New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-20
NOT RETARDED WITH FAVOR
MAYOR sTRONGs SUGGESTION THAT
THE OLD COLUMBIA SITE BE AC-
QUIRED FOR THE CITY
COLLEGE

r,o rronos,tion of Mayor Strong that the present
.,ts and buildings of Columbia University. soon 10
he vacated by that institution be acquired ny .he
municipality for the OF the College OF the |''
OF New-York does not arouse enthusiasm" "i'e
the friends of the college. They nave peeh a'"'o7
for long time to secure new site anu "."
building for the college, and two years ago sue
ooed.d in getting an act passed by the Legislature
rrder which, proceedings have already been taken
10 secure an ample site on Morningside fe'sn',.
II the Mayors suggestion should ne auop'.u -
would be necessary to repeal this act. ana uruo an
that has been done toward acquiring 'he sue a.
One-hundred- a nd hrtye Furthermore the
friends of the City College maintain that 1t wouio
he undleniaed and unbecoming to house that insti-
tu,ion in what may be termed secondhand puild-
ings which have been outgrown by Colump'a' anu
are III adapted. on account OF their SITUATION io'
educational work
Charles f. Lydecker is the president Of the asso-
cated alumni OF the City College. and mas taken
n deep interest In the efforts to secure for IL
better physical plant. He Is a lawyer. win an
office in the Equitable Building. When seen there
on Thursday he said:
az was asked to assist In the proceedings 10 ac-
qure a new site for the City College by the board
OF Trustees, and I have assumed that the de-
termination TO place It where the trustees seec'eu
the site In One-hundred md thirty -eghth-st woud
be carried out in good faith. had nothing 10 10
with the original rejection OF the OLD CoIu"oa
College site, and I only know through iiio' Ills"
ton that has come that the question OF
taking the Columbia grounds and buildings was
suggested when a site for the city's college was
being looked for, and fully discussed by the
president members of the Board of Trustees and
all interested in the movement. 1t was not con-
sidered wise to take those grounds and buildings
for reason. because the location so close 10
the railroad too noisy and too dirty, as
the experience of Columbia had already proved
Tha eita oil I'm
modern On general principles the acceptance OF
rejected quarters for the peoples college was us-
approved. and by many the idea OF taking theh'
was regarded unjust to the class OF individuals
who obliged TO receive their college framing
at the expense of the city.
Subsequently to the rejection Of the old Column
bia College grounds and buildings and after the
selection OF the new site at One-hundred-ahu-
thirty weigh th-st. l am told that ex-Mayor Hewitt
urged on the Mayor the selection o. the rejected
site but no very clear explanation of Mr.. Hewitt
intercs, in the matte- has been given. DO ho'
understand that the Board of Education, acting a.
trustees of the City College can now take any
action except by authority OF the Legislature. me
line of duty of the Board OF Trustees seems piany
with the one already taken If they decide to buy
the Columbia College grounds 1901. a,,d
buildings in 1895 was 100000. that aside from
their situation near the railroad and their pGsj
the site which has been selected uptown IL lar su-
DeriOr and more economical ne lnttHtl'i VI
Few Of the trustees of the City College seems 70
have undergone a slight modification by reason OF
their devotion the high school Idea but can
hardly ina CINE that they will reverse the entire
plan which Is natural 9uigrowh OF the wish rs 6 oi
nopuIar election held on June I. 1S41 by which II
was decided to establish what Is now the ''E
College" ,,. to,
of the Board Of Education said "Of course, me
suggestion Of Mayor Strong Will be duly consid.
cred although Il Is not new one hut II does nov
seem 10 me likely that the Board will retreat from
the position IT has taken. ! an not sure that II
has not gone too far 10 retreat so far as the sic
nj One-hundred and thirty eighth-st Is concerned
The site OF Columbia College il not desirable one
for an educa oral institution. anyway; the Gum
bia people have found that out and would nav
wanted 10 move even If they had rot required more
room About wear ago cx-Mayor Hewitt made the
suggestion that the old Columbia grounds ana
buildings would serve the purposes OF the cooper
Institute admirably. That seemed an exSeiient
idea hut the Cooper Institute has rot the re-
Sources that would enable II TO acquire the prop
eriy The buildings would not be ADEQUATE for tne
cidcd on there will be plenty OF room Tor me
growth OF the institution for the next hf'y years al