The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-11
Columbia Cole re ana It's New site.

IL seems that IL Ia possible that Columbia
! College may get possession OF it's new site
on Riversitis Heights by the first Of next
July, or six months earlier than the date
fixed in the contract. Fortunately for the
college. the buildings Of the BloominRdale
| Asylum. now upon the property. are spa
cious and substantial, and they can be re-
modelled for its general uses at a moderate
expense. so that the difficulty OF removal
thither will be match lessened.
Moreover. the magnitude Of the buildings
lalready ereCte-i affords an opportunity for
making the experiment of providing dor
mitories for students. an innovation which
has been long discussed by the college.
The great growth Of Columbia during
recent years has brought to its spe-
| caf and professional schools and post
| graduate departments large numbers OF
| young men from distance. At present
these students ans scattered in lodging
place. throughout the town. the college
having no such accommodations for them
In Its contracted buildings in Forty-ninth
street. II. therefore. they can be provided
with dormitories at the new site. they will
\ DO likely to welcome the change on the score
.oi both convenience and economy.
The new feature would also tend to in
New York TO take advantage OF the instruc-
ton Of Columbias now comprehensive edu-
cational system. II they be disposed to
prudence and self-restraint. they can live
In New York as cheaply as In any other
place IN the Union, whether 1t DO rural or
urban, They can also get here the educa-
ton OF aresidence in the one great and cos
mopolitiln city OF this country. and
this education Of itself is worth coming
far TO obtain. They will DO surrounded
by libraries, art galleries. hospitals. work.
shops. and all the cultvating influences OF
refined civilization. They will be in the
centre Of American progress and activity
In letters. arts. science. philosophy. COM
MERGE. finance. and industry. Even tho
dlstinctlvely moral influences about them
will be useful. The temptations OF
great city are no worse than
those Of small and narrow COM
munity. aud the distractions from evil
are more numerous. The multiplicity
OF beneficial amusements and occupa-
lions in such social capital acts rs de-
terrent from. the gross and corrupting |
pleasures in which youth may engage in u |
smaller place rs a relief from the monotony
Of its life. Theincentives to coarse dissi- |
patton are more. as the variety Of refined |
amusements and exctements Is less. No |
body in New York goes to the bad because |
the good does not offer superior attractions |
to a mind not,already corrupted or inclined |
to corruption; and, being thus, q young |
man would find the evil he sought, where
ever he might be. II it were nowhere else.
It would be in his own heart. eating away
its moral fibre. In New York the process
sion ofsociety is always moving. and 1t is
always engaging attention as healthy
stimulation and q saluTary diversion.
II Columbia provides. dormitorles. we sup
pose that, at first at least, they will be ex-
clusively for the older students In its special
and professional schools and postgraduate
courses. These are young men who are
studying with q serious and q definite pur-
pose. and hence the college authorities will
not be obliged to watch over them as IL
they were boys In the undergraduate
department. They will govern them
selves, subject only to the few and gen.
eral rules essential to the order OF
such a community Of young men. They
will also be housed In peculiarly beau
tiful and healtlLful pnrt OF the town,
where they will DO surrounded by the peace
and quiet 80 desirable for study. Thus they
will be very lucky young men. pursuing
their university training in q great city
which OF itself Is q university.
The Bloomingdale Asylum buildings can
be remodelled 80 as to satisfy most OF the
requirements OF Columbia College, for tenn
porary use at least: but additional struc-
lures must be put up at once for the library
and for certain educational and admins
trative purposes. The most important OF
these Is the building for the library. a coll
lection OF books which Is now used more
than any other one In New York. both
by the students OF the college and by
the outside public. At the rate at
which 1t Is now increasing. it will soon be
ono OF the very greatest libraries in tho
Union. and already it Is a magnificent COL
lection OF books OF unexcelled usefulness to
the people. tho policy of the truste In it's
management being liberal and generous in
the extreme. II auy man has a lhandsome
sum he wishes to expend for the pub
lilo benefit. he cannot put it to nobler
use than in building receptacle
for these splendid literary treasures. The
college Is rich, but not rich enough to carry
on Its university system OF education. SO
varied and so comprehensive. and have
money To spare for the piles OF brick and
mortar 1t must erect at its new site. 1t Is the
historic college OF New York. and its devel-
opment during recent years has been won
derful. No other college in the Union is
doing larger or a more valuable service
to sound education. In all respects 1t 10
worthy OF this great and cosmopolitan city.
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