The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-24
Tho Great University of Now York.

That portion Of the grounds of the Bloom
insdale Asylum upon which the trustees
OF Columbia College have obtained an op-
tton comprises nearly twenty acres of
land. 1t lies between the Boulevard and
Amsterdam avenue and extends from 116th
to 10th street. Tho price asked for the
property Is $2.00 900; and the methods by
which the money must be obtained by the
college are explained In statement Just
made by a committee OF the trustees.
First. we will say that it Is a very rea-
sonable price for the land. whose situation
Is high and commanding. and In all re-
spects admirably adapted as site for the
college. Last year a large block OF prop
erty more than three miles beyond. in the
vicinity OF the Washington Bridge. was
sold ut about half tho rate. though it lies at
the extreme edge Of improvement and oc-
cupies natural position by no means so
attractive. II Columbia establishes itself
anew on tho proposed site. it will have
grounds OF about the size OF the Harvard
yard and Of nearly twice tho area Of the
Ialo campus. The new cathedral and the
GRANT monument are to be erected upon
the same plateau. overlooking the Hudson
River. and with the three 80 close together
the vicinity would be the most distin.
g,,ished in New York.
The committee. therefore. are Justified In
their description Of the site as unequalled
for the purposes OF the college. They also
show very conclusively that tho history and
experience OF the institution prove that its
future DEVELOPMENT requires that it should
remain In tho great town and not attempt
to compete with country colleges. Columbia
has always been New York college. and as
such 1t must continue. following substan-
TALLY the same lines which 1t has followed
In tho past. II 1t Is to perform the special
function which gives reason for its existence.
So Tar - the professional schools and ad-
vancsd departments OF q modern university
are concerned. New York Is by far the best
place In the Union for them. In this neigh.
borhood. too. there must always DO largo
number OF young men who. for one reason
or another. prefer to pursue an undergradu-
ats course without going into colleges
where they must live away from their
homes. They viii DO many enough to
keep the purely collegiate department Of
Columbia well supplied with students,
though tho Glasses arc likely to continue to
be small % compared with Harvards or
Yale's. But the great strength Of this in
stitution must always be In Its professional
schools and university courses. Its main
possible devalopment must be q . univer-
sity which drsws to 1t graduates from all
colleges. and not from its own undergradu-
etc department merely or chiefly.
~ The question where Columbis should be
kaadng been settled. the committee pro-
go to show that tho funds OF tho college
s1allsbls to carry out the plan Of removal
waald be insufficient 70 pay oven the s.. 0O0.-
a. asked for the land. The sum for which
- present site In Eorty-ninth street could
BE- sold u largely oonjectural. Perhaps
el.000,o00 u It's worth. Besides that
100000 win b received absolutely under
the TAxmwxA1m Will and - ono Of the