New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-02
MIR REIp,S Address

-duCarlOn Yet here Is 1OileSe rounded
= 1928. earlier than the earliest kindred
American institutions. like the Troy
pol,technic or the Massachusetts, Insti-
r,Jfc Of Technology. II is here that. al
,,ost al the beginning Of modern scien-
tifc development, your honored founder
announced his purpose of giving in
structiOn 10 students in the principles Of
the arts they practise. and in the Vari-
Gus branches Of science and useful
knowledge We are proceeding" he cor
tirued 10 found an institution for the
Improvement of the nOblcst faculties OF
man. 20 which the invitation shall be as
universal as the dominion OF knowledge.
- the highest and humblest. alike ana
equal"
Thcss are golden words for 1928: and
they irrcsistibly recall a. a New Yorker
certain other Fords uttered long after
ward by a menber Of the upper house
IN rho LEGISLATURE OF that State. In the
davs immediately following our Civil
War and now engraved in enduring
marble on the wall Of our noble State
House al Albany. Il would found an
Institution where anY person can find
instruction i'm any subject" The later
Rlrkheck who made that well remem-
hsred uttcranCe was a mechanic and tel
ecraph builder Ezra Cornell; and the in
sfitution which he did found has been
adopted by the state. enriched by the
Nation. and developed into the great
Cornell u flAflFlAAs Mlin Alc L-stNNstNt u
property and endowment, spacious build
iues. elaborate apparatus, and $500 stu
dents.
DR.. Rirkbeck's pregnant expression re-
minds me- also OF two others, used by
Americans, one nearly a quarter of
century before Birkbeck. and the other
over quarter OF a century after him.
The contrast between them emphasizes
gradual broadening in those ideals or
The education needful for a new age, in
which this College was an early leader.
George Washington tried 10 provide in
his Will for a National University for the
Young Republic 10 which, in his own Ian
guage. The youths OF fortune and talents
might be- sent. from all parts or the
country. for the completion OF their edu-
cation in al the branches of polite liter
allure. in the arts and sciences, and i'm
the principles Of politics and good gov
eminent" Abraham Lincoln was con-
cerned in organizing Universities, too,
even during the strain OF the Civil War.
But his care was not merely or especial
III for the youths OF fortune and talents
He encouraged and signed law under
which a great system Of State Universe
lies has been esta blished and endowed
s3ecifc8Ily in the terms OF the law TO
promote the liberal and practical educa-
ton Of the Industrial classes" The drlft
thus begun has steadily continued ever
since toward those whom Mr. Lincoln
Il Is q mere truism 10 say that the
boundaries OF human knowledge are so
enormously extended at the present Gay
that no man can learn everything. Inc
modern Bacon who should now say that
~ has taken an knowledge for his prov
ince would be simply ridiculous. III is
another mere truism that chief object
"a the best education IS not 80 much
10 teach facts as 10 make Character.
And finally IL has become almost a tru-
ism with rs, as IL probably VIII win
you that the education most needed,
after tile foundation studies OF the Pm
mary school. is that which VIII best nj
the pupils ior what they have 10 DO IN
lie
How % combine these truths in any
comprehensive scheme for any schoOl
and Tor the best interests OF the COM
munity u serves is the problem that
confronts every educator. IL reading
makes "a full man, as Bacon told us, too
much and TOO early specla liZatlon may
make a narrow man. What better rem
edy can you find than an education thal
d5yOtes all The time the individual pupil
can spare T. foundation studies. 10 cut
Ure that brOalens the mental horizon, 10
deyel0uraeut Of character that makes
men worthy - their country ana able
10 carry on the great traditions OF thelr
race, and that Yet successfully COM
hines with all this the specA liZatlon
which is 10 N the pupil for the way OF
lie toward which his face Is turned!
i D. because this College, avowedly
founded 10 III students for the arts they
are o. practise. has grown IN the olrec-
uon 81 giving also as much genera ana
liberal culture as possible that n has
become Yearly "A greater benefaction 10
The community IL serves. In the scope
q its curriculum and even in the ar
fangemeut ~ its hours OF instruction IL
manages 70 prolong the period OF stuoi'
and 70 open 10 adult pupils who nave al
ready entered upon their life Work ellhSf
THE priUcipIes Of the arts they prac-
use," or Tie broadening and elegating
HnueIce Of the Humanitles ana OF pure
Science. when young men ano ROuns
women spend their days IN earning
living aud their evenings here IN leath
lng what enuobles life itself, VINO snaA
say thar the evening classes OF TINS Coz
fee are not SIS best work, noDlest ia
CONCEPTION and most fruitlul IN itsultS
have been asked 10 distribute the
pflzcs that have been won mere ouiIh5
Ne year They viii speak 10 every r.
tipent uf some trials undergone, OF SUN.
imusemeuts sacrificed. Of hours snatcheo
tiheT from labor or from recreation "
ii yourselves for a larger life. They are
NE just recognition Birkbeck 1oiiese -
sLf o. give 10 your honest eio'S -
They mark what you have Done heIS
.nAail making more 81 A-~IssiN'e -
they give ground for jusSDope mat inc
world nav have a field for the Increased
capacity 10 " hich the College teslfies.
There are false prophets who ten 30
/ there j. no room eft in the world Tor
treat successes now. DO mol geHeN1
mem. The same thing Was said IN hIs
Lesrng fifty years ago IN my 'o"nNs -
sa Yet ln those fifty years We No
| een an emigraut boy, who began ns
| running errsnds for an once, ftF"lu
| 1ynl1e one ~ the greatest Industries %
| MODERN times and give 10 huhiahits
| nun his personal and honest earhih6s
| ne most princely benefactiOns fhe ~oIlo
| .ss ever Witnessed We have seen an
| sler errand boy Hood the world WIN
| -kNl abolish distances, mountains anu
| a and enable you 10 whisper acIoss
/ -uhenis We have seen two youhs
| - ~ FRS; quiet country PRIMERS "a a
! slloie Western state and then bicScle
Hiefs, conquer the impalpable air As
llefs have conquered the sea and the
fA 30 room ie't ia the world noN
/ - great SUCCESSES No geh'isiiioh
- England was n Roman province
- 10 generation sine, civilization De
- mas seen SO many, so varied 20
t.tiNL 80 wonderful Successes ~ the
- bfncrstion thar was just entering
- The 1eid when ! first heard IN NV
.liy that cry az despair from~sh"
reios OF Inc traitors in life's Dattle.
A. opportunities aHc still here, as you
\ L.W Dom the INSTRUCTION Of this COL
\ -. - abundant - eseT, for those VINO
-. h"w 90 seize them; and over AZ
- more linn q IL lie WfffiU.