Robert H. Thurston was elected Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of Sibley College. Jacob Gould Schurman was interviewed as a candidate for the moral philosophy chair. Because of the benefactor's interest, a number of ministers were considered for this appointment, and Felix Adler wrote Russel on April 22 of his concern over White's move to establish the Christian character of his University. Another writer on April 30 decried the petty strifes of theology and expressed a fear that youths sent to Cornell were ... exceedingly liable to become bigots or extreme radicals. Letters from the mathematics faculty supported George W. Jones' request for a raise in rank and pay, and several educators responded to advance word of White's resignation. On April 3 George W. Curtis wrote the first of several letters about a testimonial dinner to Senator Pendleton. A bill to develop a park at Niagara Falls was opposed by Charles S. Francis of the Troy daily Times; his objections were listed in a letter on April 23. Burr and Fiske wrote from Italy describing the pleasant life there and the riches available in the European universities and bookshops. On April 27th Burr compared the Italian scenery with that of Fall Creek, sunny Cayuga, and the blue, far·stretching Enfield Hills. Some other correspondents were Gardiner G. Hubbard, James E. Rhoads, Leland Stanford, and Frances E. Willard.