Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 43

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194

USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 43

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Mr. Cornell's adherence to his conviction of the final value of the land to the university was often not received kindly by members of the Board of Trustees who desired to realize at once the whole of the en- dowment and did not share Mr. Cornell's faith. Even the president of

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the university wrote, Deeember 5, 1872: " Better a million added to our endowment now than three millions five or ten years henee. The only way is to go on developing rapidly, showing that we are strong and pro- gressive and do not ask favors before the favors eome. Then men think it an honor to give. We must go ahead promptly. We must show that we are not standing still; that we are not looking forward vaguely; but that we know what we want and are marehing straight toward it. Then gifts will come. Then it will be worthy of any man's ambition to aid in developing our plans. To push on vigorously now is to conquer. To work slowly until our aetive men get sleepy and easy-going is not what we ought to do. I want to see the Cornell University the foremost in the land during our lifetime; it can be so, but only by prompt, vigorous strengthening and extension. Most earnestly, I say, if you ean lop off the lands at a million and a half or even less, I think it wise poliey to do it. The simple reason why we do not call Tyndall and other distin- guished non-resident professors, is because we cannot afford it. Our other necessities have forced us to eut off to a large extent that part of our original seheme. Now isthe time to go on promptly with our policy. Hope deferred maketh the heart siek. Cure us by allowing us tospring ahead and to go on vigorously and promptly and let our university soon stand beside the greatest universities of the world, and for the conflict in which we shall triumph." Mr. Cornell possessed that quality of mind that eould wait for results, having faith that the future would realize his far-seeing plans.

VI.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY.

1. PLAN OF ORGANIZATION .- 2. THE MILITARY DEPARTMENT .- 3. MANUAL LABOR. - 4. COEDUCATION. - 5. THE NON-RESIDENT LECTURE SYSTEM .- 6. THE UNIVERSITY SENATE .- 7. ALUMNI REPRESENTATION IN THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

Ar the second meeting of the trustees, held in Albany, September 5, 1865, Mr. Andrew D. White was appointed a committee to draft by- laws. There is nothing to show that his eleetion to the presideney was at this time contemplated, although it is possible, and under this

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modest title of by-laws, the elaborate report on organization was included. At the fourth meeting of the trustees, held in the Cornell Library, October 21, 1866, this report was presented. As Mr. White was unanimously elected president of Cornell University at this meet- ing, his report has an authoritative value as embodying the fundamen- tal ideas, which, in his judgment, should determine the form and scope of the new university. While criticizing at times established views, it defended the plan of instruction which the new institution of learning was to illustrate. In surveying these views after the lapse of a quarter of a century since the opening of the university, and in connection with the methods and subjects of instruction which prevailed at that time, we must recognize their freshness, their catholicity, their sympathy with all learning, and at the same time their powerful advocacy of the new education, which gave prominence to the natural sciences, the study of history and the fine arts, as well as of applied science. There was also an appreciation of past learning, such as we might expect from a scholar whose special study had been directed to the history of culture and the forces which constituted modern society. Much that was announced as to be tested in the new university has since become characteristic of modern education. Much that was incorporated in the original plan had been the subject of solitary advocacy, and even of agitation. The success of the ideas which lay at the basis of the university was due to the sagacity with which the importance of the new branches of study, and the demands of modern life upon a new institution of learning were recognized. To embody in a new university new views of education was far easier than to modify the conservative courses of study which were enthroned in the older institutions. Some features in the proposed university were personal to the author of the plan of organization, others had been tested successfully in institutions of narrower scope. The union and equality of various branches of study in classical and modern literature and science in one university and a recognition of the equal importance in society and modern life of applied science, were the striking features in the new university. In the national and State legislation which formed the charter of the university, and in the views of the founder, two convictions were prominent: first, the need of thorough education in various special departments, among them the science and practice of agriculture, of industrial mechanics and kindred departments of study, to realize which, institutions should

