298 AS UNIVERSITY PEESIDENT-II 



and began conversation. He was, as usual, austere and 

 reserved in appearance; but I had already found that 

 below this appearance there was a warm heart and noble 

 purpose. No observant associate could fail to notice that 

 the only measures in the legislature which he cared for 

 were those proposing some substantial good to the State 

 or nation, and that he despised all political wrangling and 

 partizan jugglery. 



On this occasion, after some little general talk, he quietly 

 said, &quot;I have about half a million dollars more than my 

 family will need: what is the best thing I can do with it 

 for the State 1 I answered : Mr. Cornell, the two things 

 most worthy of aid in any country are charity and educa 

 tion; but, in our country, the charities appeal to every 

 body. Any one can understand the importance of them, 

 and the worthy poor or unfortunate are sure to be taken 

 care of. As to education, the lower grades will always be 

 cared for in the public schools by the State ; but the insti 

 tutions of the highest grade, without which the lower can 

 never be thoroughly good, can be appreciated by only a 

 few. The policy of our State is to leave this part of the 

 system to individuals; it seems to me, then, that if you 

 have half a million to give, the best thing you can do with 

 it is to establish or strengthen some institution for higher 

 instruction. I then went on to show him the need of a 

 larger institution for such instruction than the State then 

 had ; that such a college or university worthy of the State 

 would require far more in the way of faculty and equip 

 ment than most men supposed; that the time had come 

 when scientific and technical education must be provided 

 for in such an institution; and that education in history 

 and literature should be the bloom of the whole growth. 



He listened attentively, but said little. The matter 

 seemed to end there ; but not long afterward he came to me 

 and said: &quot;I agree with you that the land-grant fund 

 ought to be kept together, and that there should be a new 

 institution fitted to the present needs of the State and the 

 country. I am ready to pledge to such an institution a site 



