DANGERS AT CORNELL- 1868 -1872 375 



Few days in the history of Cornell University have 

 been so fraught with good as that on which Thurston ac- 

 cepted my call to the headship of Sibley College. At the 

 very outset he gained the confidence and gratitude of trus- 

 tees, professors, students, and, indeed, of his profession 

 throughout the country, by his amazing success as pro- 

 fessor, as author, and as organizer and administrator 

 of that department, which he made not only one of the 

 largest, but one of the best of its kind in the world. The 

 rapidity and wisdom of his decisions, the extent and ex- 

 cellence of his work, his skill in attracting the best men, his 

 ability in quieting rivalries and animosities, and the kindly 

 firmness of his whole policy were a source of wonder to all 

 who knew him. And, at his lamented death in 1903, it was 

 found that he had rendered another service of a sort which 

 such strong men as he are often incapable of rendering 

 he had trained a body of assistants and students worthy 

 to take up iis work. 



Another department which I had long wished to see 

 established in our country now began to take shape. 

 From my boyhood I had a love for architecture. In my 

 young manhood this had been developed by readings in 

 Kuskin, and later by architectural excursions in Europe; 

 and the time had now arrived when it seemed possible 

 to do something for it. I had collected what, at that 

 period, was certainly one of the largest, if not the largest, 

 of the architectural libraries in the United States, besides 

 several thousand large architectural photographs, draw- 

 ings, casts, models, and other material from every country 

 in Europe. This had been, in fact, my pet extravagance ; 

 and a propitious time seeming now to arrive, I proposed 

 to the trustees that if they would establish a department 

 of architecture and call a professor to it, I would transfer 

 to it my special library and collections. This offer was 

 accepted; and thus was founded this additional depart- 

 ment, which began its good career under Professor Charles 

 Babcock, who, at this present writing, is enjoying, as 

 professor emeritus, the respect and gratitude of a long 



