New-York tribune., 1909-06-17
CORNELL'S BIG FIELD
Colonel Sackett Tells of Play
grounds Great Value.

1tndCa, ~ Y, June 16-CharleS courier DlCAln-
son. 92, of New York. and Willard Beshan. rs,
elected by the Cornell alumni to-day as
trustees for the coming year. The directorate is
now completed, with the exception Of one incum-
bent. 10 he chosen by the trustees themselves
The alumni decided to-day enlarge the mem
bershp by including every Cornellian who ever
matriculated, Ira A Place of New York. was
elected president of the CorneIlian Council
Colonel Henry w. Sackett. of New York city. to-
day completed his second term of five years
alumni trustee Of Cornell University He WILL how
ever, continue member of the board of trustees
because of his appointment to that office by Gov
Hughes, under the recently enacted law that
authorizes the Governor to appoint five persons as
members of that board who shall particularly
represent the state in the administration of uni
versity affairs.
It is the custom of the retiring alumni trustees
present to the associate alumni at commence
ment report dealing with matters Of especial in
terest to the alumni Colonel Sackett's report read
to-day's meeting of the associate alumni was
Chiefly devoted to a discussion of the system of
reaching alumni. for financial and other aid to the
university. through the agency of the newly
ganized Cornelian Council. and also of the
tensive university Fairgrounds recently created
the extended campus. in conjunction with the
alumni field the new varsity athletic grounds.
which the alumni are supplying the funds to equip.
On the latter topic he said in part:
The new athletic field all those interested in the
subject agreed must be on the university property.
in the immediate vicinity of halls of instruction.
tSEJ the DOdrd OF trustees as q Wloie never
have consented to surrender substantial piece Of
the university lands purely for the purpose Of
the project of such a field coupled. as it wisely
was from the beginning. with the proposition t9r
enlisted Immediately the sympathetic interest and
accord with the spirit of modern college and uni
versity athletics.
AREA OF ENTIRE CAMPUS.
Percy Field, am told has an Of about seven
acres At time during the last ten years WouId
the board Of trustees have voted TO set aside as
l4rv rraC hat on 10 grounds
Strictly paid fed & But for the combined pur
vversity Fairgrounds the trustees have. by unant-
nous vote after careful Investigation and t9I re-
port. formally designated ffty-seven acres or iana
in the immediate vicinity of the lecture halls which
| One of the direct results of the Alumni Field was
the action of the board of trustees in 1905 in for
ern boundary Of the grant OF ftty-seven acres. 50
as 10 LhCu1 I. 81 10 tne ehlTs ol itt,- bnId
to say that no other great institution Of learning In
FOR the outdoor recreation uses Of its students.
I venture the prediction that when, in the future;
| the work Of laying out and planting the Alumni
| Field has been followed by maturity OF growth and
ground called into existence chiefly by the alumni.
will have become not alone the great beauty spot
graduate life and activities.
| look to it bordered. not by halls Of instruc-
| ton, which for obvious reasons must he kept to-
gether within comparatively snail area; but oy
| for undergraduates and other members Of the uni.
| Xersty community. 1t may may be that the walls or
| in which from five thousand 10 eight thousand Of
rise on the borders of Alumni Field The new great
| gymnasium and armory of the future may also find
ment to which such opportunity opens the door?
| But Il was not that material expansion resulting
wished TO chief emphasis II rather its in
| dvidna student. Many wise and sagacious college
| graduates. quite free from narrow pretudces
| against properly conducted championship contests
between the best trained athletes 81 different in
| stutions hav" In recent years been beset by many
msgivngs lest the prevailing system Of the train
version OF the best purposes OF college athletlCS-
| lest the concentration OF efforts and enthusia SIN
| varsity teams should the neglect OF outdoor
| sports and recreation on the part OF the great
| undergraduate body, and result in more harm than
| good
! UNDERGRADUATES USE FIELD.
| Whatever danger OF this character may have
eH{e1 eas csr3 sgT3 Bn3 eed I'D I b e b s fore
thought that led to the establishment Of these great
! university Fairgrounds The fruits OF this wise
| planting are already being gathered The area re-
| served for this purpose did indeed seem TO many
mlun ldi 81 st ' a., arcs ~ sid o,,r Tor
! mat purpose were seriously declared by some Of
| the trustees more than ample BUT the demonstra-
| has surprised those Of US who were the most
! sanguna and insistent advocates OF the largest
| These Fairgrounds have only been IN full use
| during the last year and I am assured that their
ouire the reconsideration or the scheme of develop
| Icnt so as 20 bring a much larger tract into use
/ that thcre have been days during the last spring
| when from one thousand to twelve hundred under
! graduates were seeking az one time 10 engage in
| outdoor recreation within that limited FIELD. ana
| thai the number would have been greater II the
| the training Of the members Of the varsity teams
! on percy Field or elsewhere.
| But this is only the beginning. The tendency
! toward regular habits Of outdoor recreation on
| The mari OF the entire undergraduate body will
| grow with the widening Of the opportunity and
y.iu make This one of the most essential as well
! I,1e r,1,a "