egal profession in the State postponed its opening for ten
years. The growing number of petitions for its establishment, however,
finally led to the opening of the School in 1859 with a Faculty of
three, and ninety-two students. Hardly less important was the
establishment in 1855 of a course in civil engineering. It was organized
in connection with the Department of Physics, however, and did not
attain to the dignity of a separate department with its own head for
many years. Even so modest a beginning as this for technical courses in
the University found precedent in those days only at Harvard. Lack of
funds and co-operation from the Legislature seems to have been the only
reason which led to the abandonment of plans for the creation of
departments of Agriculture and Military Science which were seriously
considered at that time.

The inauguration of these different schools was all a part of Dr.
Tappan's scheme for the development of a true university. Though he
deplored their necessarily lowered requirements, he saw the day when
they would be graduate departments, as in effect the Law and Medical
Schools are in the way of becoming now, at least insofar as they require
a minimum of two years' work in the Literary College before the student
is permitted to enter upon his professional studies. They formed, as it
was, with the various scientific courses established in the Literary
Department, a significant departure from the single "cast iron" course
of the Eastern colleges. By very reason of this innovation Michigan, in
President White's words, "stands at the beginning of the transition of
the old sectarian college to the modern university."

In all this President Tappan's influence was vital. He entered
whole-heartedly into the life of the University, displaying a remarkable
shrewdness and charity in his dealings with the students, and
sympathizing heartily with the work of every professor. One of his
students, Byron M. Cutcheon, '61, afterward a Regent of the University,
thus describes him:

As I remember him, he was fully six feet tall, with a grand head
set upon massive shoulders. A full suite of dark brown hair, worn
rather long and considerably disordered, crowned and adorned his
head. His face ... was pleasant and attractive though never
exhibiting levity, and rarely, humor. The nose was large and
somewhat Roman. The rather long side beard had not yet turned gray.
His carriage w