Firstofall，therewasadangerwhichdemandeddelicatehandling。ThisdangerlayinMr。Cornell’swishtoestablish，invitalconnectionwiththeuniversity，greatfactoriesfortheproductionofarticlesforsale，especiallychairsandshoes，thusgivinglargebodiesofstudentsopportunitiesforself—support。Indiscussingthismatterwithhim，Ipointedtothefactthat，inbecomingamanufacturingcorporationweweremakingabusinessventurenevercontemplatedbyourcharter;thatitwasexceedinglydoubtfulwhethersuchacorporationcouldbecombinedwithaneducationalinstitutionwithoutruiningboth;thatthemenbestfittedtomanageagreatfactorywerehardlylikelytobethebestmanagersofagreatinstitutionoflearning;
thatunderourcharterwehadduties，notmerelytothosewhowishedtosupportthemselvesbylabor，buttoothers;
andIfinallypointedouttohimmanyreasonsforholdingthatsuchaschemecontravenedtheactofCongressandthelegislationoftheState。IinsistedthattheobjectofourchartersfromtheStateandNationwasnottoenableagreatnumberofyoungmentosecureanelementaryeducationwhilemakingshoesandchairs;thatforthesethepublicschoolswereprovided;thatourmainpurposemustbetosendoutintoallpartsoftheStateandNationthoroughlytrainedgraduates，whoshoulddevelopandimprovethemainindustriesofthecountry，and，bytheirknowledgeandexample，trainupskilfulartisansofvarioussortsandineverylocality。Mr。Cornell’sconductinthismatterwasadmirable。Tenaciousasheusuallywaswhenhisopinionwasformed，andmuchasitmusthavecosthimtogiveupwhathadbecomeadarlingproject，heyieldedtothisview。
Newquestionsnowopenedastothis``DepartmentofMechanicArts。’’Itwascleartome，fromwhatIhadseenabroad，thatnotallthemodelsIhadsentfromEuropewouldbesufficienttogivethepracticalcharacterwhichsuchadepartmentneeded;thatitsgraduatesmusthaveadirect，practicalacquaintancewiththeconstructionanduseofmachinerybeforetheycouldbecomeleadersingreatmechanicalenterprises;thattheymustbemade，notonlymathematiciansanddraftsmen，butskilledworkmen，practicallytrainedinthebestmethodsandprocesses。
Averyshrewdartisansaidtome:``Whenayoungmechanicalengineercomesamongusfreshfromcollege，onlyabletomakefiguresandpictures，werarelyhavemuchrespectforhim:thetroublewiththegreatmajorityofthosewhocomefromtechnicalinstitutionsisthattheydon’tknowasmuchaboutpracticalmethodsandprocessesasweknow。’’