\0 r 
 
 THE CORNELL COLLEGE BULLETIN-Extra 
 Vol. XVI No. I 
 
 RESOLUTIONS 
 
 PASSED UPON THE 
 
 
 
 RESIGNATION OF 
 
 • .'“5 
 
 PRESIDENT JAMES ELLIOTT HARLAN 
 
 JUNE, 1914 
 
 Published bi-monthly by the College at Mount Vernon, Iowa. Entered as 
 second class matter at the post office at Mount Vernon, Iowa. 
 

President James Elliott Harlan 
 
RESOLUTIONS PASSED UPON THE 
 RESIGNAION OF 
 
 PRESIDENT JAMES ELLIOTT HARLAN 
 
 On June 16th, shortly before noon, Doctor Janies E. Harlan read 
 to the Board of Trustees his resignation from the presidency of Cor¬ 
 nell College, and made clear that his decision was final. The accept¬ 
 ance of this resignation, which was to sever close ties long existing, 
 was attended with deepest regret. Resolutions expressive of this re¬ 
 gret and of the high esteem in which Doctor Harlan was held were 
 passed by the Board of Trustees, the Faculty and the Alumni. The 
 Executive Committee at its meeting following commencement ordered 
 that these resolutions be published for distribution to the alumni and 
 friends of the college. The resolutions recite so fully the history of 
 Doctor Harlan's relation to the college that no further introduction is 
 here necessary. 
 
 RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE TRUSTEES. 
 
 The board of trustees of Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, in 
 annual session assembled, this 17th day of June, 1914, unanimously 
 ordered the following minute spread upon their records with reference 
 to the resignation of Doctor James Elliott Harlan, as president of the 
 institution. 
 
 President Harlan has taken this step absolutely at his own in¬ 
 stance and contrary to our wish. Among the numerous loyal and 
 worthy graduates of Cornell College, no one has been more honorable, 
 or useful to Alma Mater than he. 
 
 When the alumni in 1873 undertook the generous work of sup¬ 
 porting a professor in the college, they with great unanimity select¬ 
 ed from their number James Elliott Harlan, who had made a fine record 
 for a number of years immediately following graduation as superin¬ 
 tendent of schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 
 
 After eight years of service as professor, in 1881, when the 
 trustees created the office of vice-president, they spontaneously elect¬ 
 ed him to that position, which he filled with great prudence and fidel¬ 
 ity for twenty-seven years. Coupled with the delicate work of admin¬ 
 istration, which devolved upon him whenever the president was ab¬ 
 sent, he filled, in conjunction with his teaching, the office of college 
 secretary with marked ability. 
 
 In 1908, on the resignation of President William F. King, the 
 trustees with one mind turned to Dr. Harlan to fill the place, and 
 this he has done with great skill and fidelity. 
 
 As we trust that President Harlan has a good many years of use¬ 
 fulness still ahead of him, we earnestly hope that mutually satisfac- 
 
4 
 
 CORNELL COLLEGE BULLETIN 
 
 tory arrangements may be made to continue his invaluable services 
 in the interests of the cause that he has so long and efficiently served. 
 
 We regard Dr. Harlan as one of the most beautiful characters 
 that we have had the privilege of knowing. His services for the col¬ 
 lege have been above price. Wide as is the circle of the alumni and 
 old students of Cornell College, still wider is the blessed influence of 
 James E. Harlan. 
 
 He is a man of high intellectual ability, excellent judgement, a 
 valuable counselor, exceedingly modest touching his own ability, al¬ 
 ways considerate of the feelings and interests of others, scrupu 
 lously conscientious, ever loyal to the multiform interests of the col¬ 
 lege, a very agreeable associate in the faculty, and a sympathetic 
 friend of every student however wayward or humble; in short, he is 
 such a high type of noble Christian teacher that we have rarely 
 known his equal. Among the numerous loyal and self-sacrificing 
 friends of Cornell college, none are more worthy than President Har¬ 
 lan.. May a kind providence favor us with the benediction of his 
 ennobling example and influence for many years to come. 
 
 RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE FACULTY. 
 
 We have learned that you have offered your resignation as pres¬ 
 ident of Cornell College and that you consider your decision irrevo¬ 
 cable. May we, then, express something of our appreciation of the 
 great work you have done for the college during the forty-one years 
 since you entered her service and something of our deep regret at the 
 severance of a companionship in labor which has been to us unfail¬ 
 ingly congenial. 
 
 To the service of the college you were called by the alumni when 
 they chose you out of their number as alumni professor of mathe¬ 
 matics. The fruitful years of your instruction, your patient sympa¬ 
 thy, your success in making difficult tasks inspiring, those of us who 
 were students in your classes can never forget. 
 
