New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-09
president SCHCRNAN'S REPORT
A REVIEW OF THE WORK At CORNELl'-AN
URGENT APPEAL FOR FUNDS

rh,ca y V Oct, 8 tSpcciaD.-At the meeting
O, the Board OF Trustees of Cornell University hei'
,his evening President Schurman presented MS
,n,r,h annual report. covering the year ending
Angus, 81 1895 The year has been IN genera one
OF growth and prosperity. After speaking OF me
,l,n by which the university finances are managed
the president referred 10 the matter OF uhNerS"'
endowment in the following words:
With the advance OF civilization tho rate OF inter-
ct is constantly declining. and with the progress
., knoweice the Coz, Of maintaining hrst-class IN
sii,utIons Of learning Is constantly Increasing
Srads ~ e, Gos wosd have s1cs
ago II Cornell University ~ to gro" mo IN" NJ
ness OF the stature OF her magnificent IDEAL II she
IL even 10 maintain the position she ha- ar'.us
Won in this State and Nation II is imperative ma,
large additional endowments be srcur'u' 'nc i
needs many new prof.ssOrshps ana some new cor
cgcs she has almost no endow ments tor the ana on
needy but mcritor!ous students ana shr j. ~ ~
without commons and sti without a single nan OF
residence dormtory for the young men VINO u,
.ver-increaslng numbers choose her Tor their anna
mater I'nder these circumstances the presdcn;
would most respectfully bui urgently peg me rus
tees to consider how the condition of the university
may be improved
In the matter ~ student attendance. DR. Schur-
man says:
The to, number OF persons receiving w ,n1'ruc
of those attending the summer schools ana me
winter school In agriculture. there were tesu.arti
enrolled i7o2 students. This IL the iare's a,.1nu
nnre ever Registered, excepting III IN" year lc'|'t
which was the last year OF low sntranrs reGuirs
and OF free tuition to all graduates
Two imporiant pieces OF educational legislation
have marked the year 1885 AZ Cornell one IS
the raising OF the standard of admission me o'het
makes changes In the general courses. abolishins
In. degree of r. s and granting that of A. H. 10
all Undergraduates completing satisfactorily four
wears Of study. irrespective OF the SUBJECTS tI'y
might happen 10 select The faculty's action was
determined by three considerations: First the prin-
cplc OF freedom OF election of studies IN the gen
eraI courses secondly the fact OF the equalization
n for admission these courses,
and thirdly the urgent demand that degree
shall signify something positive and not Gas IN the
case for example. of The Pm. b merely the alb
sence of a subjec, which may take eighteen hours
In n course OF lSp hour.
pr Schurman believes:
In all courses the age at which students enter Is
high. Tn" policy of me university IN so lar
nation OF the matter. should b" to get students To
enter at AN earlier ag and in thr Iasr OF on, tno,"
devote time 10 those liberal arts and sciences
which. while yielding generous culture, may ais
theoretical foundations FOR their future pro-
fcSsions.
The subject which last year attracted the largest
number of graduate students was philosophy ~
taking 1t az their major study and 81 taking it az
one of their minors. Next In order was history and
political science in which l6 students took a major
and ~ n minor.
Speaking Of the College Of civil Engineering. he
says.
The great event Of the year was the decision to
build "A hydraulic laboratory beside the Triphammcr
Falls i'm Fall Creek There H. no laboratory exist
ing in which the characteristic problems of river
regulation and harbor building can be- studied. TO
ordinary conditions Of water supply and topog-
raphy an expenditure beyond any resources en-
c,pt those OF a municipality or State. Fortunately
th,. local conditions In these respects At Ithaca
favorable to truly remarkable degree. and II is a
IN" university TO increase It's scope and direct use.
fulncss Ia the community I'm 80 large measure