On May 1, 1784, a New York State statute declared “that the College within the City of New York heretofore called King’s College be forever hereafter called and known by the name of Columbia College.” On May 5, 1784, the new board of Regents (or Trustees) made its first faculty appointment. They ordered “that a Professor of the French Language be appointed for Columbia College, and that the Reverend – Mr. John Peter Têtard be such Professor.” Ici on parle français? Why was the French instructor the very first professor at Columbia?

On July 19, 1932, Columbia Curator Milton Halsey Thomas was asked to review the contents of an old chest that at one point belonged to the University Treasurer. Little did Thomas know what he was about to uncover. This chest was literally a treasure chest with the original documents the clerk was to transcribe into the official minutes going as far back as 1755. The chest held the drafts of Revolutionary era minutes from 1770 to 1781, which had been believed to have been lost for over 100 years. All of the documents were in good condition and some even had blotting sand grains still attached.

In addition to the draft minutes and some correspondence, this stash of papers also included a number of receipts which give us a lot of information about the condition of the college building after the Revolutionary War, when it had served as a hospital for the British troops. Before the newly renamed Columbia College could reopen in 1784, there were extensive repairs and losses that needed to be addressed: from well and roof repairs, to the missing library books and philosophical apparatus or scientific equipment. 

The College needed funds to reopen so the Regents charged Colonel Matthew Clarkson with a mission: go to Europe (France and the Netherlands) and ask for donations. In a letter to the Count de Vergennes introducing Colonel Clarkson, the Regents claimed that “we have made the French language a principal part of the Education of the Youth, and, for that purpose mean to institute academies in the different counties of this State wherein a Tutor of the French language will be permanently established.” That should persuade the French to donate, non? 

Benjamin Franklin, the American diplomat in Paris, did not look favorably on this plan. In a letter to the Regents dated August 9, 1784, he pointed out that: “Yours is the fourth American Seminary that since the Peace has sent Persons hither, or empower’d Persons here to make such Solicitation.” Franklin then shares a copy of the letter he wrote to Dr. Witherspoon of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) for “not encouraging his application here for Benefactions to the College.”  (The April 5, 1784 copy includes a mention of Dartmouth sending a similar mission.) Franklin argues that the new country is still in need of “credit in Europe, where we have Loans opened, the Success of which may be hurt by Declarations of Poverty, (the only excuse for Mendicity) make this Mode of procuring Money at the Time exceedingly improper.” Also, he does not wish the new nation to appear as “either unable or unwilling to support among ourselves the common Expense of Education.” He advised Clarkson “not to attempt here [in France] any such Solicitation.” Instead he offers to send some French books to the College. 

The Regents received the Franklin letter from Clarkson and at the meeting on November 30, 1784, they resolved that the secretary write a letter to the Colonel “signifying the Intention of the Regents to pursue the object of his mission no further at present, and that he should return.” Nevertheless, John Peter Têtard (or Jean Pierre), the first faculty member appointed at the new Columbia College, continued to serve on Regents committees, evaluate new candidates for admissions, and teach French. 

During Commencement in 1933, the “old College records” rediscovered by Thomas, including the Benjamin Franklin correspondence, were part of an exhibition at Avery Library. These documents are now part of the Columbia College papers and a typescript of the 1770-1781 minutes can be found in the Minutes of the Board of Trustees.