New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-05
COLUMBIA IN ITS NEW HOME
THE TRUSTEES DELAY ACTION ON
PRESIDENT LOWS RESIGNATION.
OPENING OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY
FOURTH ACADEMIC Wharf.-The PRESIDENTS
ADDRESS AND REPORT-THE GIFT OF

FOURTH ACADEMIC Wharf.-The PRESIDENTS
ADDRESS AND REroRr-THE GIFT OF
An ENGINEERING LABORATORY.
Columbia University began her I4th academic
wear Yesterday under the most suspicious circum-
stances The opening exercises were conduc'ed
in the new library. on Mornings!de Heights ny the
Rev. DR.. George X. Van de Water, and president
Low addressed audience that completely hlIed
the reading-room Of the library. and was COM
posed OF professors and students Several
hundred persons were unable to gain admittance 10
the building. The incompleteness OF the new UNI
versity buildings rendered anything like an elao-
crate public function entirely out of the question
MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES.
In the afternoon the trustees OF the University
held a meeting at No SO Wall-st. which was
largely attended for It was known that president
Low would offer his resignation OF the presidency
OF the University in view of his candidacy Tor the
Office of Mayor of the Greater New-York W. =
Schermerhorn presided at the meeting. and the
members of the corporation present were the rev
DR. Morgan Dix stephen p Nash George L.
R!ves Charles A. Sman. F. Augustus Schermer-
horn Gerard Beekman. Bishop Littlejohn. Ed"aru
Mitchell Lenox Smith. Dr. William II. draper
George G. Wheeock Frederick Bronson, H. II.
Cammann william r. Parsons. John b. Pine and
President Seth Low bishop Potter was detained
By Illness. and Cornelius Vanderbilt is abroad
SETH LOWS RESIGNATION
The meeting lasted about two hours, and at It's
close It was announced that President 10" hau
rendered his resignation. The document was o''ei
and read rs follows:
Columbia University Of the City Of New-York
i'eS'''''' October /. 1897.
As have felt constrained by 2 sense OF public
OF Eew-York AT the hands OF the Citizens Mon,
feel be duty to the University 10 p AZ To To
take my resignation president OF the InNersls;
the imperative nature Of the call to public duty
would have led me to accept the nom emma
specIfully Sci II i1"'
That there considerable discussion as 10
what DISPOSITION TO make OF President Lows resls
nation was apparent from the attitude OF several
of the trustees when they asked about the
proceeding The trustees finally disposed OF inc
matter by doptine the following resolution:
Resolved That the resignation Of the president
be referred to select committee OF Ave- TO be
Amounted by the chairman. and Of which the
chairman shall be a member to consider ana re-
port at the next meeting Of the trustees as 70 the
action that shall be taken In relation thereto. WIN
their recommendations
The next meeting Of the trustees will not take
place until November Is. when the election Will DE
over
A well-known New Yorker who IS a prominent
officer OF Columbia University expressed the opih-
ion that the trustees would rot accept the resiS-
nation of the president under any circumstances
IT
grant him four years leave OF absence This plan
would be perfectly feasible. he said. nasmuch a.
Mr. Low would be present in the city and heh'e
could be called upon in any emergency
THE OPENING OF THE UNIVERSITY.
The opening services. held in the OniVers'' IL
brarv az $3.50 yesterday morning. were quite SIM
ME in character. The chaplain OF the C"Nc'
sity the Rev. Dr. George r. Van DE "a'el' Wv,
sided IN the absence Of Bishop Potter VINO WAS
Ion. quay hv Illness on the right OF me CHAP
lain SAT president Low. and grouped about were
trustees professors instructors and students 10
the number Of about one thousand
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Tho oroning services consisted Of the reading OF
the Scriptures by the chaplain anu wv r,
NJ a hymn after which President 10" ue"'e'
an address Mr. Lows address dealt for the mos
g., n,,.b ,hc unioue and promising circumstances
under which the year begun. lie sai' IN Pa''
I wonder whether any Ok you nave ''o"e"
with VIVA, different feeling we may ''k'" 90.
work here this morning. as coh',a'' o',r work Al
h-st during the last few years ~ -
A Striking circumstance mat Nn' ~, ,,,,,1 ne
ing bv thcir official action. never lookci upon .ne
site al Forty as They had hardly bought
Il bel ore they began 20 appoint 70
o. OUT for some permanent site The consedusnSo
ia nc sense of being pilgrims and Of having thtre
no continuing home but to-day We hdse oer,,ion
afirr s%neration those traditions that only the
ye T n hce,c OF res,l9ssness look upon az one
NJ the great hoons that have come 10 W. WIN
our removal to this ne" nome anu ,yin enrich
minated a mOm'n ago. every !11a' ~" - ia -
mis- place with new ASSOCIATIONS Class aiter "a
will come and go, wncn WI. ve, their day and
generation they ADDED 10 the accuua,e' n =,
is your privilege to-day TO come mo W. 20, me-,
lance OF all that has been done by the great nv"
OF +, % i've wears since INK site purchased by
the trustees OF these five wears, three Wete s'gu
10 Of the Arrangement Of buildings upon this
site. that when ne whoie s,'e', ia iron
worked every building woul1 De r'''''u P'oP-
erly 20 all the others.
Mr. Low then expressed his gratitude 10 charles
f McKlm Of the firm % Mckim, Meade White
the architects Of the library for his tireess SER
vices. and to f. \. Darling. the Superintendent OF
the University grounds and buildings Then ne
continued describing the library as the heart OF
the University. and saying that the reason Why
most Of the other buildings had been constructed
primarily for scientific purposes was thht 'hAt
would no, prevent their use for literary purposes
as we'll President Low concluded as follows;
drst formal exercises OF Columbia in IT, ne" home
should have been this religious service le found
ers Of the University .CoKed upon '.I -" al va
-ourCe of all wisdom. ana placed upon the COZ exc
'ieht we snail see light" \ century and half al
most have roied around since the.. dIu ,'' -
thoritIes of Columbia oeieve tnat 'A. - W. Sin
in when al study shall he carried on. ms NJ
versity believes thai God - the Sodrce OF VISION
snt il further believes that because tie - IN
dniiev wise there always new things ior thc
stude1ts 10 find oui-new truths 10 De mace ser
vIceable fellOwmen. Inc SEQ. OF IN" 'pnSSS
ie a., in the n,yement ~ corridor just outside
the entrance 10 this room. / can hardy Imagine
A better motto a library for "A university ana
hoe 2 al, who come mere TO avail OF the sources
OF w.sdom and o. knowledge that arc represent
in ms building by and IN IN" Iu'"I-ils 'S
the wise men who occupy the chars or insfrh''l".i
10 come in the spirit or that motto. win a'S",pie
Confidence That because God H. al wise thcrclo.e
there are ever new truths 10 be learned Dy tn'se
who will seek for them earnestly ana III the I's"'
spirit.
IN THE NEW BUILDINGS
The lectures Of the fall term will begin TINS
roorri,g and while none Of the buildings are en-
all students.