In 1884 a young man died. After the funeral his grieving parents decided they would establish a memorial to his name. With the best of intentions they met with Charles Eliot, who was then president of Harvard University. Eliot received the humble couple into his office and asked how he could help them. They shared their desire to fund a memorial for their son. Eliot, having sized them up, with some impatience asked, "Perhaps you have in mind a scholarship." The parents replied, "We were thinking of something more substantial ... perhaps a building." Eliot brushed aside the idea as too expensive. The couple left. The next year, Eliot learned that the couple had gone elsewhere and had established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University. Today their gift is known as Stanford.
