Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-04
ONE learned and thoughtful; 50 depart

come learned and thoughtful; so depart
that daily thou mayest become more
useful to thy country and to mankind
And the students who read those words
could find nowhere in all the world a
finer exemplar of that practice than the
venerable scholar. statesman and diplo-
matist who composed them.
In the corner stone of Sage College,
which is the women's department of Cor
nell, a letter was mysteriously deposited
by Mr.. Cornell. He never revealed its
contents to any one. but In closing his re-
marks at the ceremony. said:
This letter. of which / have kept no
copy. will relate to future generations
ment, IL 1t ever does fall, as | trust to
God it never will
Those cryptic words have always been
construed as expressing doubt of the sue
cess of co-education. and, although 1t has
not been so successful at Cornell as at
some other institutions and the number
Of woman students is growing smaller
every year, 1t cannot be said to have
failed. On the contrary some OF the
most brilliant graduates of the university
have been women, and Sage College has
been filled with an earnest, serious group
of students who have never been ac-
cused of excessive frivolity. and whose
scholastic attachments have always been
a credit to Cornell.
Meeting With A. D. White.
After Mr.. Cornell had made his fortune
he was tempted to 80 into politics. He
had always been active in the political
affairs of his town and county. but had
never been candidate for office until
1861, when he was elected member OF
the assembly. where he served until 1865,
when he was promoted to the state SEN
ate While a member of the latter body
he came into association with Andrew
ID. White. also q member from an adj
isining district. Mr. Cornell was chair
man of the committee on agriculture. and
Mr. White chairman Of the committee on
education.
They first met when Mr.. Cornell went
to Mr. White to secure his Recommended
ton for the passage Of bill to Charter a
public library which Mr.. Cornell proposed
to found in Ithaca Shortly after the two
committees were asked to recommend
the disposition of the allotment land
script to New York state under what Is
known as the Morrill, act of Congress.
which provides that the proceeds from
the sale of public lands shall be devoted
to industrial, technical and agricultural
education. AS was naturally the case,
many schools and colleges throughout
the state claimed the money, but Mr.
White and Mr.. Cornell believed that 1t
should be used to found a new universe
ty, and ultimately Mr.. Cornell became
so interested that he offered to give
SSDO 600 cash and a suitable site Tor Sucn
an institution He also bought Off Cen
esee College, a rival claimant for the
land grant script for the sum Of $4,000
cash in hand. Many years after the
legislature attempted to reimburse him
in that amount. but he refused to accept
It, and eventually Cornell University re-
ceived the money which it's founder had
been compelled to pay for the privilege
of being allowed to found it.
The legislation having been completed.
after much negotiation and discussion,
Mr. White undertook the task Of organ
izing the educational department. and
became its president for the first twenty
years, and Mr.. Cornell undertook the
management Of the finances. which was
a very arduous. dificult and discOuraging
experience. Although he incurred storms
| Of criticism, time has demonstrated the
wisdom of Mr.. Cornell's judgment. and
| the students of the university are today
! enjoying the profit. He bought. often
with his own money. land script. which
he located on the timber areas Of Mich
| igan. Wisconsin and the prairies of Min
nesotq. Kansas and Iowa. Notwithstand-
| ing opposition from every source. and al
though the Institution struggled for
years under the burden Of taxation, II
ultimately realized $3.OO0.OOO from his
investment, more than twice as much
as he had predicted. Altogether. Mr..
Cornell gave the university which bears
his name nearly $5.000.000.
| Cornell has had several very generous
benefactors. DIR. White. it's first pres
ident although not man OF wealth. has
done great deal for It In . financial