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be founded with every appliance for discovering and diffusing truth,- that such instruction should not be subordinated to any other, and that the agricultural and industrial professions should be regarded as the peers of any other. At the same time, the liberal education of the in- dustrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life should be included. The second of these convictions was that the system of colle- giate instruction, now dominant, leaves unsatisfied the wants of a very large number, and perhaps the majority, of those who desire an advanced general education ; that although there are great numbers of noble men doing noble work in the existing system, it has devoted its strength and machinery mainly to a single combination of studies, into which com- paratively few enter heartily; that, where more latitude in study has been provided for, all courses outside of the single traditional one have been considered to imply a lower caste in those taking them. General education has, therefore, lost its hold upon the majority of trusted leaders of society, and become underestimated and distrusted by a majority of the people at large, and, therefore, neglected by a majority of our young men of energy and ability. To meet this need it was held that colleges of wider scope should be founded; that no single course should be insisted upon for all alike; that various combinations of studies should be provided to meet the need of various minds and different plans. It was proposed to divide the uni- versity into two great parts, the first of which should comprise depart- ments devoted to special sciences and arts. This was to include agriculture, the mechanic arts, civil engineering, commerce and trade, mining, medicine and surgery, law, jurisprudence, political science and history, and education. It is noticeable that the departments of law and medicine are included in the original plan, and that jurisprudence is not included under the department of law, but was evidently to be treated historically, and is, therefore, grouped with history and political science. The second division was to embrace science, literature and the arts in general, and was to include a "first general course," correspond- ing to the classical course in other colleges ; a " second general course," in which Latin was to be retained and German substituted for Greek, corres- ponding to the course which bore later the name of the course in "phil- osophy." The "third general course " embraced French and German instead of Latin and Greek. At this time few institutions exalted English literature and philology to rank as a study equal to foreign literatures, and no provision was made for it. To these courses a scien-

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tific course and an optional course were added. The latter course was practical, and permission was granted to properly qualified students to choose such courses of study as they were prepared to pursue, "in order to give to the student full and entire freedom in the selection of studies and freedom everywhere equal to that which prevails in the universities of continental Europe."

Special students were those who desired to pursue a definite line of study, as mathematics or chemistry, under the direction of a professor having charge of a department. A student who had spent the requisite time at the university and passed the proper number of trimestrial examinations was to be permitted to apply for a degree, which should bear a relation to the character of the subjects which he had pursued. If his studies were, in the judgment of the faculty, cquivalent to either of the general courses, he could receive one of the usual baccalaureate degrees. Soon after the opening of the university the general courses were arranged in the order of scientific, philosophical, and arts, and the third general course based upon the modern languages was dropped. Four special or technical courses were recommended, viz., agriculture, the mechanic arts, and civil and mining engineering. To these were added courses in chemistry and natural history, for all of which courses the degree of bachelor of science was to be given.

Upon the question of the ability of students entering upon a course of study to choose wisely amid a multiplicity of courses those subjects best suited to his intellectual tastes and future needs, the re- port argues: The failure of college men of the highest standing in practical life is due to the existing system, but while the student may not be a perfect judge of the relative worth of the studies from which he may choose, or of their importance to him, his judgment still pos- sesses value; and an overwhelming majority of students are competent to choose between different courses of study carefully arranged. By the advice of older friends and the faculty of the university, a young man ought to be able to make a choice based upon his previous educa- tion and means of future education, upon his tastes, position and am- bition. No results could be more wretched than those of the existing system.

The plan of organization here proposed would make possible a practically unlimited number of courses, based upon a choice of the student or the advice of some individual. The report assumes com- petency on the part of mere beginners in knowledge, whose powers are

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but imperfectly developed, who have as yet no vision of any other fields of knowledge, the goal of whose intellectual life is not clearly defined and whose future is in most cases undetermined, to select wisely and well among the variety of subjects presented in a great uni- versity. With adequate knowledge of the subjects necessary for their highest intellectual training and development, and for their future needs, men of the highest genius have frequently failed to recognize where they were strongest until late in life. The old education rested upon the harmonious development of all the powers of the youthful mind and the recognition of the varied value in life and culture of a sympathetic acquaintance with the world's knowledge. The aim of education was, by the study of natural science, to teach observation, and to introduce the student to a knowledge of the world around him; by language, to teach accuracy of thought and expression, and unlock the treasures of classical and modern literatures; by history, to enable him to know something of the world's intellectual, religious and polit- ical development; by the study of the science of the mind, to introduce the student to himself and to his immortal capacity and destiny; by mathematics, to make accurate thinkers and to show something of the methods of investigation into the laws of the physical universe. Even if some students were silent and uninspired in the chambers of knowl- edge, they might have been equally blind and insensible had their choice been free, but limited to a narrower horizon, for in many cases they would be obliged to choose without a motive. A self-direction which is possible to all, indeed essential to all, in a certain stage of growth, presupposes a certain preliminary training and maturity, and is only possible when it is the flower of a thorough antecedent culture in which talent as well as taste has been developed.

