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I. School of Physics.

Emeritus Professor Norwood.

Professor Thomas.

Two Academic and three Professional classes in Physics are formed each year, the Professional classes coming from the Medical, Normal, and Agricultural Colleges.

The first Academic class enters upon its work at the beginning of the Sophomore year, and continues through the year, using Atkinson's Ganot's Physics, supplemented by lectures, extempore problems and references. A grade in Algebra and Plane Geometry, from the Professor of Mathematics, is required for entrance to the class. This course is required of all candidates for Academic degrees.

The second Academic class is formed of students in the Science course, who have completed the first year's work in Physics, together with others who are qualified, and can be accommodated. They devote the second semester of the Junior Year to physical laboratory work and special lectures. For this work a special laboratory fee of five dollars is charged. The apparatus at command does not yet allow the offering of a full and well-arranged course in the physical laboratory. Additions are being made as rapidly as possible, and it is hoped that we may soon be able to offer as great facilities in this important branch of work as can be found in eastern laboratories. The work now being done by students in the laboratory, includes the following: Testing divided scales and circles; testing levels and determination of value in are, of 1 level division; testing telescopes, quality of lenses, magnifying power, etc. Use of the chemical balance in determinations of weight and density with the various corrections; use of the microscope; use of the spectroscope in examination, mapping, and comparison of the spectra of artificial lights and sunlight; use of the spectrometer in spectrum work as above, and in measurement of angles and indices of refraction of crystals and prisms, comparison of prismatic and diffraction spectra, and measurements of wave lengths of light; use of electric instruments, including the setting up and management of batteries, methods of connecting batteries and instruments, determinations of E. M. F., R., and C.; of instrumental constants, etc., etc.

The Medical, Normal and Agricultural classes receive, during the first semester, special instruction in those branches of Physics which are deemed of most probable value to them in their future work. Applicants for admission to the Normal class are required to present a grade in Algebra.

In addition to the work outlined above, special lectures and demonstrations have been given in connection with the work of other departments.

The department now has a very fair collection of apparatus, with which a liberal course in Physics may be well illustrated. Many of the pieces are of special excellence, including a rotary air pump, (Ritchie's best), a set of Koenig's tuning forks on their resonant oases, purchased from Professor A. M. Mayer of the Stevens Institute of Technology, a Ritchie-Holtz machine with 27 inch plate, which has been so modified as to work powerfully when the plates are wet, a Ritchie induction coil giving 10-inch spark, a delicate Melloni thermo-multiplier, a full set of the latest telephonie apparatus, a Grove battery of sixty cells, and Bunsen, Daniel, Gravity and LeClauche batteries, with two Clark standard cells, a Shepard screw cutting page 40 engine lathe and tools, a pair of Morton oxy-hydrogen lanterns of best [unclear: construction], with attachments for vertical, microscopic and polarized light projections.

There are available for use with these lanterns in this and other [unclear: department] over 1,000 slides (belonging in part to individual professors) including a large [unclear: number] of the finest imported. No trouble or expense has been spared to make our [unclear: facility] ties for projection equal to the best. In addition to the above we have a [unclear: Browning] 5 prism spectroscope of large size (Gassiot model) with mierometrie eye-[unclear: piece,] spark condensers, &c., a Browning lantern for simultaneous projection of [unclear: spection] and slides, with Browning electric lamp, and two Browning bisulphide prisms, spectrometer made for and purchased from Professor Mayer, designed by him [unclear: and] Professor O. N. Hood, of Columbia College, New York, circle divided by [unclear: Brunner,] of Paris, and reading to 5 seconds of arc, and a diffraction grating of glass, 8,64 lines per inch, made by Chapman on Mr. Rutherford's ruling engine.

The telescopes of the spectrometer have been fitted with a Rutherford [unclear: metail] grating of 17,296 lines per inch, by means of an extemporized mounting to [unclear: the] equatorial telescope at the Observatory for observations on solar protuberances.

Lack of funds has prevented the addition of any noteworthy apparatus [unclear: in] this department during the current year. The University has, however, [unclear: through] the department, obtained an Edison "Z" dynamo electric machine, 100 [unclear: Edison] lamps, and the necessary switches, regulators, etc. The lamps are placed in the University Chapel and are used to light it on all public occasions. The system [unclear: work] a with perfect satisfaction, giving a brilliant and steady light, very agreeable to [unclear: the] eyes. We are under obligation to Mr. Edison and to the officers of the [unclear: Edison] Company of New York for many favors in connection with the system; also [unclear: to] Messrs. D. June & Co., of Fremont, Ohio, for the use of a new engine which they kindly loaned for driving the Edison machine. We have also to thank the Brush Co., of Missouri, for the use of two Brush lamps, Messrs. Jas. W. Queen, for [unclear: apparatus] loaned, and several friends East for favors, without which much interesting [unclear: worth] could not have been done.

It is expected that some of the most pressing wants of the department will [unclear: be] met during the coming year.