New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-02
MILLION FROM MRS. SAGE
BIG GIFT TO RENSSELAER,.
Tic Troy Polytechnic Nay Form
Memorial Department.

4uCHOt0C impairment.
Mrs. Russell Sage has given 100000 to
Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute. This announce
racut was made last night at the dinner Of the
Rensselaer, alumni at the ST Regis Hotel The
rift is unconditional, left in such a manner that
# VIII become a personal obligation on her or
he- estate IN the event of her death before con-
summation.
Tie announcement was made through letter
from Mrs Sage. read by Palmer c. Ricketts,
president of the Troy Polytechnic as 1t is pop
ularly called
Mrs. Sage was led to make the gift by the
fac that both she and her husband were in
terested or connected with the institution for
ABOUT fifty years Russell Sage was a trustee OF
the institute for more than ten years His
nephew. the late Russell Sage, was graduated
from the Polytechnic in 1859 The elder Mr.
Sage was twice elected a Member Of Congress
from the Troy District and had a large circle
Of warm friends in that city all his life Mrs
Sage lived In Troy for a long time and was her.
self a graduate of the Emma Willard School in
that city.
Mrs Sage's letter to President Ricketts, reads,
have told you Of my intention TO give 81 OOO-
oJ0 10 the Troy Polytechnic, and I know from
my conversation with you and from what Rob
ert W. de Forest has reported to me Of his IN
tefFiew with you the general purposes for which
you intend TO use II.
SloeNoO If it does not accompany this letter Il
will follow 1t, and l shall be ready to pay the
balance upon your request whenever it may be
needed Al any time after Nay !, 1907.
! write this letter to make my gift to
which attach conditions. a personal obliga-
ton upon mo, and. il the event of my death be-
fore consummating il, upon my estate. II IS
right that you should have such letter before
you begin 10 make your plans.
quite willing that this gift should be an
nounced pursuant to your desire at the meeting
Of your trustees and of your alumni. TO be held.
as ] understand. some ten days hence, and to
leaNe the form or announcement TO you, except
that in making the announcement I should like
10 have the fact of my own and Mr.. Sage's
previous relations TO and interest in the Poly
teChnic made apparent, as a reason for the gift
and IS differentiating the Polytechnic from
other institutions VINO have made applicat tions to
which I have not responded. and with which
neither Mr. Sage nor myself had any personal or
official relations.
The trustees have known Of Mrs. Sage's pur-
pose for some time. They have not absolutely
decided how TO spend the gift hut it VIII prob
ably he applied 10 the establishment Of a new
department of the institute TO be called The
Russell Sage School Of Mechanical and FIectri-
cal Engineering
This has been dream of the trustees for =
long time, and it is a department Of education in
which Mr. and Mrs Sage had been intensely in
1erested- The trustees feel. accordingly. that
this would he most fitting monument 10 Mr..
Sage
There is already q school Of civil engineering
and the new school OF mechanical and electrical
engineering would complete the department Of
applied science and round out well the course OF
studies.
The Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute according
TO its trustees. was the first school of science
and the first school OF engineering TO be estab-
lished in any English speaking country. 1t was
founded by Stephen Van Rensselaer, in 1924 as a
school Of practical science. 1t has numbered
among its students men from forty-two states.
from nearly every country on the American con-
tinenJ and several IN Europe, and from China.
It's graduates hold responsible positions in every
state in the Union and in nineteen foreign coun-
tries
Before announcing Mrs Sages gift President
Ricketts, had the guests on the qui vive by stat
ing that he had an important announcement TO
make 'In all the years that you have heard
me make speeches" he said, II never heard any
Of you compare me with Daniel Webster, but
want TO tell you that l have p peroration 10
make that VIII knock into cooked hat any that
Daniel Webster ever made or ever will make
and my peroration will consist Of only twelve
MRS. Russell Sage has given Rensselaer, Poly
technic Institute one millIoa Of dollars"
There was instan: Of siie-ce after the
nouncement and then all the guests leaped to
their feet, cheering wildlE. After the enthusi-
ssro had ehated a little some o. 9 proposed three
cheers for President Rickstta. which were given
Nth a will Then came three hearty cheers for
Mrs. Sage, followed by three more fox the
president Ricketts, then read a letter he had
written to Robert ". de Forest, executor Of the
Sage estate, giving the necessity OF Z ScnOcl OF
mechanical and electrical engineering for the
institution and the probable cost, which he
placed al 81 100000
DR. George A. Soper. Of the class of %, now
an engineer for the Standard Oil Company, pro-
posed to the Chair that a mark Of courtesy
and appreciation to Mrs. Sage for her gem
erous gift a committee be appointed to draw
up set OF resolutions suitably engrosSed,
thanking her for what she had done. President
Ricketts said that q committee to draw up these
resolutions would be appointed later.
Morris r Sherrerd. president Of the alumni
association then introduced Daniel A. Tomp-
kins of the class Of '73, now Of Charlotte y. c.
He made a plea for the extension or American
shining other speakers were Charles c. Mar
shall, Of this city. and Henry V. Macksey. OF
Boston