COOPERIA. 380 COOPER UNION. flowers in summer. Tlie flowers, which resemble those of the Zephjraiitlies, but have erect in- stead of versatile anthers and, unlike other mem- bers of the order, liloom at night, are two inches or more in diameter, usually waxy white, blushed with pink outside and jjreen-tinged w ithin. Those of Coopcria pcdioiculata (giant fairy-ilower) , the most po])ular species, are larger, of purer color and longer duration than those of Cooperia Dnimmomlii (evening star), the other well- known species. A species or variety, Cooperia Ohcrtretlei-i, said to have bright-green flowers, was advertised during the last years of the cen- tury just closed. The plants are of easiest cul- ture. They do well in garden soil, and if dug at the ap]>roach of frost and stored in dry soil, wlu're the temperature is maintained below 50° F. but not so lo' as 32°, they may be kept over winter without trouble. The geniis is named after Joseph Cooper, an English gardener. For il lustra tiijn, see Colored Plate of Amaryllidace.e. COOPER RIVER. A river rising in Berkeley County, S. C. It flows southeast, and unites with the Ashley River below the city of Charles- ton, in the estuary forming Charleston Harbor (ilap: South Carolina, E .3). It is navigable for 30 miles to the canal connecting it vith the Santee River. COOPER'S CREEK. An Australian river springing from to headw-aters, the Thom- son and Victoria, in Queensland, and flow- ing southwest through South Australia into Lake Eyre. During the rainj' season the river rises 20 feet and widens to two miles, while in the summer season its lower course is dry (Map: Australia, F 4). On its banks the explorers Burke and Yills succumbed to starvation in 1861. Consult: Burke and Wills, Exploring Expedition (Melbourne, 1861) ; Wills, Explora- tion (London, 1803). COOPER'S HILL. A descriptive, or, as Dr. Johnson termed it, a 'local' poem, bj' Sir .John Denham (1642), issued in perfected form in 1065. It suggested many lines in Pope's Windsor Forest. COOP'ERSTOWN. A village and county-seat of Otsego County, N. Y., 52 miles southeast of I.'tica ; at the outlet of Otsego Lake, and on the Cooperstown and Cliarlotte Valley Railroad (;Map: New York, F 3). It is in a hop-growing and farming region, and contains a cheese-fac- tory, box-factory, etc. The village is growing in popularity as a summer resort, and has a park, 'Cooper Grounds,' and a library and Y. M. C. A. building. Cooperstown was first incorporated in 1812, and is now governed rmder a charter of 1880, revised in 1895. The executive holds office for a year. Population, in 1800, 2657; in 1900, 2368. The land on which Cooperstown stands was the site of an Indian town, and in 1700 became the property of George Croghan, who at- tempted, unsuccessfully, to foimd a settlement. In 1785 it came into the possession of Judge Wil- liam Cooper, who in 1786 founded a village, and in 1790 moved thither with his family, including J. Fenimorc Cooper, the future novel- ist, then an infant. The latter lived here thirty- seven years, and is here buried. Consult: Cooper, The Chronirles of Cooperstown (Cooperstown, 1838), and Livermnre, A Condensed EistOry of Cooperstoicii (Albany, 1862). COOPER UNION FOR THE ADVANCE- MENT OF SCIENCE AND ART. An insti- tution established in New York City in 1859 for the free instruction of the working classes in applied science, art, and social and political science. The L'nion embodies the social phi- losophj' of its founder, Peter Cooper (q.v.), and is lu^ique among educational institutions in the United States. Its central idea is to afford orking people full opportunity. 1)}^ means of day and evening classes, to obtain a mastery of the technical trades and sciences; and also, tlirougli the medium of lectures, reading-rooms, and art and scientific collections, to induce a, more- discerning citizenship and a broader mode of living. To accomplish these purposes, ^Ir. Cooper erected a large l^uilding at the point where the Bowery divided into Third and Fourth avenues, and deeded both land and building, valued at .$030,000, to a selt-perpetuating board of trustees. This board was to consist of not less than five or more than six members, and upon the board was especially' enjoined the establishment of regular courses of evening study; the maintenance of a library, galleries, and collections; tlie establishment of a school of art for women, in order that those who "might otherwise struggle through a life of poverty and sufTering," .should be raised to "competence and comfort"; and the establishment of a polji^echnic school "equal to the best tech- nological schools now established or hereafter to be established." By 1864 the trustees had de- veloped this broad scheme of education so far as their funds permitted; but afterwards, for many years, the I.^nion was unable through lack of endowments adequately to extend in scope, and was even obliged to turn away large numbers of its constantly increasing applicants. Indeed, except for large sums given by Peter Cooper, and afterwards by Edward Cooper and William Cooper, and by Jlr. and Mrs. Abrain S. Hewitt, the Union remained practically unendowed Tmtil 1900, when Andrew Carnegie gave $300,- 000, and later $300,000 more. " These sums, together with considerable gifts made by Mr. Abram S. Hewitt and others, permitted the final rounding out of the original plans. The scope of the institution now includes, besides day and evening courses in technical science and art, in- struction for women in stenography, typewriting, and telegraphy, courses in decorative composi- tion, architecture, and interior decoration, in elo- cution, oratory, and debate, and several lectures a week in engineering, civics, and ethics. Degrees are conferred in science, and in civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. In 1902 the an- nual income of the Union approximated $100,- 000, its endowments amounted to over $2,000,- 000, and the total value of property under its control to $3,200,000. In the same year 2399 pupils were enrolled, of whom 825 entered the evening school of science and 1150 the evening art department: visitors to the reading-rooms nvimbcred 500,000 ; while the attendance at the lecture-rooms was estimated to aggregate 150,- 000. The trustees originally appointed in 1859, and to whose luitiring efforts the success of the Union must in large measure be ascribed, were: Peter Cooper (q.v.K Daniel F. Tiemann, Wilson G. Hunt. Edward Cooper, Abram S. Hewitt, and John E. Parsons.