Upon the value of disciplinary studies the views of the committee are characteristic and suggestive. They advise those who have time and taste for the study of the classics should continue that study, the Greek for its wonderful perfection, the Latin for its value as a key to the modern languages and to the nomenclature of modern science, and both Greek and Latin for their value in the cultivation of the judg- ment. The modern languages, as well as the sciences, which, in in recent years, have attained such great importance, should be recognized at their full value in imparting instruction and in secur- ing mental discipline. The idea that the only mental discipline is that which promotes a certain keenness and precision of mind is regarded

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as fallacious; there is another kind of diseipline quite as valuable -- diseipline for breadth of mind. For the former, such studies as mathe- maties and philology are urged; for the latter, sueh studies as history and literature. To say that the latter are not disciplinary is to ignore perhaps the most important part of diseipline. In American life, there will always be enough keennesss and sharpness of mind; but the danger is that there will be neglect of those noble studies which enlarge the mental horizon and inerease the mental powers, studies which give material and suggestions for thought upon the great field of the his- tory of civilization. "Diseipline eomes by studies which are loved, not by studies which are loathed. There is no diseipline to be ob- tained in droning over studies. Vigorous, energetie study, prompted by enthusiasm or a high sense of the value of the subjeet, is the only study not positively hurtful to mental power; henee the great evil of insisting upon the same curriculum for students regardless of their tastes or plans." It is not elear what mental injury is anticipated where the foregoing conditions are not met, as it is suggested rather than stated.

The report deals elaborately with the ehairs of instruction which should be established, and eoneludes that twenty-six professorships would be needed at an early day. These professorships were : of the theory and praetiee of agriculture, agricultural chemistry, veterinary surgery and the breeding of animals, general and analytical ehemistry, botany, zoology and comparative anatomy, geology, mineralogy, physies and industrial meehanies, mathematics, astronomy, eivil engineering, phys- iology, hygiene and physieal culture, moral and physieal culture, his- tory, political economy, municipal law, constitutional law, rhetorie, oratory and vocal eulture, the English language and literature, Freneh and the South European languages, German and the North European languages, the ancient languages (to be divided later into two or more professorships, when eireumstances shall demand), æstheties and history of the fine arts, arehitecture, military taetics and engineering, physical geography and meteorology. It was not, however, deemed necessary to fill all these professorships at once. The report elaborates at great length and defends a system of non-resident professors or leeturers and proposes that, of the preceding professorships, ten should be non- resident, viz., those of veterinary surgery and the breeding of animals, physiology, hygiene and physical eulture, political economy, municipal law, constitutional law, the English language and literature, æstheties

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and the history of the fine arts, architecture, military tactics and engineering, physical geography and meteorology. It is interesting to examine this list at the present time, if for no other reason than to see the stress laid upon certain branches, and to note others which have become of commanding importance, for which no provision was sug- gested. Of the professorships first enumerated, a haze rests upon the one entitled moral and physical culture, as physical culture had been included under the head of physiology and hygiene. Possibly one professorship of physical culture was to be associated with morality, and the other was not. Later we find among the resident professor- ships one established for moral and mental philosophy, which was perhaps designed to cover the same field as that of moral and physical culture, which was first proposed. It was thought that eight or ten professors would be sufficient for the work of the first year.

The question of the character and qualifications, the terms of office and the salaries of the professors to be appointed was also discussed. It was recommended that the salaries of resident professors, who should be of equal rank, should be arranged in three grades, and should be relatively $2,250, $2,000 and $1,700; the salaries of assistant pro- fessors should be arranged in four grades, the first of which should re- ceive $1, 750, the second $1,500, the third $1,200, the fourth $1,000 per year.

The scheme of appointing non-resident professors was presented and argued with great earnestness. The university was to be fully equipped with regular professors, to whom it was proposed to add a class of non- resident, short-term professors, or university lecturers. For thesc it was proposed to select the most eminent men in various departments of literature and science who should present the "highest results or a summary of the main results of their labors." The advantages which were expected to come from this system would, in the first place, be favorable to the resident faculty, who, "remote from centers of thought and action, lose connection with the world at large save through books, and become provincial in spirit; they lose the enthusiasm which con- tact with other leading minds in the same pursuits would arouse." Under the new system "there would be a constant influx of light and life, the views of the resident professors would be enlarged, their efforts stimulated, their whole life quickcned." There can be no question that the conception of a university faculty alert in the pursuit of truth, every member of which should be a master in some department of

