Statue of Dr. Edward Austin Sheldon Dedicated at Albany

The statue, now in front of Sheldon Hall on the campus of SUNY Oswego, was paid for through pennies collected by the school children of New York State.  Dedicated on January 11, 1900 it was covered in both the Oswego Daily Times and the Oswego Daily Palladium on January 12, 1900.

"The attendance was large and thoroughly representative.  Educators from all parts of the State were present, Oswego's contingent including Prof. Isaac B. Poucher, Prof. Charles S. Sheldon and Miss Sheldon.  The Hon. Charles R. Skinner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction presented the memorial to the State,"

"Governor Roosevelt accepted the gift in behalf of the State, making an eloquent and characteristic address.  Dr. William J. Milne of the State Normal College of this city, in his address, said of Dr. Sheldon:  "His work as an educator, as a scholar, as a reformer, is at an end, and I believe that his influence will live.  His saintly character did not weaken his philosophic grasp of principles, nor did his gentleness of spirit prevent him from being a vigorous though generous schoolmaster.""

"Governor Roosevelt unveiled the memorial at the close of the exercises and it was much admired.  A pedestal of polished Scotch granite supports the statue.  On its face are cut Dr. Sheldon's name and the dates of his birth and death.  The figure represents the Doctor seated in a chair with a little child standing beside him.  One hand rests upon the child's head while in the other is an object from which he is teaching."  All of this is done of solid bronze.            --  from Oswego Daily Times, page 4

"The Albany Evening Journal gives the following account of the ceremonies, attending the unveiling of the statue of the late Dr. E. A. Sheldon, long Prinicpal of the Oswego State Normal and Training School:  The public exercises attending the unveiling of the statue erected to the memory of Edward Austin Sheldon, at the foot of the Senate staircase in the Capitol, by the school children of the State, were held in the Assembly Chamber this afternoon before a good sized audience, which included a large number of prominent educators.  Principal C. E. Franklin, of this city, who is editor of New York Education, presided and stated briefly the object of the meeting, paying a high tribute to the genius of hte man to whose memory the statue had been created.  The Normal College choir sang "Still, Still With Thee," under the direction of S. B. Belding, and then there was prayer by the Rev. John F. Donahoe.  The report on the fund by the Hon. George B. Sloan shows that the total receipts were $3,539.00.  The receipts from 3,007 schools and districts were $3,469.25."

Hon. Charles Skinner spoke.  "With every true educator, he believed that our greatest concern should be for the welfare of the children.  How best to educate our children is a problem he sought to solve.  Other lives have been inspired and encouraged by his work, and efforts to emulate his example will flourish in the sunshine of his memory."

"The Normal College choir sang "Ave Maria," after which there was an address by the Hon. William T. Harris, United States Commissioner of Education.  Principal Isaac B. Poucher, representing the State Normal school at Oswego, paid a high tribute to Dr. Sheldon.  He said that the Oswego Normal and Training school was the first school establishing in the United States which gave especial emphasis to the application of true educational principles, as applied to methods of teaching.  It was the first which established a practice school worthy of the name, in which all candidates for graduation must show their ability to teach by instructing classes from twenty to forty weeks without salary, under the criticisms of able, experienced teachers.  It was the first to establish a kindergarten, with a training department.  It was the first to establish a critic course, to prepare teachers for training classes and Normal schools."

"The exercises were brought to a close by the singing of Kellar's "American Hymn," and then all present proceeded to the Senate staircase, where the unveiling took place.  The statue is the work of Sculptor John Francis Brines."            --  from Oswego Daily Palladium, page 6