<p>A case donor intent that could have wide ranging affect on universities across the country goes to trial tomorrow. The heirs of Mrs. Newcomb backed by many Newcomb alumnae go to court to try and force the Tulane administration to honor the intent of Newcomb's $3.7 million in donations and reopen the first coordinate women's college in the country.</p>
<p>As a side note Paul Tulane the school's eponymously named benefactor only endowed us to the tune of a million.</p>
<p>My guess is the Tulane administration will win in court but if they should lose it will be major national news. Princeton University especially doesn't want to see any donor intent precedents set because of their ongoing struggle with the Robertson family.</p>
<p>umm...sorry where are you getting that notion from?</p>
<p>A Louisiana appeals court will hear arguments tomorrow over Tulane's decision to dissolve a women's school -- the 120-year-old Sophie Newcomb College -- as part of the university's post-Katrina reorganization plan. </p>
<p>To me that means Tulane got rid of the all-women part of the college after the hurricane, but they're getting sued for that.</p>
<p>"wait, so they are trying to turn tulane into an all women's school?"</p>
<p>No actually they are just trying preserve some of the things that set it apart from other schools and made it a special place. In 1886 at a time when women had virtually no opportunities for higher education Josephine Louise LeMonnier Newcomb donated money to found a womens coordinate college at the then all male Tulane University. It was to be named after her deceased daughter H. Sophie Newcomb who died at age 15. Between 1886 and her death in 1901 JL Newcomb left more than $3.6 million dollars to further that mission. In todays dollars that is an astronomical sum and a good chunk of the modern Tulane University was built on her dime.</p>
<p>The idea of a women's coordinate college turned out to be wildly successful and Newcomb College became the model for other women's coordinate colleges such as Barnard at Columbia, Pembroke at Brown
. Douglas at Rutgers. The creation of Newcomb College is likely the Universities greatest contribution to higher education in America. Newcomb's alumnae have distinguished themselves in countless ways over the years.</p>
<p>If you are going to come to new Orleans jayhawk I have to warn you it is not a place that lets the past go away easily. It clings to its heritage the way the Spanish Moss clings to the Live Oaks. That is why it has so much that distinguishes it from the rest of the country.</p>
<p>Just a VERY tiny example of the wide influence of Newcomb--of which I was unaware until recently: we were watching an episode of Antiques Roadshow last year and someone brought in a piece of pottery which the experts recognized as "Newcomb pottery." Apparently it is extremely well known and sought after as a school (in the other sense) of early twentieth-century arts and crafts.</p>
<p>More on the law suit from Philanthropy Today and the possible ramifications. It contains a link to a Wall Street Journal article also of interest.</p>
<p>There was a nationally syndicated column in our local newspaper about the appellate arguments in this case. Can't remember the guy's name, but he was some east coast writer who was seriously supporting the cause of the Newcomb heirs in winning their fight against Tulane. The columnist was making the point that universities all over the country were closely watching this case and its potential impact on donations. He seemed to feel that if Tulane won it would have a negative effect on major donations as the donors could never be certain that their intentions for the use of the money would be honored.</p>
<p>At a local Newcomb alumnae meeting it was presented to us that this issue isn't really about money but rather Scott Cowan's vision for the university that he brought with him from before the storm. The Newcomb trust money is being preserved for the new Newcomb Institute (which is supposed to resemble the Radcliffe Institute) and the only real expenses that Tulane has saved are the elimination of the Newcomb Dean and her staff (altho' some of these expenses are replaced by those of the Newcomb Institute). So I think it's a little specious for anyone to say this change was a result of financial exigency due to Katrina.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.</p>
<p>jayhawk, if you are going to come to nola, i would also suggest you have as your summer reading a not so little book called "Rising Tide" by John Barry. It is a wonderful book about the great Mississippi River flood of 1927. Truth that reads like fiction. It will not only tell you the history of the US Corps of Engineers, but also the history of the levees, the Delta, New Orleans, St. Bernard and Placquemines, Mardi Gras, Tulane and all the politics so complexly intertwined throughout. Your will find out what Walker Percy and Rex and Comus have in common, as well as the Whitney Bank, the Boston Club and the Times Picayune. Everyone who lives in New Orleans should read this book.</p>
<p>altmom - great! you're gonna love it. no matter what you've already read you will understand New Orleans and Katrina so much more after reading this book. even tho' it's about the 1927 flood and was written several years before the storm, still it explains so much. enjoy!</p>
<p>They deliberately blew the levee and flooded St Berbar Parish in 1927 which is one of the reasons why there are a significant number of people who believe that canal breech that flooded the lower 9th and St Bernard's this time was deliberate.</p>
<p>Rising Tide is a truly facinating look at a dark chapter in American history. If you plan on understanding the place you are comming to it is a must read.</p>