Op-Ed
Pomp and Circumstance
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Archive This!
On May 25, 2008 Cornell will hold its 140th commencement ceremony. As thousands of students get ready to don their caps and gowns, it seems fitting for my last column to briefly reflect on the history of a few of the 139 graduation ceremonies that will proceed this May’s.
Cornell’s first commencement ceremony was held downtown at Cornell Library in July of 1869. (Cornell Library was formerly located on the corners of Seneca and Tioga Street and was torn down in the 1960s.) Though the first commencement honored just eight students, the ceremony established traditions that continue today. At this first commencement, University President Andrew Dickson White addressed the graduates and the Board of Trustees has guarded this tradition, believing that a commencement address from the president makes the ceremony more personal. This year’s graduates will have the pleasure of hearing President Skorton give his second Cornell commencement speech.
While the first few Cornell commencements were celebrated in Cornell Library, with the growing number of students the ceremony moved to Library Slope. A 1913 New York Times article reported that Cornell held its Class Day in the “natural amphitheater” behind McGraw Hall and that commencement exercises would be held the same place the following day “if the weather be favorable.”
In 1917, Barton Hall opened and was for many years the largest unpillared room in existence. The interior of the Barton covers almost two acres, so it only seems appropriate that as the number of graduates grew, Cornell moved commencement into this building. However, by the mid-1970s, it was becoming increasingly difficult to fit graduates and their families into even this large space and commencement once again moved out of doors, this time to Schoellkopf Stadium. Weather permitting, this year’s commencement exercises will also take place in Schoellkopf.
Never one to be a follower, Cornell is one of only a handful of universities that do not confer honorary degrees. Actually, this is not entirely accurate; Cornell has award two honorary degrees in its history — one to Andrew Dickson White and the other to David Starr Jordan, an ichthyologist who went on to be the first president of Stanford University. Cornell awarded both of these degrees in 1886 but, according to a Time Magazine article, quickly realized that awarding honorary degrees was “for the most part playing charades” and subsequently ended the practice. However deserving she may be, this year’s convocation speaker, Dr. Maya Angelou, won’t be able to add a Cornell degree to her collection of over 40 honorary degrees. So take pride Cornell graduates — all but two people with a Cornell degree have schlepped up Libe Slope, taken Cornell finals, and endured at least a few brutal Ithaca winters. Surely this is a tradition worth keeping!
Over the past academic year, I’ve intended for my column to provide its readers with approximately 800 words of what I hope was interesting history about Cornell and Ithaca. To research this column, I frequently found myself sifting through the University Archives or flipping through the work of the late University Historian, Morris Bishop. It is tradition for columnists to explain the significance of one’s moniker in a final column. My moniker — Archive This! — is merely a reference to the archived history at Cornell and perhaps reveals my hope that someone, many years down the road, might stumble upon my column buried deep in Kroch Library.
This column would not have been possible without the help of a number of individuals. To my editors, Olivia Oran and David Wittenberg: thank you both for the time you spent reviewing my columns and for your willingness to give 800 words to a column on Cornell history. To Corey Earl ’07, in whose foot steps I follow, as well as the Cornell Reference Librarians: I truly appreciated your assistance in fact-checking my articles and your shared love for Cornell history.
To my academic advisor, Dr. Max Pfeffer, and Professors Ron Mize and Fouad Makki: thank you for guiding me through Cornell, cultivating my interest in new areas of scholarship, and challenging me to spread my wings.
To Nikki Gusz, Alexandra Buerkle, Robyn Gancas, Lindsey Gael, and Morgan Beschle: your poise and grace inspires me on a daily basis and I cannot wait to see what great things you will go on to accomplish in this world. I am eternally grateful to you all for your love and support over the past four years. Your friendship has been integral to making my time here nothing short of incredible.
David Rosen, I think the inimitable Grateful Dead sum it up nicely with the title of their “best of” album; indeed, what a long strange trip it’s been. Thank you for being there through it all. Brian Connolly, Elias Saba, and Josh Putterman: thank you for your enthusiasm and energy. You all can always bring a smile to my face.
Of course, to Mom, Dad, and Kelly: thank you a million times over for your good advice, constant support, and unyielding love. I couldn’t have made it without you.
And finally, cheers to you Cornell! I’ll miss you dearly.
Sarah Olesiuk is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be contacted at solesiuk@cornellsun.com. Send letters for publication to letters@cornellsun.com. Archive This! appeared alternate Fridays this semester.
And thank you Cornell
...for being so much to our daughter and her classmates. This Tar Heel grad says Go Big Red - you rock! All the best to the graduating class of '08. - Sarah's mom in NC