The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-11-29
Installation OF the President OF Colum bia
College

LAST evening the installation Of Mr.. Charles King
as President of Columbia College took place in the
chapel Of the tsution. The building which is very
small but Of quite sufficient capacity for the seventy
eighty alumni wis say their prayers in it, Was well
lled chiefly with old ladies aud Anticipated gentlemen
and a few young ladies, with their pspas and mamas
but Of the young none of the people. As
for the Students they cut sorry figure in the assem-.
bly,. They only sprinkling that might be al.
together overlooked, II did not search for them.
There was the strange anomaly OF . college near
ly one hundred years old with President, .
Board Of Trustees, and Professors. ana all the
machinery Of education, but no pupils, next to
none just like worknen and their tools, without
the raw materials from which to shape the manu-
featured article As VI the heads OF the College
ashamed OF the psucity Of the alumni, they kept
in the back ground, disposed In row along the wall
At S O'Clock, MIR. King, with his brother, and Mr..
Jehn Mason, and Mr.. Robert Wrsy and q number Of
upper ten frienls, entered the chapel amidst loud
cheers Rev MIR. Hsght, Of Trinity Church, opened
Chairman Of the Board OF Trustees installed the Pre-.
sident by putting the academic cap on his head and
placing him in the chair observing that he hoped the
prosperity Of the institution would suffer no dminu
lion under his auspices. (Chsersl
General Scott here entered the chapel, and was
greeted wisb the most enthusiastic cheering till he took
bis seat among the trustees of the College.
Rev. DR.. MeVichar the dean Of the faculty then
proceeded TO deliver the address to the President,
which he had committed to memory. and delivered as
speech, as appeared from the President subsequently,
reading lis reply toll from manuscript The reverend
gentleman said that the memories Of the past crowded
upon him 80 strongly that they cast shade OF sad
ness over his congratulations lie had four Pre-
sdents elected and OF the professors and ocers who
had been appointed with him. not one now remained.
He had spent in Its walls more than one-thrd Of the
ninety Eve years during which the college was In
existence. No man had ever been so long con-
nsoted with 1t o. he After sdvertins to DR..
be went to congratulate the college upon the cleo.
ton d such president as Mir King whose character
combined the eo.rssy Of the gentleman, the decision
ness. such man Was calculated to lead youth with
threads Of silk. who could not be held with bands Of
iron. They had another pledge OF his future useful
in the Iact Of his being the son Of Rufus King
Our 81 tenerabiie lt vas to his influence he
(Nr M'yicksr) owed his appointment; and in mo-
nent of peril tee la connection with the late Bishop
Hob,it lie ts,ed the charter OF the college lie then
alluded TO those names which had stamped their fame
upon the history q the Institution among whom
Hamilton and Jay and De Witt Clinton, who m arried
the Atlantic TO the Lakes and cut deeper channel for
American prosperity than any had cut before
Cheers) The Rev. gentleman then went on Ia refer
Go What had been as In the newspapers of the pros
pet Of popusrng the education OF the college under
MIR. King This he considered very dangerous thing
20 so aud far better to stick to the ola English
University plan, which came down from Alfred. In
Germany there deeper lesrning In France deeper
science and In schools In other countries ready
practical fk but nowhere Is education 81 complete
In the University fysem OF England, which really
ouded by saying that more scholarships were wanted
for needy ttudehs that the examinations ought 10 be
more formal and more Efficient, rira well
verbal and open to the challenges and finally that the
religious services Of that Chapel, ought to be the
Mr. King the Prssidspt then proceeded 10 read his
reply from pile II manuscript, which would make
tolersbly sirsd volume IL was interlardei With fire.
quent quotations from the Greek and Latin classics
Of them from the ghost Of Anchses with which the
ladies appeared to be highly edited lie read from this
reply how his heart touched with the aluslso Of
the previous speaker TO his father whom he would
des'or to fellow hand Posiibas ass. lie then alluded
10 his education 81 Herrow School In England and at
tributed his classical knowledge and the formation q
hts habits mental culture. To that fact His extensive
tnowledge Of the world, his early culture, aud such
reading hurried life permitted were all at the
vice Of the pupils whom he besought to give him their
hearts In return and 30 regard him their fastest
friend Nothing but rsmorse for crime, was ~ poignant
the roget q the early days 81 education beng mis-
spent. lie then sddresscds closing oulogium 70 &C.
neral Scott AZ an slumnus, (Which he also read from
the maBUtcripts man In whose career the victorious
soldier detractsd aUght nom the virtuous cti
ren, or Christian gentleman. (Grest chsering) lie,
to whom he observed the e0llege vas older than the
republic. 10 founded In the reiss Of George the
I'd In 1884, and traced its history dovnwsrds,
glancing he passed at John Stevens, Of Hobokeu,
who perceived railways as they now exist, long
before locomotive was In the world, TIL
be cane to the law q lslo lie theh proceeded
"A prejudice that bad injured Il, while the
New ork University and the Free Academy pros
percd. The origin Of that prejudice was AZ sr back ne
the time Of its trst foundation in the colony whom II
was deemed instrument q the established church
and is charter delayed two years on that account
Though IL connected with the Trinity corporao
and the PRECEDENT must be an Episcopslian. and the
liturgy must be used In the chapel II not scotia
fisn IL vas open 20 all There were, IN all I'll free
then appealed to the merchants Of New York for their
support and finally eudesvorei TO pres the ladies into
his tertice by reminding them Of the fame Of learned
professor Of their at Bologna, which. after all he
said more for their encouragement than their int
tation Loud laugkter
The President having concluded the reading % his
very lengthy document the assembly then separated