Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White, vol 1 | Page 8

and
myself. Opening ceremonies of the morning; Mr. Cornell's speech and
my own; effect of Mr. Cornell's broken health upon me. The first
ringing of the chime; effect of George W. Curtis's oration; my
realization of our difficulties; Mr. Cornell's physical condition;
inadequacy of our resources; impossibility of selling lands; our
necessary unreadiness; haste compelled by our charter. Mr. Cornell's

letter to the ``New York Tribune'' regarding student labor. Dreamers
and schemers. Efforts by ``hack'' politicians. Attacks by the press,
denominational and secular. Friction in the University machinery.
Difficulty of the students in choosing courses; improvement in these
days consequent upon improvement of schools. My reprint of John
Foster's ``Essay on Decision of Character''; its good effects.
Compensations; character of the students; few infractions of discipline;
causes of this; effects of liberty of choice between courses of study. My
success in preventing the use of the faculty as policemen; the Campus
Bridge case. Sundry trials of students by the faculty; the Dundee
Lecture case; the ``Mock Programme'' case; a suspension of class
officers; revelation in all this of a spirit of justice among students.
Athletics and their effects. Boating; General Grant's remark to me on
the Springfield regatta; Cornell's double success at Saratoga; letter from
a Princeton graduate. General improvement in American university
students during the second half of the nineteenth century.
CHAPTER XXI
. DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS AT CORNELL-- 1868-1872
Questions regarding courses of instruction. Evils of the old system of
assigning them entirely to resident professors. Literary instruction at
Yale; George William Curtis and John Lord. Our general scheme. The
Arts Course; clinching it into our system; purchase of the Anthon
Library; charges against us on this score; our vindication. The courses
in literature, science and philosophy; influence of one of Herbert
Spencer's ideas upon the formation of all these; influence of my own
experience. Professor Wilder; his services against fustian and ``tall
talk.'' The course in literature; use made of it in promoting the general
culture of students. Technical departments; Civil Engineering;
incidental question of creed in electing a professor to it. Department of
Agriculture; its difficulties; three professors who tided it through.
Department of Mechanic Arts; its peculiar difficulties and dangers; Mr.
Cornell's view regarding college shop work for bread winning;
necessity for practical work in connection with theoretical; mode of
bringing about this connection. Mr. Sibley's gift. Delay in recognition
of our success. Department of Architecture; origin of my ideas on this
subject; the Trustees accept my architectural library and establish the

Department.
CHAPTER XXII
. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSITY
COURSES-1870-1872
Establishment of Laboratories. Governor Cleveland's visit. Department
of Electrical Engineering; its origin. Department of Political Science
and History. Influence of my legislative experience upon it; my report
on the Paris Exposition, and address at Johns Hopkins; a beginning
made; excellent work done by Frank Sanborn. Provision for Political
Economy; presentation of both sides of controverted questions.
Instruction in History; my own part in it; its growth; George Lincoln
Burr called into it; lectures by Goldwin Smith, Freeman, Froude, and
others. Instruction in American History; calling of George W. Greene
and Theodore Dwight as Non-Resident, and finally of Moses Coit
Tyler as Resident Professor. Difficulties in some of these Departments.
Reaction, ``The Oscillatory Law of Human Progress.'' ``Joe'' Sheldon's
``Professorship of Horse Sense'' needed. First gift of a
building--McGraw Hall. Curious passage in a speech at the laying of its
corner-stone. Military Instruction; peculiar clause regarding it in our
Charter; our broad construction of it; my reasons for this. The
Conferring of Degrees; abuse at sundry American institutions in
conferring honorary degrees why Cornell University confers none.
Regular Degrees; theory originally proposed; theory adopted; recent
change in practice.
CHAPTER XXIII
. ``CO-EDUCATION'' AND AN UNSECTARIAN
PULPIT--1871-1904
Admission of women. The Cortland Free Scholarship; the Sage gift;
difficulties and success. Establishment of Sage Chapel; condition
named by me for its acceptance; character of the building.
Establishment of a preachership; my suggestions regarding it accepted;
Phillips Brooks preaches the first sermon, 1875; results of this system.
Establishment of Barnes Hall; its origin and development; services it
has rendered. Development of sundry minor ideas in building up the
University; efforts to develop a recognition of historical and

commemorative features; portraits, tablets, memorial windows, etc.
The beautiful work of Robert Richardson. The Memorial Chapel.
Efforts to preserve the beauty of the grounds and original plan of
buildings; constant necessity for such efforts; dangers threatening the
original plan.
CHAPTER XXIV
. ROCKS, STORMS, AND PERIL--1868-1874
Difficulties and discouragements. Very serious character of some of
these. Financial difficulties; our approach, at times, to ruin. Splendid
gifts; their continuance, the ``Ostrander Elms''; encouragement thus
given. Difficulties arising from our Charter; short time allowed us for
opening the University, general plans laid down for us. Advice,
comments, etc., from friends and enemies; remark of the Johns