On May 15, 1873, Ezra Cornell penned this letter to future Cornellians. The letter was sealed in a lead box in the cornerstone of Sage Hall. Almost 125 years later, the letter was unearthed. In it, Cornell's founder stated what he saw as the biggest danger facing the university: “sectarian strife.”

Source: Cornell University Library | Sage Cornerstone Letter - Rare and Manuscript Collections