The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-12-14
Cornell University.

A STUDENTS LABOR FOR KNOWLEDGE.
A correspondent of the New York |
Times, recently visiting the Cornell
University, describes, among other in
teresting particulars, a conversation
held with one Of the students. The in
terview gives good indication of the
qualities of the young man, who is q
sample of q great many, in the Cornell
and other institutions of learning, who
are obtaining an education under what
stances. But although the labor is hard
and the deprivations great, they form
the furnace of trial, to refine the in tel
lect, and produce mental and moral
state of sterling purity and value.
81 looked around for some student
who could inform me as to the progress
made in the speciality of Cornell-the
self-supporting part of the system. At
last, by good chance, 1 came upon a
room where young fellow of twenty
three was studying Sanscrit. Having
been in India for many years, was in
terested in his studies, and we commenced
an animated conversation upon philo-
logic roots. We criticised Max Muller,
commented on Bunsen's theory of the
Pelasgio people, and heartily agreed
upon the absurdity of studying Greek
and Latin, which were dried sponges,
out of which everything good had been
taken by our ancestors. Incidentally l
learned that this most accomplished
gentleman was supporting himself by
laboring on the farm. He generally
worked three hours day, and six hours
On Saturdays, and had already got
through his appointed labor for that
Saturday. I asked him if the manual
labor of blowing, etc., did not stupefy
him, contract the brain cells, and make
his apprehension duller. He replied
that it did not, because he had been
brought up as farmer, and had nothing
to learn when he came tc the college.
He was taking the agricultural course,
but had become interested in phi!ology,
and one of the professors, who knew
Sanscrit, had become interested in him,
and had given him lessons in that per-
feet language, though Oriental studies
are not in the curriculum.
l said: ~ suppose yours is an indi-
vidusl case 7"
Student-Yes, as regards the philology,
but not for the farm. There are twenty
nine of us who work on it.
Correspondeut-Does it pay your ex-
penses?
Student-It pays mine; but then I
worked steadily during the long three
months vacation, which ended in Sep
tember. / can 60 easy now if feel in
clined.
Correspondence suppose the hardest
part of the work is done by laborers en-
ployed for that purposer
Student-Not at all. There are only
two teamsters hired on the farm, and all
the other work is done by US. At this
moment we're laying down a series of
drains, and this is very heavy work in
deed.
Correspondent-Did you do that this
morning?
Student-Yes. for six hours.
Correspondent-And did you not feel
stupeied or tired outp
Student-Not at all. l dislike the
work, and was very glad to get back to
this, but I was not tired.
Correspondent-Are there any other
methods of earning ones support here,
besides the farm
Student-Oh yes. If you can print,
| you can earn more in the press room
than on the farm, and soon there will
be lots of work in the machine shop.
The men are going to make copies Of
Ollivier's geometric models.
espondent-What's that?
Student-Why, Frenchman of the
name of Olivier made a set of models to
illustrate all the problems of geometry.
A set was purchased by the State OF
New York, and is, 1 think, at Albany.
They are going to make copies of these.
Twenty thousand dollars were given,
believe, for the first set that he made,
but our fellows here can make them for
eight hundred.
Correspondent-Is see. Well, but men
who can't handle tools will not be able
to do that sort of thing.
Student-Certainly not. Skilled Ia
Dor is at the same premium here that
it is elsewhere.
Correspondent-What can the men dc
who have only their manual strength
Student-Well, they can work on the
farm or they can grade the square.
Correspondent = They can do that
but then do theyp
| Student-As a general thing they at
tehPt ~, anu HuuinS III ratner rOugh,
give it up in despair, and 60 home.
Correspondent-Well, but that was
hardly what Mr.. Cornell designed, was
itp
Student-No; he expected that the
college would give work to every one,
that cared to take it. of kind that he
could do. i suppose that this will be
done in the future by outsiders, but il
can never be accomplished by the college
Correspondent-Something in the fac
tory way, you mean. I suppose some
thing that will utilize the grand water
power that is running to waste so pic
turesquely in the gorges.
Student-[laughing)-I guess so.
have heard that Mr.. Cornell has some
such scheme in his head.
Correspondent-But even then, per.
hsps, the men could not earn enough tc
keep them. Let US calculate little. ]
have been through some factories in
Auburn lately, and 1 learned the rate Of
wages current there. Such work as un.
skilled students could do would be paid
at the rate of seven, say eight. dollars q
week for day of twelve hours. Now
how many hours can you average Of
work throughout the yearp
Student-About half day if WORK
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