New-York tribune., 1891-12-16
m PRAISE OF COLUMBIA.
cprrcHEs AT THE ALUMNI DINNER.
.,nsrssEs BY PRESIDENT LOW. cHAuScw NJ.
nrrrw. JAMES W. ALExANDER, ED

WARD KIM AND OIHfkc.
-, ,as members of the Association of the Alumni
r.,r,hls College sat down to their annual dinner
evening in the ballroom of the Hotel Brunswick.
-. main table extended along the eastern wall tie
In .ngh of the room; and there were In addition six
~ a., tables. At the main table were George G. De
~. ysce president who. In the absence Of the pres
N's n .he association. Professor r. IL. Van Amrlnge.
'.ed President Seth Low sat ON the right of Mr.
y us.. and Bishop George +. seymour, of Springfield
= an his left. Others at this table were Edward
-, chauncey NJ. Depew and James w. Alexander
S.rssent,ng Harvard, Yale and Princeton colleges.
Butler, DIR. A Bernheim, ". B.
r,,,px. w. A. Dunning A. Cchn, Francis Hendricks.
~. = jenkins T. Hughson, Brandes Matthews. John
s~.,ruan A. c. Merriam, j. p Pine, and E. 5.
S.,srck Among ttsese at the other tables were
,reh,lss Fish, stUyvescnt Fish, George F. Butter
80 H. L. Bogart, u. Cruger, Francis Hendrick,
,-,,,ssor +. B. OConnor, Joseph NJ. Knapp, George
Taonard William q, Ferguson, II. +. Cutting, NJ. T.
a,r,rt. c. F. Bishop, W. A. Dunning c. NJ. Hyde.
= HYDE +. W. Jackson, c. G. Kalbfeisch, W. V.
ssns Francis ;. Bangs G. ID. ii. Brewer Il. +.
p,Tuiuc B. n. Cardozo. 5. o. Fowler J. NJ Mitchell,
r B. Mitchell, j. t. Williams, B. d. Wood
.xS J. H. Work. II. StetSop. II. d. Turner, d. w.
s.rlor, E. Van Wyck w. X. otis, William c. Fergu-
- T. de p. Foster. William q. Eliot, +. ID. Dodge
r A. Davis, J. W. Davis, }. K. Burill, E. L. Burrell,
p C2urch, W. +. Chase, Z. &. q. BisSe c. +. Bsh-
"A D. L. X. Dresser, IL. L. Marshall, 5. sloan, jr.
t,eson sloan, W. H. Russell, George NJ. Root. II. z.
r,.,rVpent. C. B. Mitchell William G.. LeBoutillier,
,..,ph Lawrence, William G.. Lathrop jr. s. T. Gil
I'D J. b. Cauldwel Ii. Cushman and X. Arrowsmith.
The blessing asked by Bishop Seymour The
sso,vaaons OF the room were simple, consisting
,sse from the table pieces, of cluster of National
,,ss or the wall back of the presidents chair. The
orsse glee club at one end of the occasionally
s,ps college songs, in which others joined and an
e,chestra in the gallery playsd popular airs
u9 clock Mr. De Witt arose, and after expressing
sr,st al the abseIce of Professor Van Amringo,
ssing To a recent death in his family. read letter
rou ,hat gentleman, In which he referred TO the
satisfactory condition OF the affairs of the college, and
pat tribute 10 the late President Barnard and the
.aaspcy Of his administration.
Then President Low spoke TO the toast Columbia
coIsees His remarks were directed especially to the
npo1anee Of change of site for the cOegs, and the
uon that had been taken by the trustees in connection
With the subject. Among other Objectionable features
associated with the present, site he incidentally re
uaked that MIR. Depew's locomotives made a great
osal Of noise In fact" he added far l know
Aey gre about the only invSQtio1s of man that can
make more noise than Mr.. Dspew." (Lsughter) Then
he ,urned the allusion into a compliment by adding
There is this important difference, however in the
character OF the noise they make; those who hear
hesr Mr.. Depew never want him to stop" ZAP
rSiseJ Continuing he said;
The alumni are aware that the trustees appointed
kS sprng special committee 10 take into consldera
ion all the questions nvOlyed'n connection with The
I've Of the college. You will be interested TO know.
an sure that this committee submitted important
report 70 the trustees al their meeting on Monday,
December Z. which resulted In the passage OF resolu
oas hy the trustees authorizing the comnittee to ac
espt a six months option from the New York Hos
IIsl on a portion Of the land now occupied by the
AhyiuU.
that the trustees have decided the merits Of the
s1sston that they desire 10 move the college to this
lie option represents the judgment of the trustees a.
