Obituary for Gertrude Houston Nye
The Ithaca Journal, Jan 2 1940, P. 3, Cols. 1-2. with photo
'Miss Gertrude Houston Nye, 72, of 607E. State St., for many years warden of Risley dormitory for women at Cornell, died Sunday morning. Dec. 31, 1939, in a Cambridge, Mass., hospital. She had been making a holiday visit with her niece, Mrs. Arthur C. Stockdale, of Boston.
Funeral services will be at 2 p. m. Wednesday in Sage Chapel, with the Rev. R. E. Charles, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery.
-- Born in Maine --
Miss Nye was born in Lewiston, Me., the daughter of Gen, George Houston Nye and Mrs. Nye and a descendent of Gen. Sam Houston, the famous Texan. Most of her youth was spent in Maryland. She attended Wellesley and was graduated from there in 1890.
She studied music in Berlin, coming to Ithaca in 1901 to serve on the faculty of the old Ithaca Conservatory of Music.
In 1903 she went to Cornell to act as chaperone at Sage Cottage, later used as headquarters for the University Faculty Club. Ten years later, in 1913, she was appointed warden of the newly-erected Prudence Risley dormitory for women. She retired because of ill health about five years ago.
-- Traveled Extensively --
Miss Nye had traveled extensively, having friends and relatives in England.
She is survived by a sister, Mrs. A. Ross Cuthbert of New York City: five nieces and nephews, Mrs. Stockdale and Houston and Shields Burr of Boston: Miss Margaret Cuthbert of New York City, and Maj. Cuthbert Cuthbert of London, England.
Miss R. Louise Fitch, dean of women at Cornell, said today of Miss Nye:
"She had high standards and kept students up to them. Few people can appreciate her unusual contributions and influence in a college residential hall."
Of Miss Nye, Miss Laura Bryant, vocal music supervisor in the Ithaca Public Schools, said:
"With the passing of Miss Nye music in Íthaca has lost one of its best friends. Few people realize the extent of her influence on the musical life of the great number of young people with whom she came in contact."
"She brought into the lives of hundreds and hundreds of young women the enriching influence of music. Adding to her always strenuous duties hours of labor and planning, she organized a series of recitals each year during the Lenten Season. She called on all the musical organizations and individuals in University and city for help, arranging many charming music programs for the girls of Risley.
"Herself a very fine musician, she organized singing groups, training them diligently, especially at Christmas when the Risley Choral Club sang Christmas carols for the various gatherings and affairs."
-- Taught Appreciation --
"On Sunday after dinner the girls were assembled in the drawing room to sing hymns and college songs. Untiring were her efforts to teach appreciation of good music to the young people about her. She never lost an opportunity for bringing the girls together for singing or for hearing good music."
Indeed the last activity in which she took part before she left Ithaca for the last time was a children's Christmas party. She insisted they sing carols. As they settled down to really lovely singing she was heard to say, "Through their carol singing they are feeling the real, the true Christmas spirit."
"Music was one of her gods. To give music or bring it to others was one of her hobbies. She believed in its refining, enriching influence. She gave of her own splendid musician's life unsparingly and thereby she brought the love of music into the hearts of many who would never have found it otherwise -- an undying heritage."