The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-04
ruo New York Colleres.

At meeting OF the Council OF the Univer-
sity Of the City Of New York on Monday
evening Chancellor MAoCRAoKKN spoke
strongly In favor Of removing that institu-
ton from Washington eouare to Q site be-
You'd the Harlem River. An option on such
a site in the neighborhood Of 2O0th street
has been obtained. the land comprising
forty acres. but no decision as to making
the purchase has been reached.
A committee Of the trustees Of Columbia
College Is also considering the advisability
Of removing its academic department. or
School OF Letters. to q site owned by the
college In Westchester county. It IL not
probable, however. that the change will be
made at present or in the early future, for
the project has already been long un-
der consideration by the trustees and
no advance toward Its execution has
been made. The enormous sum OF money
expended on the buildings at Forty-ninth
street will tend to keep the institution
there for many years yet. though the con-
tguity OF their site to the Grand Central
Station is q manifest disadvantage because
OF the noise Of the vast railway traffic. Tho
college has given every indication Of its
intention to remain where 1t is by steadily
increasing Its outlay on the plant there.
Moreover. the proposed changes Of situa-
ton would alter radically the character OF
both the University and Columbia College.
80 far as their undergraduate departments
are concerned. and therefore the step is a
grave and serious subject for considers
ton. At present their situation in the
midst Of the crowded town distinguishes
them from the great mass Of colleges. They
have no dormitories for students. They
are day schools whose pupils return to
homes Of their own at night. II they were
removed from the city. they would estab-
lish college settlements. with houses for
the professors and quarters in which the
students would live. The removal. there
fore. would involve vast expenditure for
buildings and q complete transformation
in tho interior economy Of the institutions.
1t would make Of them colleges totally diff
ferent from what they are now. and it
would be On experiment novel in their e1-
perience and Of problematic result
Whether it would enable them to compete
more successfully with colleges like Har-
ward and Yale and Princeton Is doubtful
matter.
The situations to which It Is proposed that
they shall go are now removed from the
thickly settled town. but that will not be
the case for many years. In due time the
growth of the town will destroy such seclu-
sion. and they will be again city and not
country colleges. The removal also would
separate their undergraduate and their
university departments. or special schools,
by long distance. for the gathering to-
gether Of the whole in the new situations Is
not contemplated. The schools OF law.
medicine. and engineering are more fifty
situated within the city close to libraries.
hospitals. courts. and the general life Of q
great and cosmopolitan community.
The probabilities. accordingly. are that
this question Of removal will not DO settled
at any early day. Meantime. there Is far
more important matter to which the trus-
tees OF both institutions should give
their attention. It is tho combination OF
the two for the formation OF one great uni
versity in New York. They could devise O
scheme Of union which would not interfere
with their respective endowments. for diff
ferent departments Of instruction could be
assigned to each. or they could be two col
leges linked together In university sys-
TEN. which would not destroy the individu-
atty of either.
One great university Is enough for New
York. and there Is no object OF religion or
education promoted or represented by the
maintenance oftwo. Divisioninvolves waste
Of money and energy. Let the University
and Columbia come together. and then they
will be ready to consider and decide the
question whether they are prepared for the
transformation which removal to distance
from the town would effect. Then neither
OF them would lack money to carry out the
project. A united university would have
the support Of tho pride OF New York.