Title	1915-05-21: Sage, Margaret Olivia Slocum, to E. Lillian Todd
Creator	Sage, Margaret Olivia Slocum
Date Created	1915-05-21
Decade	1910s
Index Terms	Sage Philanthropy Margaret Olivia Sage, career philanthropy, motivation of, intentionality Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (history)
Commentary	Sage declares that she is writing in order to respond to an article in the Troy Times, May 15, regarding her philanthropic gifts to the city of Troy, New York. At other times she had made it clear that she had no love for Troy or its inhabitants. Then why did she agree to give a dining hall to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)? It is "as a memorial to Russell Sage's nephew, Russell Sage 2nd, who was educated at RPI." This Russell Sage had been designated by her husband heir to the Russell Sage fortune, but he died in 1891 in his fifties. The letter is interesting because at eighty-six she writes firmly in her own hand and also because it shows a strong intentionality in her philanthropy. E. Lilian Todd had worked for Sage for three years, but Sage was still not spelling her name correctly. She did sign the letter "Affectionately, M.O. Sage." [Commentary written by Dr. Ruth Crocker]
Item Description	This image is a handwritten letter from Margaret Olivia Sage to E. Lilian Todd. The writer explains her donations to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. [Item Description created by Auburn University Libraries]
Transcription	May 21, 1915 Dear Lillian [sic] The Supplement of the Troy Times May 15, is very interesting to me. I now send you the reason why I have engaged to build the Dining Room of the future Dormitory System of Rensselaer Polytechnic. It is as a memorial to Mr. Russell Sage’s nephew Russell Sage 2nd, who was educated as an Engineer in Troy Polytechnic, & left there to help engineer & build the Troy & Boston Rail Road & much of the gift from me, has his money well earned. I like the plans as presented in the Troy Times picture & hope the whole scheme will be carried out for the problem of sleeping & eating is now being solved at Princeton & Harvard most satisfactorily. Just give this data to President Ricketts. Affectionately yours M.O. Sage
Language	eng
File Name	28.jpg
Original Document ID	Box 92, Folder 897
Collection	Russell Sage Foundation Records
Repository	Rockefeller Archive Center, Sleepy Hollow, New York
Rights	This image is not the property of the Auburn University Libraries. Anyone wishing to use this image must contact the repository listed above for permission.
Digital Publisher	Auburn University Libraries
Mini-Collections	E. Lilian Todd Philanthropy to higher education Family members Russell Sage Naming