The Resume

(August 13, 1851-April 24, 1933)
Born in Alzey, Germany
Chair of political and social ethics at Columbia University (1902-33)
Founded the Ethical Culture movement (1877)
Wrote 'The Moral Instruction of Children' (1882), 'Life and Destiny' (1903), 'The Religion of Duty' (1905), 'The Essentials of Spirituality' (1905), 'World Crisis and Its Meaning' (1915), and 'An Ethical Philosophy of Life' (1918)
Member of the American Philosophical Association, the National Child Labor Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Urban League

Why he might be annoying:

He was expected to follow his father as rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in New York City, until his first sermon shocked the congregation by not mentioning God (1873).
Cornell declined to renew his contract to teach Hebrew and Oriental literature after he was denounced as an atheist (1876).
Ironically, the free kindergarten for the poor he established evolved into Fieldston, one of the most expensive pre-schools in the country.

Why he might not be annoying:

He emphasized good works as the basis of ethical culture: 'deeds, not creed.'
He organized teams of nurses to visit the homebound sick in poor districts (1877).
He established a free kindergarten for the children of the working poor (1878).
He built six 'model' tenements to relieve overcrowding and combat exorbitant rents (1885-87).
He was married to Helen Goldmark for 52 years.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 5)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 88]
• I Attended Columbia
• I Attended Heidelberg University
• I Died in 1933 (Ranked: 81)
• I Earned a Doctorate
• Philosophers: 19th Century [1800-1900]
• Philosophers: 20th Century [1900-2000]
• Profiles 54501-54750 (Ranked: 54749)
• Teachers
• We Celebrated Our Golden Anniversary

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 0% Annoying