New-York tribune., 1873-12-20
THE CORNELL INQUIRY.
HOW THE UNIVERSITY Is MANAGED.


DEPARTMENTs-oUTsIDE EVIDENCE AS TO THE
VALUE OF THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN AT CORNELL
THE LABORATORIES, THE LIBRARY, TIE CHAP
LAiNCY.
lBr TELEGRAPH ro'THE TRIBUSR.l
ITHACA, n. Y, Dec. 19.-J. ID. Van Buren,
representing the Commission appointed by Gov DIX 70
investigate the charges against Ezra Cornell, gave
hearing several witnesses to-day at 10 a. in the
library building. President White first appeared ana
made extended statement regarding the general
management OF the institution, substan tally as follows
In reply TO question. Mr. White said that he had no
direct personal knowledge Of the land operations or Mr.
Cornell he gathered from the reports made from
the University; to the value of the land IN
WISCONSIN, Kansas. and other States. he haa
GSep Hpe' he stated tRat Ha FOR asSat three
attempts were made TO sell acres at 70
of Cornell University since 1866 and from the very nst
was familiar with the management Of the institution
the Land Grant act OF Congress in 1862 and the action
this State recorded IN chapter 6Si had been the guides
OF the officers OF the University which they had scrupu
lousy followed; they had given more care 10 the ue
parmen agriculture and mechanic arts than TO any
other department this being first provided lor MI
uponit; the best men possible to be obtained
were selected for this department. to which
suited; at its suggestion GOV. Holbrook OF
Vermont was appointed General Lecturer on Aerlc1l
ture related to the mechanic arts the object being 20
have man OF authority on the subject as assistant 10
the President Prof Caldwell OF the Agricultural COZ
lege of Pennsylvania lectured on agricultural chemstry
MrPrentiss graduate of the Agricultural College 0 Mich
gan was chosen Professor OF horticulture and Jas Law
OF the Royal Veterinary College Of London was selected
after much search "a veterinary PROFESSOR theso 40
still with the university for the other departments the
best selected and the very best equlpnent
sought for the Agricultural Department; models
and obtained the very best made IN thls
country and in Europe that now they nave the most
valuable equipment OF tins kind in this country
President White snd that the hrs professor Of Agrl-
cuurerecommended Joseph Harris, but other pur-
suits preventing the discharge of his duties as professor
inns np farm " zee
ham, who was well known a. practice iarmsr anu
had obtained RON the state Asrenl,ural S1elrn arm
iugi as Prof Henry McCandleSs chosen
about two years since from tue Aec1ra Stao1 as Ss
charge OF the whole farm, and insisted upon having
small farm Of 40 acres properly hted up Tor specls
kind OF farming; there were not FUNDS ior
this at that time. but the authorities promised
70 meet his wishes as eariy as posi- pSss,pM,s Ne
McCandes asked and prcsentad them 10 the insntu-
ton the agricultural implements that no wanted were
furnished in England and agricultural museum was
begun; but just everything was nearly ready ior cor
ryIng out his plans, he accepted an appointment III
Great attention given TO securing lecturers on the
various subjects IN aerlcturs IN wncn they ere were
passed three years since requiring every suuonI 10
attend course OF i1dtaFe' Gn s.nio0 on asiSd oud
of Hudson appointed TO deliver such
lectures he has given tho course every year save TINS
but owing his sickness this year the class was ex
cused from that course; the number OF special
students In the Agricultural Department mas never ,
ing to agriculture have been very numerous;
in addition the instruction given various investiga
tions have been conducted the branches bearing
agriculture Profs, Caldwell and Prentlss nave puo-
I,shed contributions ON their subjects the department
yet successful not mucn by the number OF stu
dents as by the valuable results OF the experiments
and researches in It's Laboratories by the thorough basis
that has been laid for future usefuness the students
Of agriculture the same footing as the other SUI
dents the OF labor done by those IN the depart
ment varies with different students. depending largely
npon their necessities and plans Tor ne II mas mas
been the aim to teach students principles
rather than the handling of simple tools. and 10
strengthen their powers of observation and TO each
them to reason from what they observe; their work has
been voluntary and paid for as far as possible students
who have needed the wages ior ther support
O. What proportion of the services OF Profs. Hart
and Wilder fSF Ega 40 Si arpIrt%enl aeenl
Inent worthy the name could exist without n'truc,
tiOns in tneir departments and TINS u true
SSt SSi Only enS.y Of geology Haa 1nf pspdy Pa'S S
s%aT we're eed ae %i CAFE
department believed to be the first or among the first
of the kind IN the country, ~nen paoS practical as
Mr. sibley gave building, valued at over
$4,000 and large amount OF machinery TO supply t to
the amount of $4,000 aud has since hedged $4,000 TO
the department. s20O0 OF which IS 10 go toward the
eanceg of the debt OF the University ana wltn he un
dersaudng that at the earliest moment possible TINS sha
be transferred the department IN question; besides
This WORKSHOP drafting rooms, rescitation r1oGs' ana ana
50 on. have Deen htted up every student III thiS |
department Is required TO WORK CERTAIN |
number OF hours. every, week in Ihe machine.
shop under a thoroughly competent instructor
this is part Of the course much anything else;
anything they maze OF value belongs 10 them; ea
III their work IA one OF the special anyanages
sought over other shops; prntingoffce has also |
been established and class OF students Is instructed
in type setting we are also feeling our way TO course
in iournalism other branches related TO arts
have established such architecture, civil ens
neerlng, and chemistry applied 10 manufacture.
The laws OF Congress aud OF the state OF New.York |
ent an officer from the army Is assigned by aet |
OF Congress; regular drills lake place ana pardes
stated occasions came. mo- excuses ssro are granted
Professor OF Chemistry applied TO manufacturing;
insitutlon in the natural sciences we nave various
collections, many of them given by Mr.. Cornell;
laboratory has recently been htled up for practical
work in geology in addition to those already |
established III chemistry, physiology, botany, &c; the
bought with great care with reference to to needs OF
the various departments many boO6s have been given
by different persons-Ar Cornell. Prof Goldwln Smith,
Mr. White being questioned about the chapel building
stated that Mr., sage had gwen $1,000 Tor chapel
with the condition that the pastor should be
tSe tiSn Gentleman Withdrew his ccndi,ion. and pledged
900 with tho understanding that ministers OF all re-
gous denomnations sns DE- empSyea the sttenu
on the part OF the student IN accordance
with the &C, Other hs t,ers courses ,I Of study
the strictly classical courses, and others. who
study Latin and not Greek Greek; there there are aS
an ence in iterrture. 30; in ats, Is;
special students in ssrlcatnre in sTehiieelare al
81; in mechanic arts, 81 In natural history, special
Students students In Oplonai stuues iO thore are
10 resident graduates.
Mr White further stated that he knew Of no other
which has carried out the law OF 1862 so Thoroughly
s the state Of NewYork through the Cornell University
he did intend 10 charge any state or university
with falling OF this duty but lie intended to assert
that the State OF Sew-York aud the Cornell |
University had almost alone among the States
faithfully out Of the act
of Congress fu intent and TO Its full scope; that
act while laying branches relating 10 agricul
cuture and the mechanic declares that other clss
sical and scentc branches 10 be excluded and
military tactics be excluded we have iab0red TO
carry OUT the national and State all ports the
whole provision has been made here IN NewYork for all
the departments indicated in the act OF 1902 il there
only fe students agriculture that the fault
of the University we have complied strictly with the
law of 1865, providing scholarships for each |
A.samby district, allowing 5ll free scholar |