Columbia's Presidents                               49

At the beginning of Dr. Harris's administration the duties of
the Presidency were di\ided between the President and the
Provost, a newly cteated office to which John A'litchcll Mason
was elected. As most of the executive activity was vested in the
Provost, Dr. Harris found ample time for his duties as Rector
of St. Mark's in the Bowerie. Upon the resignation of Dr.
Mason in 1816 President Harris assumed the full duties of the
office, resigning his rectorship at the same time. The ever-pres¬
ent problem of money haunted Harris's administration and, as
a result of repeated application to the Legislature for financial
assistance, the Elgin Botanical Garden (now Rockefeller Cen¬
ter), conveyed to the State by David Hosack, its creator, was
assigned to Columbia College (1814). Though the condition
was made that the College move to this site, this was never
carried out. Instead, wings were built in the original building
to take care of the growing institution.

Harris appears to ha\'e been \-ery successful in winning the
confidence of his faculty with a happy combination of the
qualities of mind and heart that make an effective teacher, guide
and friend.