The Catalogue for 1891-92, which comes out today, cannot fail to be most interesting to all friends of Harvard, for it is the official statement of the present situation in all the departments of the University. In its general arrangement it does not differ from the issues of former years with which we are familiar, the only additions to the table of contents being the headings of "General Course in the Science" in Lawrence Scientific School, "Divisions and Departments" in the Graduate School, and the "Semitic Museum."

But though the general arrangement of the Catalogue is unchanged, the changes in detail and the wonderful development of every department which the catalogue shows are well worth noting. The first changes found are those in the personnel of the administrative officers, chief of which is the appearance of the name of Professor Briggs as Dean of Harvard College in place of that of Professor Smith. The new office, the Regent of the College, is found this year for the first time, Professor Bartlett being named as the first regent in the history of the college. The regent is chairman of the parietal committee, and has charge of all the dormitories; all cases of sickness, etc., should be at once reported to him. Another new office which is created this year is that of Librarian of the Divinity School, Mr. R. S. Morison is the first to hold this position. The office of Curator of the Semitic Museum, which is filled by Rev. David G. Lyon, is also a new position. Mr. Hersey succeeds Mr. Northway as superintendent of the Bussey Farm.

The changes in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences are: - the disappearance from the list of the names of Professor Cohn, and Messrs. Whiting and Baber, and the addition of the names of Professors Hanns, Schilling, Thaxter and Marsh. This increases the number of the Faculty from 69 to 70. The changes in the make-up of the standing committees of the Faculty are: in the committee on admission examinations, the substitution of Professor Briggs for Professor Smith as chairman, and the absence of Mr. Parker; in the committee on changes of electives, the substitution of Mr. Bendelari for Professor Hall, and the addition to the committee of Dr. Gross; in the committee on scholarships, the substitution of Professor Briggs for Professor Smith as chairman, and the absence of Professor Byerly; in the committee on public entertainments, the substitution of Professor Palmer for Professor Allen as chairman, and of Professor Hill for Professor Briggs. Two new committees are added, one on summer courses, with Professor Shaler as chairman, and one on courses of instruction in teaching, with Professor Royce as chairman.

Under the head of Courses of Instruction the chief changes are the addition of the two new groups of electives, which necessitates the extra afternoon recitation hour, and the fact that several of the old courses have received new numbers.

Under the head of Public Lectures, Readings, etc., will be found a list much more complete than usual, of the many lectures and readings given last year under the auspices of the University. There were over 130 of these last year, an average of more than three a week, - a fact very suggestive of the wonderful opportunities afforded to the Harvard student for obtaining knowledge outside the narrow limits of his college courses.

The Administrative Board of the college shows a number of changes. Professors Smith, Palmer, Trowbridge and Cohn drop out, and their places are filled by Professors Briggs, Emerton, B. O. Pierce and Marsh.

Two new sets of prizes are announced. For students of Semitic languages, $200 has been given by Dr. Peabody, and $250 by Mr. Schiff. This money will be distributed in fourteen prizes to students taking elective courses in Semitic languages. For students of ethics, Robert Treat Paine '55 has given $200 for two prizes of $100 each "for the best essays by any student of the University on the ethical aspect of the modern social questions." This year, for the first time, the Crowninshield scholar-ships are available, - two with an income of $200 each. The Henry B. Humphrey Fund has been taken from the list of scholarships and now appears as a special fund, the income of which is to be used for the benefit especially of students coming from the State of Maine.

In the Scientific School two new courses are offered, one in General Science and one in Physical Training, (described in the CRIMSON of Dec. 3.)

According to the new Catalogue the Faculty of Arts and Sciences is divided into twelve "divisions," some of which are subdivided into "departments." The ordinary administration of a Division or Department includes: the proposal of courses of instruction; the examination of candidates for second-year honors, and the nomination of students to the Faculty for second-year honors; the preparation of papers for the admission examinations, when required; the care of departmental libraries; the supervision of departmental publications when specially referred to the committee; the arrangement and regulation (when desirable) of conferences, clubs and the like; the supervision of holders of fellowships, pursuing studies in Cambridge and elsewhere; and the general promotion and usefulness of the Division or Department.

The Catalogue then describes the other departments of the University. The important announcement as regards the Medical School is repeated that, "After the beginning of the academic year 1892-93 the required course of study will be a graded course covering four years." This important step has already had its effect upon other colleges. Following Harvard's example the medical schools of Columbia, University of Michigan, and University of Pennsylvania have lengthened their course to four years.

The presence in the University of graduates from other colleges is more striking this year than ever before.

There are in the three professional schools, 29 men from Yale, 22 from Brown, 18 from Amherst,13 from Williams, 7 from the Universities of Michigan and California, 6 from the University of Pennsylvania, and 4 from Princeton and Cornell. The following table shows the numbers of graduates from other colleges for the past three years:

1889-90. '90-'91. '91-'92

Graduate School, 46 60 109

Law School, 71 66 123

Medical School, 71 71 99

- - -

188 197 331

The remarkable point brought out by this table is that the increase in the number of graduates of other colleges is proportionately greater than the growth of the whole University.

Below is the general summary of officers and students:

GOVERNMENT, TEACHERS, AND OTHER OFFICERS.

President and Fellows, 7

Overseers, 32

Teachers:

Professors, 74

Assistant Professors, 26

Lecturers, 13

Tutors, 2

Instructors, 91

Demonstrators and Assistants, 47

Whole number of teachers, 253

Preachers, 5

Curators and Library Officers, 11

Proctors and other Officers, 37

-

Total, 345

STUDENTS.

I. Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

1. College, 1456

2. Scientific School, 118

3. Graduate School, 189

-

1763

II. Divinity School, 39

III. Law School, 363

IV. Medical School, 399

V. Dental School, 51

VI. Veterinary School, 31

VII. Bussey Institution, 14

-

Total, 2660

Deduct for names inserted more than once, 2

-

2658

Summer School, 363

-

3021

With reference to this total it is interesting to compare the total for 1881-82. It was 1409. In ten years Harvard has more than doubled.