 In 1881 you were elected from among your colleagues in the fac¬ 
 ulty as vice-president and were given the administration of the col¬ 
 lege in its student relations. We recall your deep concern for the 
 moral and religious welfare of the students as well as for their in¬ 
 tellectual advancement, your unswerving justice which had no favor¬ 
 ites, your unhasting open-mindedness before reaching a decision, and 
 unshaken firmness after the decision was once reached, your tact that 
 once and again averted serious complications, your helpful friendli¬ 
 ness, your great-hearted charity which has inspired so many students 
 to their best, during all these years. 
 
 Twenty-one years ago, the administration of the finances of the 
 institution was also placed in your hands. While we have necessarily 
 remained ignorant of the details of this large business enterprise, we 
 have been the beneficiaries of the reorganization of the system of 
 accounts and of the disbursements and of the wise investments of 
 hundreds of thousands of dollars, from which no penny has been lost. 
 
CORNELL COLLEGE BULLETIN 
 
 5 
 
 In 1908 you were elected president of Cornell College. The six 
 brief years since that time have seen important ichanges in the cur¬ 
 riculum, the introduction of new courses of study, the building and 
 equipment of the Alumni gymnasium, the successful completion of 
 the campaign for $500,000 and a continuous increase in the teaching 
 efficiency of the college,—a record surely unsurpassed in the history 
 of the institution. 
 
 We remember your uninterrupted courtesy and considerateness 
 toward each of your instnctors. Even under differences of opinion 
 there never has risen a suspicion of unfairness, of selfish intent, of 
 bias or prejudice or personal antagonism. Your wisdom and sagacity, 
 your singleness of heart with the good of Cornell its one aim, your 
 magnanimity, your integrity, your frank sincerity, your buoyancy of 
 spirit under heavy loads, your hopefulness and unfailing good cheer 
 have made each of us the better for these associations. We reicall al¬ 
 so the generous hospitality of your home with the gracious presence 
 of Mrs. Harlan, the first lady of our college World. It is with the 
 most sincere regret that we see these closely woven ties now severed. 
 
 We congratulate you on the privilege which has been yours, of 
 building your life into this institution for so many years. Whatever 
 influence it has exerted on its more than ten thousand students, has 
 rested largely on your own personal example of flawless integrity, of 
 highest ideals, of noble manhood. 
 
 You have, therefore, our profound appreciation and admiration 
 in all these relations and in your achievements in the past. And now 
 we assure you of our heartiest good will and best wishes for the fu¬ 
 ture. whatever may be the nature of the activities that shall engage 
 your powers.. 
 
 RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE ALUMNI. 
 
 President Harlan came to Cornell College as a student in 1863 
 and graduated in 1869. Four years later in 1873, he was called by the 
 alumni of the college to the position of the alumni professorship, then 
 first established, and filled that position to the honor and credit of 
 the alumni until elected president in 1908. When he was approached 
 by friends who foresaw that sentiment was strong that he be the suic ■ 
 cessor of Dr. King, he exacted a promise from them that it should not 
 be, if accepted, for a longer period than the measure of his seventieth 
 birthday. Carrying out that purpose formed when he accepted the po¬ 
 sition he now resigns, because before another commerucement that 
 period would be reached. His administration as president has been 
 remarkably successful. During the six years of his incumbency there 
 have been raised by the college in the aggregate more than six 
 hundred thousand dollars, securing among other advantages, one hun¬ 
 dred thousand dollars from the General Education Board which will 
 be secured at the date agreed upon, July 31st, 1914. For the first 
 time in half a century the report of the president presented this day 
 to the board of trustees shows that the college lived within its income 
 
6 
 
 CORNELL COLLEGE BULLETIN 
 
 during the past year and that there is no deficit, and when settlement 
 is finally made with the General Education Board there will be some 
 surplus accrued for the benefit of the college. 
 
 It should be borne in mind that for twenty-five years before he 
 became president Dr. Harlan had been vice-president of the college, 
 and had been largely responsible for, and had directed the adminis¬ 
 tration. It will be difficult to find, indeed there probably cannot be 
 found, in the history of colleges in the Middle West, an example of 
 greater fidelity to a great trust, greater sacrifices in order to main¬ 
 tain that fidelity, more wisdom and justice in administration, or a 
 more exalted Christian spirit, than has been exhibited by President 
 Harlan in the forty-one years that he has been connected with the 
 college. 
 
 The alumni of the college have for him a feeling of respect, of 
 loyalty and of appreciation for his labors and his sacrifices which it 
 would be difficult for them to express. Among the members of the 
 alumni who have at any time been associated with fraternities this 
 feeling is as strong, as sincere, and as earnestly manifested 
 as by the other members of the alumni. 
 
 The board of trustees will pass their own resolutions upon his 
 resignation, but it can be said irrespective of that that no president 
 of any college has had more constant and earnest and sympathetic 
 support from his board of trustees than has President Harlan. 
 
Home of President Harlan 
 

 
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