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knowledge, a center of light, discovering and diffusing truth, and him- self an independent authority, is not here contemplated. The intimate communion of scholars, promoted by learned societies and scientific journals, by which fresh studies and investigations become at once the property of all, is overlooked in this somewhat cloistered conception of a university. The influence of non-resident lecturers upon students was especially extolled; in the case of men of the greatest ability and eminence, an enthusiasm would be aroused among students in vari- ous departments of knowledge, which would direct their energies into channels of thought and study. The publie in general, which under ordinary circumstances did not avail itself of the privileges of the uni- versity, would be benefited, by the influence upon the minds of men already in active life. Such a system would contribute to the reputa- tion of the university by associating with it in addition to a meritorious resident faculty a number of special professors or lecturers, whose ability and research were acknowledged, "the institution would arrive in a short time at a height of reputation which other institu- tions have failed to achieve during long years of ordinary administra- tion." A resident faculty could in that case be chosen for its " energy and working ability," and not for resident professors-for the hard work of the university -men who have attained eminence and so outlived their willingness to do hard work.

The danger that scholars who have attained eminence might "have outlived the necessity of hard thought and work," and so be less valu- able as teachers, is expressed repeatedly in the report-certainly, if true, a warning against eminence, and a frightful result to anticipate of a life devoted to true knowledge and the service of one's fellow-men.

The plan of securing as professors young men " who have a name to make and can make it," was recommended. "We can thus secure en- thusiasm, energy, ambition, and willingness to work, without paying enormous salaries." Great and proper stress is laid in the report upon general culture in the professors to be appointed, apart from mere scien- tific attainments. " The university must not only make scholars, it has a higher duty; it must make men-men manly, earnest and of good general culture." Young men were to receive the form and impress which they should bear through life.

A noble ideal of the character of the university teacher was presented here, and one worthy of the author of the report, who in his own per- son so well illustrated the refining influences of letters and of associa- tion with men.

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For teachers of modern languages, Americans were recommended instead of foreigners. "The slight advantage in correct accent pos- sessed by an instructor from a foreign country is always too dearly purchased by the sacrifice of qualities which ensure success in lectures or recitations."

To make the personality of the professors effective in exerting an in- fluence upon the character of the students, the freest and most intimate intercourse between professors and students was advocated. The Athenian ideal of culture was to be realized by a frank, full and genial conversation between teacher and taught; for a manly sympathy in thought and learning between the pupil and teacher is worth more than all educational machinery apart from it. To make possible and promote this intercourse, it was even proposed that additions to the salaries of professors be made to enable them to mect the cost of social entertainments to students. It is proper to say that the relations of students and professors in the university have been, from the first, of the most frank and cordial character. Harmony and co-operation in the faculty were insisted upon; in case of feuds and quarrels between pro- fessors it was recommended that all concerned be at once requested to resign, unless the disturbing person could be recognized beyond reason- able doubt. It was affirmed, "better to have science taught less bril- liantly, than to have it rendered contemptible."

The relation which the faculty should sustain in the administration of the university was so conceived as to give great dignity and im- portance to their deliberations. That system of college government was criticized, in which the president appropriates the main functions of administration, originates action, and is responsible to the trustees alone for whatever he may do, while the faculty have no share, or only a limited one, in determining the courses of study and the char- acter of the work that shall be done in the university. The faculty "are not merely advisors, but legislators," they should have stated meetings for the purpose of condueting the general administration of the institution and memorializing the trustees, discussing general questions of educational policy, and presenting papers upon special subjects in literature, science and the arts. The entire faculty should constitute an Academic Senatc, in which all members of the teaching staff should have the right to speak, but the right of voting should be confined to resident and non-resident professors, and assistant profes- sors representing departments in which no full professor has been ap-

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pointed. The division of the faculty into groups according to depart- ments, each presided over by the president or a dean, was also recom- mended.

There is no specification of the distinct province of the faculty and trustees, the latter of whom have certain duties provided for in the charter, and a wide scope of undefined powers attaching by common academic law to their office. In order to avoid stagnation and lack of initiative which often prevails in bodies whose power is self-perpet- uating, it was distinctly recommended that the term of office of trustees should be fixed at five years, and that it should require a vote of two-thirds of the electing body to re-elect a former trustee. The active interest and participation of the alumni in the government of the university, in accordance with the established usage at the Eng- lish universities, and as had been recently done at Harvard University, by which the alumni chose the members of the Board of Overseers in place of the Legislature, was to be secured by permitting the alumni of the university, whenever they reached the number of one hundred, to choose one trustee.

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Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University, Part 43

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Hewett, Waterman Thomas, 1846-1921; Selkreg, John H
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1194