New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-28
THE FUTURE OF COLUMBIA.
IT'S TRUSTEES CRITICISED BY ANDREW d.
WHITE.
TWO MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE BOARD MAKE
VIGOROUS REPLY TO Ills


A VIGOROUS REPLY TO Ills
CHARGES.
The following is taken from an artcle entitled
aThe Need of Another University by ex-Presiden'
Andrew ID. White, of Cornell University In the jan
uary number of The Forum 1t points out what
in the opinion OF the writer, has been Columbia Col
lege's neglected opportunity The following Is an
abstract:
OF the greater institutions which have the endowi
ments or other advantages likely to lead to real
university development | shall say nohing
but shall call attention simply 10 two centres
especially htied by position nuece inc
viii serve 10 Strengthen and aid the growth of all the
university germs now existing In various parts Vi
The first OF these centres IS the city Of New-York
1t has Columbia College Old honored with perhaps
the largest endowment of its kind in the United state
With The best facilities for drawing into its faculty
leading men IN every department, aud with boundless
opportunities for raising the tone OF the great cIlS
m which IL stands and so of the country at large.
Unfortunately the great majority OF its trustees have
long since proved themselves bhnd 70 thef oppor,u
ties Two men one a statesman. the Ia c Samuel Il.
Eugglcs. and the other scholar. President barnard
nave done all they could 10 rescue the Institution
from this inadequacy bui the fact remains. that
while Columbia College might have exercd great
and on the country like the University at Berlin he
college OF France, the Sorbonne, and the Polytechnic
School al Paris. the Academy at Geneva the sch9ol
Of Higher Studies al Florence. and indeed, Ike similar
institutions I'm nearly every European capital has
been, despite the labors and protests OF the pIesl
nearly as possible in the cond lon of an ordinary
high school, kept out of all the currents of civic
pride or sympathy. thrust into the noiSiest and
most unfit Corner Of the city and cooped
up in buildings and space enormously COS ,S, ~
tees have reSembed ssvaees who have found watch
The only hope remaining is that. having oVerridden
fbe late pcsdent and the admirable faculty gathered
under his auspices, they may now choose an equally
competent head. and. chastened by the evident
consequences OF their previous errors follow his coun-
sells They VIII well to reflect that in university mat
tffs the NapOicOnic dIctum. One commander IS
better than two good onesn applies certainly one
nod don't VIII
hef.cr as a leader than small mob who give 10 the
university only their whlms. preudices and the drcgs
Of their thoughts. II other proofs wanted, tho
recent history Of Harvard. Yale. Johns Hopkins.
Princeton the University Of Michigan, Tulane and Cor
nell would abundanty show this. OF this central
position for university, great and commanding
though Il is, / shall say no more al present. . =
| The second great centre and the one 10 which |
shall next call especial attention, IS Washington II
thin lassezfairc doctrine dominant must be sup
piled by citizen citizens rich enough 10 ft-
what this would do for their country. and ambi-
tlOus enough to see tire high place which such giit
would give to the man who makes TIA place IN history
Infinitely higher than that OF twohiEds OF our Prcsi-
dents, statesmen or generals
This criticism OF the policy which has been pursued
| by the trustees Of Columbia College by eI-President
| White was shown to some Of the members of the
Board last evening by Tribune reporter II order 10
! ascertain their views in regard TO it.
Joseph W. Harper said that the trouble with Andrew
! d. White and number Of other outsiders was that
they were entirely too impatient, and in continuing
expressed his opinion about some of the details OF
the article as follows;
A university in It's best sense must be the product
of a gradual growth-an evolution. IL cannot SPRING
forth full-fedged as Minerva did from the heah Oi
JoVe Columbia Il making rapid strides toward
the attainment of the position which we all ccelre
her to III; but If We had attempted twenty or ever
ten years ago push her forward as rapidly as We
suggested By some II could not have resulted sue
| cessnIly. Sho Is venerable Institution ana Whe'-
| ever steps arc taken 10 enlarge her cducationd
| hc
ton and cautiously. As 10 the location OF me Dui no
| inCs | consider II desirable one. ana mat thch
proximity railroad does not materially lntcilti,
| with the work that Is going on any more then ~
capaSny for criticism on such subject. he can ~
moro BE- compared with Dr.. Dix IN SchOiafl aplHH
sound learning and knowledge OF cduc2ilohat J"
Cu're,n uts than OIdir a.y western schouI lfa'h
| can with a German University professor lie sac
something about the Columbia buildings bcihg zoe
closely crowded. lie ought TO know. having Deoh 4
Berlin. that thCy occupy much space as those D.
] the university located there
Dr. George NJ. Peabody, in reply to the reporter
question, said:
My answer would be that I am amused by reason
of It's implied ignorance and imp,rtlnehce 4, III
about the inside workings of Columbia College mai els
or he would not write in that way. IL IS about VIVA
| | would expect from the cX-Mnister TO Berlin. AO'
| cannot accomplish great things without plenty o
| means and ! most certainly consider that Columbia
funds have been placed where they would show I'M
! best returns. As the location OF the buildings
the railroad station placed In that ne ghDOrhOO'
! after the college was, and after spending larg
for the trrs tees to make change Besides the prob
ability f. that The station VIII ne moved iurther on
befors many years But ] don't think that the article
deserves any discussion. Anybody can criticse.