Cornell University - Cornellian Yearbook (Ithaca, NY)

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History of Cornell HE administration oi President Livingston Far- rand, which loegan in the fall of 1921 and will end in June with the graduation of the class of 1957,has laeen one of strilcing achievements against a loaelcground of swiftly changing social and economic conditions. The laoom of the ,205 and the succeeding depression divided his 16-year presidency into sharply contrasted halves, each with special problems and special oppor- tunities. it is a tribute to his strong character, his deep understanding, and his administrative slcill that Cornell has forged steadily upward during these years and stands higher today than ever hefore. The material progress of the university during the Farrand administration is reliected in the appearance of the campus. VVhen Dr. Fan-and was inaugurated as the University,s fourth president on Qctoher 20, 1921, Cornell was in the midst of the greatest lauilding pro- gram in her history. The Board ol Trustees had al- ready authorized the construction ol Founders Hall, Boldt Hall, and Lyons Hall in the group oi menls dormitories, and the ground had heen hrolcen lor the 31,800,000 Balcer Chemical Lalaoratory. Nvithin a year came the completion of the new heating plant, the Dairy Building, the Johnny Parsons Club, and the announcement oi htlrs. Straighfs gilt oi 31,200,000 ior VX7illard Straight Hall as a social and recreation center. And before 1929 the Universityls physical plan had loeen further augmented lay the erection ol Boldt Tower, the War Nlemorial Towers, and h lcFaddin Hall to round out the menys dormitories, the 31,700,000 Balch residential halls lor women, the Plant industries Build- ing, and the gift ol 31,500,000 hy lxlyron Taylor lor a new home lor the Law School. During the same years an immense medical center was talcing shape in New Yorlc City. ln IQQT the Hiscocx Pouxo -l-.XYLOR F.fxRR.xND Buzoich 'l'lii- D1-ftii ation ol hlyrnn Taylor l-aw School Cornell hledical College joined the New Yorlc Hos- pital in a 300.000.1100 merger, which included the erec- tion ol' a new 311,000,000 building and a considerable increase in endowment. Two years later the New Yorlc l.ying-ln Hospital hecaine part ol- the center, hringing 32,000,000 in assets and 36,000,000 in new gifts, in- cluding 32,000,000 lor a lnuilding. 'l-he liuildings, grounds, equipment and residential halls in 1021 were appraised at SlO,2OS.3S5. in IQS6 they had more than douhled with the universitys prop- c-rty listed as S2'j.l0l.220. The Lvniversity's endowment 1iiT'fi:'-err ff 'T 'f '1 ' 4 'fi T President Farrand and George F. Baker at the inaugural in IOZI ,911

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PRESIDENT LIVINGSTQN FARRAND

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President Farrand Addresses a fresh Hclcbxxlhcu hleeHng also increased during these years lrom 317,188,177 to 530,894,023 Buildings, however, have never been President Far- rand's maior concern. ln his lirst general message to Cornell alumni, he stressed the need ol higher salaries lor the Faculty, and later messages have urged provision lor retirement allowances, hnancial aid lor prosecution and publication of research, more liberal support lor the Library, and other plans to malce Cornell more attractive to able scholars. That the administration had talcen advantage ol: opportunities to strengthen the Under President Farran Faculty was made clear in IQZ4, when a survey of graduate instruction in American universities by a committee of the American Council on Education rated Cornell distinguished in sixteen fields and adequately equipped in nine more, placing the University as a whole among the first ten in America. President Far- rand's urbanity and tact in handling the human prolo- lems of the institution have maintained, through trying times, a rare spirit ol unity and cooperation. It has been one ol Dr. Farrandis main purposes to maintain Cornell as a national and even international institution ol learning. An increasing number ot stu- dents from beyond New Yorlc State and from many lands have lound their way to Cornell. By ein- phasizing the quality of students and not mere num- bers, the university has lcept its enrollment fairly con- stant. President Farrand has not forced a wholesale revision ol curricula, but improvements and innovations have been adopted promptly when demonstrably sound. hlost notably the curriculum ol the Arts College was given carelul study by a faculty committee and the result was a complete revision ol the oliferings ol that college. ln 1929, Cornell tool: the lead in olzfering courses in hotel administration. and this worlc, under the direction ol Professor H. B. Nieelc, has developed into an important division of the College of Home Economics. The College ol Engineering announced in 1Q5I a new curriculum in administrative engineering and in 1930 senior options in air-conditioning, aviation, and industrial design. Plans to meet new social and economic conditions were also prepared by the depart- ments ol education and rural education, with the result that a Graduate School ot Education was established fcontiriued on page 436i 1929 1937