The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-27

agricultural college land grant act,
which gave to the state of New York
900, 900 acres of public land to be devoted
to agricultural and industrial educa-
ton The land was valued at 5000, 900,
and the question in the legislature at
Albany, as in other state legislatures,
was how it could best be used for the
promotion of state education. The nat
ural way Of disposing of the grant
would have been to divide it among the
score of eager claimants. That it was
not SO divided and frittered away was
due to two senators, Hon. Ezra Cornell
of Ithaca and Hon. Andrew D. White
of Syracuse.
The Head of the Institution.
DR.. Charles Kendall Adams, lead
ing American historical scholar, was
president of Cornell university from
1885 to 1892, and during his able adj
ministration the university grew with
wonderful rapidity upon the founda-
lions laid by Cornell, White and Sage.
Upon his resignation the mantle fell
upon Jacob Gould Schurman, Ii. D.,
who had been dean of the Sage School
of Philosophy at Cornell. President
Schurman has the strong individuality
and depth of character of ex-President
White and possesses magnetism and
approachab1eness rarely found among
literary men. In fact, he is as much a
man of the world as student. He has
had his own way to make in the world
since he was boy of 10, and so is new
er in danger of losing sympathy with
boys, either in college or outside. It is
therefore easy to see that, while Presi-
dent Schur1nan is one of the foremost
scholars and teachers of philosophy in
the United States, he is also one of the
most practical men engaged in admin
istration anywhere. He addresses with
equal ease a gathering Of philosophers
or a meeting of business men. Last year
at the annual dinner of the New York
chamber of commerce his speech was
the talk of the evening. A week later
he was discussing ethics and religion
at the banquet of the Liberal club in
Buffalo. President Schurman is editor
of The Philosophical Review, an Amer
lean periodical which rivals the best
| philosophical journals Of England and
Germany. He is also editor of The
School Review, and his annual reports
are unsurpassed in their wise and sug
gestive treatment of college and second
airy school studies. His firm grasp of
educational principles is already seen in
the revision of courses made at Cornell
last year.
A Cosmopolitan University.
Cornell attracts students from all
over the world. Not only does every
county in New York state send one or
more students, but every state in the
republic, except three, and all the con-
tinents of the world are represented
among Cornell students New York
state alone has more than 900 students
at Cornell Canada last year sent 40 of
her sons and daughters to Cornell
more than to any other college in the
United States. Africa, Asia, Europe,
Central and South America all contrib
ute to make Cornell one of the most
cosmopolitan of American universities.
More than one-third of the students
who go to Cornell enter Sibley college,
the department. of mechanical and cleo
trical engineering, which is named after
the late Hiram Sibley of Rochester in
consideration of his large benefactions.
The work begun by the father has been
continued by the son, Hiram W. Sibley,
Phi. D., whose latest benefaction is the
erection of new stone building, dupli-
eating the main building. Sibley col
lege has an international reputation.
and doubtless stands at the head OF
American technical schoolS-at least
that is the opinion of European critics.
Professor Ritter Of Germany, who spent
, several months in the United State:
last year as the representative of tbs
I German first aft the W0rl Id q
fair, and later studying American tech
meal schools, reported that, 'tas far a
regards instruction in mechanical engi
neering, Cornell university stands a
the head Of American institutes. - It il