New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-07

Schurman. president Of Cornell University.
from ithaca. n Y. which said "Coroiai
congratulations on your appointment ana
best wishes for successful administration.
II deeply appreciate the honor conferred
upon me by the University Council SAID
DR.. Brown. II shall not begin my duties
at the university for several weeks yet, Tor
there are many urgent matters here to be
attended to before resigning. Naturally, l
have been unable to give any thought 10
plans for the administration Of the univer-
sity. Besides, / am unfamiliar with prob
lens and conditions there
I'm general, though, as regards the prov
ince Of a university In the scheme OF lie
may say that the nineteenth century has
given us a fairly complete organization OF
our university courses Of instruction in the
natural sciences. 1t remains for the TWEEN
tieth century to give us an equally COM
plete and generous organization OF our uni
versity courses in the fine arts, including
literature and music with the rest. The
development of natural sciences is undoubt-
edly TO be carried a good deal further
and should be-than 1t has already gone.
But our university instruction will be lop-
come into their own again and restore the
balance. The scientific treatment OF liter
airy subjects and other branches Of art in
struction has, on the whole. proved unsatis-
factory. The main hope for a revival of
interest in the classics and in the older hu-
manities generally lies, as l see it, in the
development Of art instruction on the
broadcast lines. at the university level. and
the treatment Of literary subjects primarily
as related to art, rather than as related to
natural science.
Athletics? Certainly I favor them.
Every sane, healthy man does. l believe
in athletics for the college man. but not in
athletics as the main thing in college life.
| dare say my position regarding the Greek
letter fraternities is much the same. Rather,
| should not have said my position for /
really have none. Frankly. / am not OPP
posed TO them, nor am / unequivocally in
favor of them Nor yet am | neutral in
the matter. i am not fraternity man
myself, though have seen much Of fra
ternity life while at the University Of Cali
foTnia.
Il understand there are chapters Of many
of the leading national fraternties at New
1bFK. GIOln StCOHu Idilu hiiOWItuSc, anu
in fact. from observation, / am led TO be-
lieve that a fraternity can either make or
break a man. Chapters Of strong, COM
mendable national fraternities can. you
know. represent all that is highest Of their
ideals in college life, or chiefly the repre-
hensibe features. 1t depends very largely,
believe, upon the personnel Of the mem
bers, individually and collectively"
All Of which tends to show that the new
Read Of the university is not book worm"
who covers himself with the folds OF his
academic gown and frOwns down upon any
and every manifestation OF red blood in
the veins of those sent to him for instruc-
ton. He is, in fact, and from the view
point Of the college man. intensely human
eevn though he is a college president
which, from that standpoint again. is go
ing some"
Some dozen or more years ago. for in
stance, Dr. Brown was one Of q party OF
teachers and professors en- route from Cali
fornla to Washington, TO attend a conven-
ton of the National Educational Associa-
ton. The train was rolling along by the
side of the muddy Ohio when one traveller
suggested that some or any sort of stunts"
would be in order. since the day was the
Fourth Of July. The suggestion was hailed
with delight and. forthwith there were