398 AS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT- VII 



tion was derived partly from a boarding-school at Pitts- 

 field considered one of the best in New England, and partly 

 from Cortland Academy. In the boarding-school we had 

 only young women, but in the academy we had both young 

 men and young women ; and I am sure that the results of 

 the academy were much better than those of the boarding- 

 school. The young men and young women learned to re 

 spect each other, not merely for physical, but for intel 

 lectual and moral qualities; so there came a healthful 

 emulation in study, the men becoming more manly and the 

 women more womanly ; and never, so far as I have heard, 

 did any of the evil consequences follow which some of 

 your opponents are prophesying. 



A conference with Dr. Woolworth, a teacher of the very 

 largest experience, showed me that none of the evil results 

 which were prophesied had resulted. He solemnly assured 

 me that, during his long experiences as principal of two or 

 three large academies, and, as secretary of the Board of 

 Begents, in close contact with all the academies and high 

 schools of the State, he had never known of a serious scan 

 dal arising between students of different sexes. 



As I drafted the main features of the university charter 

 these statements were in my mind, but I knew well that it 

 would be premature to press the matter at the outset. It 

 would certainly have cost us the support of the more con 

 servative men in the legislature. All that I could do at 

 that time I did; and this was to keep out of the charter 

 anything which could embarrass us regarding the question 

 in the future, steadily avoiding in every clause relating to 

 students the word i i man, and as steadily using the word 

 &quot; person. &quot; In conversations between Mr. Cornell and 

 myself on this subject, I found that we agreed; and in our 

 addresses at the opening of the university we both alluded 

 to it, he favoring it in general terms, and I developing 

 sundry arguments calculated to prepare the way for future 

 action upon it. At the close of the exercises Mr. John 

 McGraw, who was afterward so munificent toward us, 

 came to me and said: &quot;My old business partner, Henry 