70 the value Of the property 10 Columbia College. "
pan Of the trustees carefully to consider the question
II all It's details In the hope that after such study
covered by the option lies between Tenthave and the
Boulevard and extends from One hundred and six
senh 70 one -hnndred-and-t twentieth sts The tract
comprises little less than twenty acres, and per
hPS the best conception OF It's saze can be
whvsyed TO one familiar with the city
b the statement that II contains area
10 sDd half times as large AZ Madison Square.
ne price named In the option Is 81 OO0,00 The
ssnnI therefore win perceive, and the city as well
have ali adequate conception OF the possibilities
the university as the great university of the Amer
vantase 70 Columbia move TO this locality in the
ear future. but the trustees cannot forget that mi
feel that this question is not TO be decided altogether
rom the point Of view Of the near future. II is
put a stop 10 her educational development during
he next twenty five Years in order 10 provide site
be question before Us. therefore. is 10 ascertain
Thetler our own alumni and the people of the city
Aink so well of this project that they viii help
Olumbis most poorly housed but doing a great
EDUCATIONAL work, than TO see her installed IN palaces
there she could not do her work 10 advantage through
aek Of funds On the other band II is doubtless
rue that -Yorks conception Of university worthy
inaai enlargement The disposition to give to the
oece will grow with the opportunity on the part OF
hs college to make wise use use % gifts 50 shSt S u S
power If, after careful inquiry 1t oommends tseh
o our judgment. i speak of II at this time IN the
lOpe that the alumni will take interest with the
stees ia helping us 10 solve the important questions
involved IN the contemplation of such a step: ms
N their power in connection with the other friends
D. the college. 10 remove all SHADOW OF doubt as 10
he practicability Of the enterprise VIII not pause
this location. All this can be better done at another
tne. when our opinion as to the course 10 pe
pursued Is more clearly defined. simply LAY 1ne
natter before You as worthy Of your fullest con
sderstion and as one concerning wflch an sur
Nat will be of the profoundest interest to you TO oe
Informed.
In closing President Low said 10 the alumni I'VE
ask you 10 help Us 10 reach wise decision II Is prop
ably the most momentous decision Columbia Will nave
10 make in our day. What shall it bef' tApplsuse}
Brander Mathews then responded in humorous
strsin to the toast "Twenty Years Changes" III
arucdon IN pcst-prandiaI oratory or j sheuh have
taken a course II was possible in Columbia twenty
years ago to take very little. looked over the cata-
bge the other day and found that the entire teachhg
ssf Of Columbia College in 1871 consisted oil eleh'
professors two tutors and lecturer on the eVi-
.snees Of natural and revealed religion the ehure
taching stan of the university now emoo~eo "oie
than $50 men. (Apphuse) We could then taAe t"o
eourses in Latin and two in Greek. find that the
sOrs can tis year take thirteen courses in Laun ana
Greek. We bad one ia English that e-
nenb-r about II established the TRADITIONAL ois
uhrton between Prise and poetry II yons a,1 sS,u
xoeedingly beautiful that was prose Dut II yyn
Mi beautiful exceedingly that was poetry tLausn'
tGl At present there are eight courses IN Enshst ~
aNaturr open to the seniors. But the chahse -
oest In the library which was then over the chapei
was open one hour In the day hve days N Ihe "Gen'
10 about eight months n the yea1-a HUE los Hlan
20 hour year The library Is open now lOute1n
hoors day six days In the week, twelve months 10
iae year q little more than 1000 hours year lAp-
Dzusel believe | never took book out OF the u