The Academy (the building to the right) continued to prepare young men for admission to the College, for teaching in the public schools, and obtaining careers in business until 1916/17 when the Academy was discontinued as a separate part of the University. The building, along with East Hall (the Annex which is the building to the left), was then remodeled for use by the Biology Department.

Charges and Courses of Study

In 1915, the charges for tuition, board, a furnished room, care of the room, heating, light, washing and incidentals were $290.00 per year. Tuition and incidentals for day students were $85.00. Tuition was rated at $36.00 per year.

The four-year Classical Course, which required the study of Latin and Greek, prepared the student for admission to the college. The four-year Latin Scientific Course prepared students for the Latin Division or the Greek Division of the Philosophical Course in the College. The four-year Scientific Course prepared students for the courses in science (General Science, Biology or Chemistry) or engineering (Civil, Mechanical or Electrical) in the College. Students who did not intend to enter the college enrolled in the Scientific or Latin Scientific Course “…. to prepare them for teaching or for business.”

Religious Exercises

Students in the Academy were required to attend devotional exercises that began each day as well as devotional exercises “…. every evening, just before the evening study hour.” In addition, “Regular attendance at Sunday school and upon public worship at some church on Sunday morning [was] required; also upon services on Thanksgiving Day, and the Day of Prayer for Colleges.”

Preparing Teachers for the Public Schools

The preparation of students for teaching in the public schools had been a major function of the Academy since its founding in the mid-nineteenth century. During the presidency of John H. Harris, Education appeared in the University Catalogue in 1902-03 and a Program in Education, a division of the Department of Philosophy, enabled Bucknell University graduates to qualify for teaching certificates in Pennsylvania. Twelve courses in education were listed in the 1914-1915 Catalogue. Collegiate students who took “not less than eight [courses listed under Education in the Catalogue]” were “…. entitled to a certificate for the work done in addition to the diploma of the Course in which they [graduated].” Graduates of Bucknell University could receive Pennsylvania “Teachers’ Provisional Certification”, which was valid for three years. Graduates could also receive certificates from New York and New Jersey “…. and all other states which issue certificates to the graduates of any college.” In 1916/17, an independent Department of Education was established under the direction of Prof. Llewellyn Phillips '92, who later became Dean of the College in 1918.

The Demise of the Academy

By 1916, the academy building was referred to as The First Building and contained a dining room, two recitation rooms, a reception room, and the Registrar's private office on the first floor. Suites of rooms for the Registrar and his family were on the second floor; the third floor was used as a biology laboratory. East Hall (the former Annex) was now called the Bucknell Cottage For Men and contained a recitation room, teachers' apartments, and rooms for students. In 1915, seven teachers taught thirty-three students in the Academy; in 1916, the same seven teachers taught the last twenty-five students enrolled in this former part of the University. In 1917, the Trustees voted that "the Academy be discontinued as a separate School, and the preparatory work still needed be given in a sub-freshman class."

"...to prepare them..."CAT '14-'15, p. 140

"...every evening..." ib., p. 154

"Regular attendance.." ib., p. 155

"not less than eight..."ib., p. 53

"...and all other states..." ib., p. 102

"the Academy be discontinued..." BT '82-'20, p. 323 (1/11/1917)

The major source for the information on this page is the Minutes of the Board of Trustees of Bucknell University, 1882-1920 (BT '82-'20). Additional sources are Oliphant, Rise of Bucknell; Theiss, Centennial History; records from the Bucknell Registrar's office; and the Bucknell University Bulletin (Fourteenth Series, January 1915, No. 4) Catalogue 1914-1915 (CAT '14-'15) and the Bucknell Uinversity Bulletin (Fifteenth Series, January1916, No. 4) Catalog 1915-1916 (CAT '15-'16).