New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-07
COLUMBIA'S LATEST STEP.
THE EXCLUSION OF WOMEN AS STUDENTS.

TALKS WITH MR. FISH, PRESIDENT BARNARD
AND OTHERS
The action OF the trustees of Columbia Col
lege on Monday in reference to allowing
women the advantages of the institution
was defended by Hamilton Fish yesterday.
MIR. Fish also stated the financial condition
of the college, and told how it received its
real estate. President Barnard has been ap-
pointed chairman of committee to consider
the advisability of preparing an appeal to the
public for aid in extending the work of
the college. He mentioned its present
needs. Abram s. Hewitt DR.. Fordyce
Barker and member of the society
which presented the petition expressed them
selvesas satisfied with the result.
VIEWS OF TRUSTEES AND PETITIONERS.
WHAT THE COLLEGE NEEDs-Irs DEBT-sATIsPAc-
TION WITH THE COMMITTEES REPORT.
The special committee of the Board of Trustees Of
Columbia College in Its report the petition from
| the Association Tor the Promoting OF the Higher
| Education of Women, published in The TRIBUNE
yesterday, stated as one of the reasons why
a woman's school, or Annex to the
college, conld not be established at present, tho
heavy debt of the college, which even retarded its
development on its present basis. The report
stated:
II is well known to this Board-and your committee
development of the our university its present
basis. with Its several schools and It's poetgraduate
debt which necessary to contract for the en-
argement OF our buildings and the 9 aeccmmodaton Of
much must be done before Columbia College can fully
this city and country the advantages REASONABLY to be
expected within the walls Of this venerable institutions
appeal to the Intelligent and wealthy citizens 81 New
York for aid to enable us to extend the bounds o our
In order to ascertain the financial condition
of the college, and also to learn what
steps were being taken toward the appeal
to the public for money for the college, reporter Of
The TRIBUNE yesterday called on Hamilton Fish.
the president of the Board of Trustees.
"What measures are being taken by the trustees
of Columbia College toward making an appeal to
the public for assistance In carrying the work or
the college 7" asked the reporter.
"a gentleman recently sent letter to me as the
president of the Board Of Trustees" Mr.. Fish re-
Piled, proposing that, In view OF the increasing
Indebtedness OF the college, public appeal for aid
should be made through the newspapers or In some
other way This Indebtedness has arisen from tho
erection of our new buildings. had
never seen the gentleman, but wrote him that
had no authority to prepare such an appeal, men,
and the somewhat conservative spirit of our Board
Several letters passed between us, and then an
interview followed which resulted in my suggesting
that he should consult President Barnard In the
matter He did so and at the February meeting
DR. Barnard announced his intention OF Offering
resolution at the next meeting regarding the ap-
pointment of @ committee to whom this subject
should be referred. On Monday Dr. Barnard offered
the resolution, and appointed the committee. The
resolution as follows:
Resolred That committee Of nve be appointed 70 con-
OF education TO the college with the means to
extend and give greater capabilities to the institution
and IN case such should be deemed advisable
to prepare and submit suitable form OF such appeal In
cooperating such statements as may appear 70 Ds re-
ing aid.
"Dr Barnard was made chairman of the COM
mittse and with HIM we're appointed Gouverneur NJ.
Ogden the treasurer Of the college; William Z.
Schermerhorn Stephen P. Nash and Joseph w.
Harper. jr" Mr. Fish was subsequently added to
the committed
FEW GIFTS TO THE COLLEGE,
HAS Columbia College ever had any large giftsF'
cit has only had two gifts in the form of money,
and one of them is of avail yet. About forty or
6fty wears ago the chair of German founded,
and year ago, by the death of stephen Whitney
Phnnix, the college received bequest which will
be available sometime hence. There has been an
occasional scholarship established but compare
this record with that of Harvard and other large
colleges They are constantly receiving large con-
tributons."
"To what do you attribute this lack of interest
toward your colle2eP
PARTLY to its being in this city. 1t Is lost sight
of in this centre Of business fashion and pleasure,
surrounded as il is by other institutions oflearnng.
libraries and museums. Why, Harvard is the great
thing in Boston, as Yale is in New-Haven and the
town of Princeton would be unknown were it not
for Nassau Hall. Such q state of affairs does not
exist here. and yet Columbia is doing great WORK
with the means at her command"
lis there any other reason why the claims OK
Columbia have not been recognizedV
"An important one: Columbia College has never
received FROM the press Of this city the credit she
entitled to. There has been feeling that this col.
lege was under the influence OF tue Episc0pai
Church and that it had an immense endow-
ment fund. In regard to the first state
ment it is true that the grant OF land
down town was given with the piedgo
that the president should DO communicant OF an
Episeopal church. but the charter expressly pro-
libits any one religious sect from having majority
in the Board of Trustees. NV predecessor in the
presidency was the Rev. Dr. Knox, 0f the Collegiate
,burch The Rev. DIR. Gardner Spring OF the Brck
Church and the Rev. DIR. Williams.
Baptist clergyman, have been members OF tho
,oard. and now there are several denominations
epresented there"
HAS the college an endowment fund of
%, 5,OOO,OOOp
"That depends on the value of real estate"
How much real estate has the collegeT
"Originaly, you know this college was down
oyn having received grant from Trinity Church.;
still owns, think, the entire block bounded BY
ark place Church and Barclay SITS. and College,
lace and also some land on the west of College
lace There u.s. then, the college site boun ded by
Iadison and Fourth-aves.. and Forty-ninth aud
iftieth sts. Besides these two, there Is
lot extending from Forty-seventh-st. to Fifty
rst-st and from Flfth-aYe. nearly 70 Sixth-ave"