has been refunded by graduates of this department than by those of any other.

The Law School has increased in the number of its students 20 per cent. during the last year. The Story professorship was again filled after a vacancy of four years. The Harvard Law Association, also, gave $1100 to increase the amount of instruction in constitutional law during the year 1888-89.

Several important changes were made in the Medical School during the year. The whole course was revised, and two studies in the third year and the whole of the fourth year were made elective. The medical faculty was increased from 21 to 26, so that there are now 71 doctors in the vicinity of Boston connected with the school.

At no time in its history has the Dental School been more prosperous than in 1887-88. Yet it is sadly in need of funds properly to endow its professorships. Several of its instructors now receive no salary what soever.

The Veterinary School is at present non-supporting and needs an endowment for the maintenance of its hospital. There was a deficit on its books last year of $1.576.

The University Library added 16,468 volumes-the largest number on record. Laboratory and class-room libraries, also, were increased in number to ten, six of which were opened till ten o'clock in the evening. The President calls attention in view of the rapidly increasing number of books and the present state of the reading room, to the growing needs of the library, and strongly urges that Gore Hall be given over to stacks and a new reading-room be built fitted with electric lights so that students may use reference books in the evening. For this purpose, however, the available funds of the college are insufficient, and the President urges that the necessary money be raised by some sort of subscription.

The summer course of the Botanical Department is well supplying a longfelt need, and the new quarters of this department will render it even more efficient. Owing to the delay of the Park Commissioners in building roads, the Arnold Arboretum was delayed the past summer in its work of planting trees.

The Chemical Laboratory was very full and active in 1887-88. The building was considerably repaired. There is still, however, great need of a large lecture-room. No considerable changes were made at the Jefferson Physical Laboratory.

During the past year the Observatory has been very active, and has had particular success in its photometric and photographic work. The President emphasizes the need of a fire-proof building to contain the unpublished records of observations and the library.

Many valuable collections were added to the Agassiz Museum, either by gift or by purchase. The Peabody Museum also enlarged its collections considerably as well as its building.

Harvard received as endowments during 1887-88 $250,000 for a dormitory from the estate of Walter Hastings; about $170,000 for the furtherance of history, political science, and literature, from the will of Ellen Gurney; and two wholly unrestricted gifts $22,000 from John Cowdin and $30,000 from William Perkins. In addition to these, H. R. A. Carey, Sp. '89, gave $25,000 for the building of five courts particularly for the use of the base-ball nine; and the class of 1856 $6,000 as a permanent fund for the publication in serial form of undergraduate and graduate contributions to classical learning.