Newark post., 1912-06-19
A CHAPTER IN EDUCATION
BY Mrs. FREDERICK CHESTER
CORNELL: In BUD AND in FLOWER

have any part in the curriculum OF
the institution that | found. was
Mr. Cornell's firm ansWer--a die
tum 10 which the trustees Of the
present popular university have
ever adhered.
Mrs. Sage Wood and my mother
exchanged sorrowful glances. Was
this idyllic spot - almost a sacred
shrine Of God and Nature-to be
transformed then into a material
ist S temple for the propagation Of
material worship only?
Mrs. Cornell, a strong and cap
able thinker. was identified with the
Episcopal church. but wisely for
bore to predict the ruin of her hus-
band s cherished plans.
On the homeward walk, all talked
Of the proposition in general terms,
it being too vague to admit of spe-
cial pros and cons, but Mrs. Sage
Wood and my mother thought
much about it. "Carrie Sage as
Mrs. Wood was familiarly known to
us. had wealthy brother. Mr.
Henry Sage, who later founded the
Sage College for Women, of Cor
nell. His private residence. adjoin-
ing which he built home for Car
rie. is now the hospital Of the uni
versity foundation. Mr.. Sage's son.
Dean, established. through his
fathers influence. after Mr.. Cor
nell s death, a fund providing for
non-sectarian preachers to deliver a
sermon in Sage Chapel, every Sun
day in the college year This is no
violation of Mr.. Cornell s wishes. as
the attendance is elective. and. in
fact far more largely composed of
town than Of gown. A more heterO-
geneous outpouring of "doctrine to
suit all tastes could scarcely be
found in an American city.
Wholly extraneous to the lecture
or recitation room. one may take or
leave these strange doctrines. quite
as the free-thinker. Ezra Cornell,
would have desired. Yet there was
something ruggedly grand in the
MISUNDERSTANDING of the man: The
common household longings for op,
pOrtUnities. sO-called. that one has
one self lost
The accompanying photographs
are taken from my mother s album,
and are excellent likenesses Of these
three notable prophets and time
makers. Mr.. and Mrs. Ezra Cornell
and DR.. Burchard.
One has but to note the record Of
Cornell graduates in the natural
sciences to perceive how logically
Mr.. Cornell's ideal Of education has
evolved from the original bud.
For what are the natural sciences
but material power, as Mr.. Cornell
conceived such power9 TO wrest
from Nature her secrets. and make
them marketable: To command the
fury Of elements. fire. wind and
water: to direct them as lions in
chainS-such are the triumphs OF
Cornell s masters Of science. and by
such is she known the world over.
But we have today another phase
of Cornell in flower; that phase
which my father favored would de-
velOp from a scheme Of Goddess edu
cation or education unsafeguardeC
by religious authority. l quote
from America:
"The Chicago Evening Post
April 20, publishes in it's editoria
column a delightful sllit in which i
respectfully calls attention to an or
ganization that has been formed a
one of our big Eastern universi
j ties:
So. to study. Investigate
and criticise the existing religions
and creeds. with a view to recon
structing the religious thought ant
setting it upon a basis of fact ant
. truth instead Of meritless faith ant
traditional superstition. and to con
, slider and discuss. with a view to tn
theological enlightenment of tn
: world. such phases of ethics ant
. morals as may assist in the dscoy
2 cry Of truth and throw light upO
t the main subject of religion.
s "The Post, quietly poting fun a
e the program, suggests: this Woul
: seem to indicate that some of tn
a world s greatest savants had got tt
a gcther at last. Unfortunatel.
: such is not the case. The amb
: tious program is that of a societ
l. which has been started at Corne
i University. with a large membe
h ship from the freshmen and soph'
t, mores. One readily appreciate
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