THE FIRST YEARS OF CORNELL- 1868 -1870 349 



were reduced to a minimum so much so, in fact, that there 

 were hardly ever any of a serious character. I felt that 

 then and there was the time to reiterate the doctrine laid 

 down in my "plan of organization, " that a professor 

 should not be called upon to be a policeman, and that if the 

 grounds were to be policed, proper men should be em- 

 ployed for that purpose. This doctrine was reasonable 

 and it prevailed. The Cornell grounds and buildings, 

 under the care of a patrol appointed for that purpose, 

 have been carefully guarded, and never has a member of 

 the faculty been called upon to perform police duty. 



There were indeed some cases requiring discipline by 

 the faculty, and one of these will provoke a smile on the 

 part of all who took part in it as long as they shall live. 

 There had come to us a stalwart, sturdy New Englander, 

 somewhat above the usual student age, and showing con- 

 siderable aptitude for studies in engineering. Various 

 complaints were made against him; but finally he was 

 summoned before the faculty for a very singular breach 

 of good taste, if not of honesty. The entire instructing 

 body of that day being gathered about the long table in 

 the faculty room, and I being at the head of the table, the 

 culprit was summoned, entered, and stood solemnly be- 

 fore us. Various questions were asked him, which he 

 parried with great ingenuity. At last one was asked 

 of a very peculiar sort, as follows: "Mr. - , did you, 

 last month, in the village of Dundee, Yates County, pass 

 yourself off as Professor of this university, announ- 

 cing a lecture and delivering it in his name?" He an- 

 swered blandly, ' ' Sir, I did go to Dundee in Yates County ; 

 I did deliver a lecture there ; I did not announce myself as 

 Professor - of Cornell University; what others may 

 have done I do not know; all I know is that at the close 

 of my lecture several leading men of the town came for- 

 ward and said that they had heard a good many lectures 

 given by college professors from all parts of the State, 

 and that they had never had one as good as mine." I 

 think, of all the strains upon my risible faculties during 



