The record-union., 1894-03-10
A WONDERFUL CAREER.
The University of the City of New
York.
Within Its Walls Some of the Greatest
Discoveries of the Age Were
Made-Morse and Draper.


the institution removed to spacious site
overlooking the Harlem River The
university was the outgrowth of local
pride and general dissatisfaction at the
limitations for higher education and the
secretarian influence of Columbia College
at that time. Ambitious to found an in
stitution in keeping with the growing
demands of the metropolis, the spirited
and brilliant literary coterie that flour
1shed IN the late twenties chartered IN
1881 the University of the City OF New
York. The scope of the enterprise
abreast the oldest universities of Europe
was worthy the greatest city of the
New World and the character of the men
who conceived it. That the time was
ripe for the birth of such an educational
power, and New York its proper site,
was then the unanimous belief of the
foremost scholars and educators OF the
country. So general was the interest in
the establish hment of the univerity that
the newspapers were almost completely
absorbed in the subject, and eulOglstlc
pamphlets were widely distributed.
Bancroft, the historian, was among the
first to plead its need and New York as
its site. Mistress OF the sea" he wrote,
New York holds in her hands the keys
of the interior, is the very heart OF the
business community, and its pulsations
are felt throughout the land"
The population at this period numbered
200, 600!
The original plan of the university an
ticipated all that Johns Hopkins has
since fulfilled.
That half a century has failed TO bring
the university to the high destiny decreed
by its founders is irretutable. The fail
ure may be attributed to various causes.
The views of the men Identified with it
were then half a century in advance OF
the demand IN America for university
work proper in art and science, demand
which is now only beginning TO be made
and responded TO. At that time Johns
Hopkins, Girards, Stanfords, were unde-
Veloped factors OF our civilization. The
university was the offspring OF voluntary
subscription. At no time in Its early
history did the contribution of any one
man exceed s., 900. Financially crippled
at the start, it was powerless to carry out
the broad and liberal designs OF its found
ers. Scarcely had the corner stone been
laid, in July, 1888, when a stoEe-cutters'
strike, arising from the fact that material
used in the erection OF the walls had been
chlselled by State convictS at Sing Sing,
and the displacement of one OF the walls
on ground belonging to the city, necessi-
taung at great expense the demolition OF
IQ6 WnOIe, tu6 VI lu0
building. These initial annoyances cal-
minated in the panic of 1897, which tinan-
cially embarrassed the men OF wealth
upon whose generosity, public spirit and
local pride the trustees had depended
for the endowment Of Proiessorshlps.
The university's fifty years OF refining
influence upon the community, its con-
Lributions to literature and science-two
of the latter revolutioniZlng the civilized
World-and the noteworthy names 1t has
contributed TO various walks OF life,
make it worthy of local pride ana general
gratitude. From its inception, with the
ReV. James NJ. Mathews, distinguished
pastor OF the Reformed Dutch Church, as
Chancellor, the university has drawn
to its faculty men OF exceptional talent
and power. Remarkable is the list OF
foreigners who early linked their for
tunes with that OF the university. To
their achievements the institution owes
much OF its prestige abroad.
The uptown tide of commerce and the
inadequate facilities OF the original build
ing have driven the university 10 the
SUBURBS where, relieved from financial
Solicitude by generous endowment, and
fortified by q half-centurY'S experience,
the university gives rich promise Of yet
fulfilling the object Of its founders, as set
forth by the President OF its first council,
Albert Gallatin, "tO complete the studies
commenced in college and to ditfuse
knowledge" Under the leadership OF
the present Chancellor DR.. Henry NJ.
McCracken, a man OF liberal practical
ideas and marked executive ability, the
graduate division OF the university has
been organized and brought to a high de-
gree OF prosperity. Thirty courses of
study are offered under the guidance OF
seventeen Professors. The School of
Pedagogy is the first of its kind in the
history of education, and its successful
estabiishment-elevat it to the dignity
of art, science, medicine or IaW-marks
distinct era in the educational history of
the world. The admission OF women to
the Dost-graduate course and the School
of Pedagogy led last year TO the introduce
ton OF "W oman's Advisory Commit
teer-the first university recognition of
women as executive factors III Its man
agement.
STEPPED in historic lore, architecturally
unique the first massive, imposing col
legiate pile erected on the continent"
few structures are worthier preservation
than the university building. Sentiment
unSustained by money has been power
less TO prevent commerce from convert
ing it TO its own practical ends. Its de-
structon will be an irremedlable archl
tectural loss. a more beautiful site than
Washington Square could scarcely have
been chosen for university. One of the
largest and prettlest parks of the metrop-
oils, 1t was bought by the city in 1877 for
q potters held. Thirty years later the
state militia converted 1t TO a parade
ground: but the merchant princes OF the
DAY had already begun the erection of the
stately red brick mansions whose white
marble steps flank the north side OF the
square, preserving now "the ideal quiet
aud gentle retirement characteristic OF
1881 when the medieval towers, sug-
eestive of Windsor Castle, the mullioned
windows, and the massive sullen faeades
of The university rose above the allantus
trees with the air of one born old.
Twenty-Five years ago, writing of this
historic piie Ihe editor OF the atlantic
loathEy said: There isn't more gloomy
structure outside Mrs. Radcllffe's ro-
oances, Facing beautiful park OF hne
old trees. il ought to be a cheerful place,
but it refuses to, be merry, looming up
there still and repellent-an architectural
example of ingratltude."
Cross its Gothic threshold. mount its
marble staircase, ,saunter down its arched,
djmly lighted corridors, and the hustle OF
nineleenth-century progress dlsSoIVes
into medieval suggesuveness.
Fitting natal cradle this for the record
ing telegraph Tossed in his berth while
crossing the Atlantic, Samuel +. b. Morse,
the accomplished Professor OF the Litera-
ture OF the Arts of Design, conceived the
possibility of the recording telegraph, 10
perfect the same in his lecture-room at the
university in 1888.
The decisive experiment was made
unou a ten-nile wire which started from
tile basement and wound round and
round the various rooms until it reached
the tower. Messengers were stationed at
tine ends of the line and on the staircase
To assure no fraudulent interception.
Pronitious moment to modern civilian
ton when the inventor proclaimed to his
little band of coworkers that the utility
Of his invention was assuredi
1t, -. fk,4, I.