New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
JIG. Schurn1an.
President Of
Cornen,Resigns
Veteran Educator Asks To
Be Relieved of Duties
After Twenty.eight Years
of Continuous Service
To Quit Office June %
Tells Trustees That College
: EXECUTIVE Shouldn't Serve
More Than Thirty Years

ITHACA, N. Y, Feb. 14.-President
Jacob Gould schurman, for twenty
A>hr years presiden. of Cornell Uni
psrsity. rendered his resignation to day
II meeting of the general administra-
Con committee of the university, to
4 Ne effect on June 23 next.
/ In letter to the board of trustees
Tr. Schurman said:
III have long been of the opinion
xat it is beneficial and salutary to
S~eat institutions, whether of govern
+ ent or business or education, that
f,ere should be reasonably frequent
flanges in the Office of chief execu-
kve. The variety of situations makes
II impossible to Tx any particular term
sssat might be- generally applicable, but
Il will perhaps be recognized that there
Ore few cases in which the period can
Re advantageous extended beyond
twenty-five or thirty years.
'In conformity with this view have
for some time past had it in mind to
fesign the presidency of Cornell Uni
versity, which | have now held for
dearly twenty eight years. The war
compelled me to postpone the earlier
execution of this purpose. for I felt in
fhat great crisis that every one denied
the privilege of bearing arms but en-
tagged in necessary undertaking-and
the universities were as indispensable
Is muntion factories-was under SOL
amn obligation to remain at his post
and render the best service he could
TO the Republic. Now, however, that
peace has been established and must
Soon be proclaimed, am free, especial
~ as the university's war problems
have all been happily disposed of, to
- <ho boL
y formed.
Thanks His Associates
! "In terminating this official relation
which has extended over so many
years I should do great injustice to
edge with sincere gratitude the friend
" cooperation and support which I
have always received in such abundant
measure from trustees, teachers,
alumni and students. as we'll as from
The staff of administration, or to as
sure them of the regard and affection
which / cherish for them and of my
best wishes for their welfare and hap
piness. And to the great university we
have all loved and served, out of Of
fee as in Office, I join them in un-
nying devotion and also in the fer
vent hope that it may always be
senter of the freest and most intense
intellectual activity and worthy
prpan of the highest educaton."
i Dr. Schurman, then Sage professor
pf ethics and philosophy in Cornell
niversity. was elected to the presi-
Hency of the university in 1892, sue
eeeding the late Charles Kendall
adams. He is descended from
gas born at Freetown, Prince Edward
1sl0nd on Nav 22 1874
In 1875 he won the Canadian Gill
christ scholarship in connection with
the University of London, and during
the next FIVE years he studied in Eng
land. Scotland, France, Germany and
italy. He is a Master of Arts of the
University of Lon don and q Doctor of
Science of the University of Edin-
burgh.
Author of Several Works
Returning to Canada in 1880, DR..
Schurman during the next six years
taught in Acadia College and Dali
housie College. In 1885 the Sage pro-
WAS established at Cornell and the
chair was offered to him. He had late
~ attracted the attention of scholars
with volume on "Kantian Ethics and
Ethics of Evolution" He held this
professorship for six years. publishing
sAgnosticism and Religion" "Thc
Ethical Import of Darwinism," and
s'Belef in God"
President Schurman was head of he
first United States commission to the
Philippines and spent most of the
year 1899 in those islands. In 1912
and 1918, during the second Balkan
war, he was United States Minister to
Greece and Montenegro. He.was flrst
vice-president of tNe New York State
constitutional Convention in 1915, and
3 member Of the state food commits.
sion In 1917.
/ He is an honorary Doctor of Laws of
columbia, Yale, Edinburgh, Williams
dartmouth, Harvard Brown and the
University Of Pennsylvania, and an of
ficer of the French Legion of Honor.