At 11 a.m. on Sept. 7, Cornell President David Skorton's inauguration day, the grass on the Arts Quad was still wet from the morning fog. A sea of 3,399 empty, white chairs fanned out from the round stage on the west side of the quad. But one seat was already taken.

Robert Barker/University Photography

Virginia Hallett Hardesty, HumEc '49, was first to arrive on the Arts Quad, more than five hours before the ceremony. Hardesty is a great-grand-niece of Cornell's third president, Jacob Gould Schurman.

Seventy-eight-year-old Virginia Hallett Hardesty, HumEc '49, had arrived at 9:30 a.m., more than five hours early, because she wanted to be sure to get one of the few handicapped parking spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. Next to her chair was a walker.

"I brought lunch, a camera and two New York Times crossword puzzles, so I should be in pretty good shape," Hardesty said of the long wait ahead for 3:01 p.m., when Professor of English Alice Fulton would begin the ceremony by reading Archie Ammons' poem "Triphammer Bridge."

An Ithaca native, Hardesty is a great-grand-niece of Cornell's third president, Jacob Gould Schurman. And her grandfather, Charles Love Durham, Ph.D. 1899, was a Cornell classics professor for 50 years. Yet, she said, this was her first inauguration, simply because it was the first to which she had been invited.

"I have no idea why they invited me. But it's a delight."

Delight was the sentiment of just about everyone on campus, who seemed thrilled to be ushering in this president.

"He's my new idol, I think he's just fantastic," commented inauguration volunteer Sandie Sutfin, an administrative assistant in the Office of the University Faculty.

Meanwhile, technicians on the Arts Quad were putting the finishing touches on a sound system composed of 66 channels for microphones and instruments, six stages, a quadraphonic sound system dedicated solely to Spencer Topel's commissioned introductory musical piece and five miles of cable. The entire complex of stages, cables, microphones, speakers and channels was duplicated in Barton Hall, in case of rain.

"The hard part is hiding it," said Barny Cole of Calf Audio, which ran sound for the occasion. "They wanted Zenlike simplicity, so we had to hide most of the speakers in the trees." Sure enough, black speakers hung from the branches like giant tropical jackfruits.

Copyright © Cornell University

Cornell's five living presidents, from left: Jeffrey S. Lehman, Hunter R. Rawlings, David J. Skorton, Dale R. Corson and Frank H.T. Rhodes.

Nearby, in the A.D. White House, five of Cornell's presidents gathered for the President and New York State Delegation Luncheon at noon.

"David Skorton will be spectacular," said former Cornell President Jeffrey Lehman before sitting down to lunch. "I've known David for a few years, and he is a person of judgment and integrity. He and [Skorton's wife] Robin [Davisson] are terrific people and will do great things at Cornell."

When asked about the challenges Skorton might face, Lehman added: "Always when you come to a new place, you are overwhelmed with the number of new relationships you have to form quickly. But David's interpersonal skills are such that I don't think it will take long for him to feel he has been here for many years."

Lunch (watermelon feta salad, oven-roasted Pacific halibut or the vegetarian entrée for the Skortons, asparagus-stuffed tofu, and fresh local summer berries served with almond crème and sauce Anglaise) was served in a white tent surrounded by flowers and featured brief speeches by Skorton and State University of New York Chancellor John Ryan.

Afterward, the five presidents (Dale Corson, No. 8; Frank Rhodes, No. 9; Hunter Rawlings, No. 10; Lehman, No. 11; and Skorton) posed for their collective photograph in the A.D. White garden, while Robert Barker, director of University Photography, proved true to his name as he barked, "Perfect. Chin down. That looks great. David, lean just slightly this way. Perfect."

Later, in the president's study of the A.D. White House, Skorton sat down in the president's chair, an ornamental, engraved throne that still has its original red leather upholstery, now torn. Cornell's first president, Andrew White, gave the chair to the university in 1868. A plaque on its backrest reads: "To Cornell University … for the use of his [White's] successors to the presidency."

"Hey, who tore the seat cushion, which one of you guys?" asked Skorton.

"It was Andrew," quipped Rhodes, referring to White.

At 2:45 p.m., as the McGraw Tower chimes struck out "In the Mood" and "New York, New York," the university's faculty, deans, trustees and delegates from universities around the country, including presidents from Wells College, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Syracuse University and the University of Rochester, began lining up for the procession.

By the time Fulton took the stage to read "Triphammer Bridge," the chimes had stopped ringing, the packed crowd across the Arts Quad was hushed, and a woman next to Fulton repeated the poem in sign language.

It was official. David Skorton's welcoming to Cornell University had begun.