Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-10-22
Cornell College.

ted on hill commanding a magnifi::
,ent view of the Cedar Valley, is
coated one of the largest and most
institutions of learning in
iowa. 1t was founded in 1857, under
he auspices of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church; and its steady, healthy,
vigorous growth proves that people
to be as skillful in building colleges
As they are in building churches
Its faculty is a body of earnest, able,
Christian teachers, led by DR.. w. f.
King. The students are ladies and
gentlemen, intent on their work, not
1t as beneath their dignity
to respect the regulations of their
college, and to be high-minded and
During our two days.
stay we heard no slang, no profanity
and no rowdyism; a fact some may
be inclined to doubt, on account of a
general idea of the "total depravity"
of, at least, college students.
There is an air of home about the
institution that is charming. This
may be heightened by the presence
of young ladies, as well as gentlemen,
in the Chapel, the halls and lecture
rooms. Doubtless it flatters the pride
of "the boys" to sit alone on the
benches, and fancy that the severe
mental strain of a college course is
too much for our sisters. But it
should administer wholesome check
to that pride to learn that "weak
sister" may lead the senior Glass;
may be acknowledged to be the
ablest writer in school. And, in
fact, ever since the Creator, in His
wisdom declared, that the best inter-
ests of man required that woman
should be his companion, both man
and woman have prospered best when
the two sexes have been associated,
and have been allowed to act and re-
act on one another. The idea that
they should not be educated together
is plainly one of those "relics of bar
barism," which, like the monopoly of
the right of suffrage by one-half of
the citizenship, is doomed to pass
away. A visit to Cornell College
confirms our faith.
The Institution, at present, has
three brick buildings. One, 72x4o,
three stories high, devoted to music
department and Boarding Hall for
ladies'. A Boarding Hall for gentle
men, 56x3e, four stories high, and the
main College building, lOox55, four
stories, divided into Chapel, recita-
ton rooms, Library, Society Hall,
Laboratory, etc. Excavation has been
made and the contract let for the
erection of a beautiful Chapel build
ing of stone.
The military drill is an attractive
and, we believe, a valuable feature of
the College. Cornell is a military
post; guns, cannon and ammunition
are furnished by the government
Lieut.. I. T. Webster, of West Point,
is the efficient teacher of civil engin-
eering and military science. The
students appear to take pride in their
drill, which occupies one hour of the
afternoon during the milder months;
it is quicken:ng to the faculties and
disciplining to the mind; its effect is
also seen in their health and bearing.
We noticed that none seemed more
enthusiastic than Corporal Hugh
Boyd, Professor of the Greek and
Latin languages.
1t was our pleasure to be the guest
Of Prof. Collin, of the Chair OF Nat
lral Science; to him, and to his ex-
,ellent wife, we owe all that could be
done to add the charm of social in
tercourse to the pleasures OF our stay.
We have marked the day with a
white stone.
But the occasion of our visit must
not he overlooked. 1t was to witness
! trial of oratorical strength, and to
assist in deciding who should go, in
behalf of Cornell, to contend against
the mighty at Des Moines, for the
first place in eloquence in the State.
Messrs. Ebcrhart and Day were the
and, Notwithstanding the
of the former, the latter
carried the Day. The interest taken
in the contest was intense; and,
though the time may come when
these young friends will look back
and smile to think they deemed it SO
important, there is many contest
IN life over meaner prize.
Mt. Vernon owes its prosperity to
is school. But even here we found
one who could say: eff Mt. Vernon
vas rid of this school, and had two
u three good saloons. it would do
'ome business" Yes, indeed, some
business! Yet we take it that there
s not town in Northern Iowa doing
he amount of business that is being
lone here. -Four hundred young
men and women fitting to be archi-
ects Of a noble future, leaders of
public opinion, fashioners of the des-
my of our great commonwealth!
God bless them in this magnificent
business.
Mr.. Editor, if this is longer letter
han you expected, l am sure it will
lot be necessary for me to plead an