Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-03-27
coLI,EGEs.


nay, much surprised, to see the statement
in your issue of this morning, that a
Christian newspaper had come out in op-
position to the proposed College of the
M. 2. Church. j, had supposed that all
denominations rejoiced in the establish
ment of Protestant institutions oflearning
| in our midst. Least of all did I look for
opposition on the part of that church,
whose leaders plead so earnestly for none
but Christian education for the young.
The spirit which actuated such an article
is very different from that which Il have
witnessed in those who have referred to
the recent donation of Commodore Van
derbilt to establish a College for the M. e.
Church, South. have heard men of
various religious views refer TO it., and in
all cases with, expressions of rejoicing and
of congratulations for the recipients of the
gift. That church has no college in TEN
nessee, so far as [ am aware, whereas the
NJ. E. Church has had one for several years
and the movement which is now on foot is,
if understood it, to give a broader basis
to its educational resources, both pecunia-
rily and in regard to the extent of educa-
ton it is to give. Can such a movement
be an injury to any other Christian church ?
Can it be an injury to the State 2 q aaasq4
| Let US see how Tennessee stands in re-
gard to Collegiate Education, According
! to the latest statistics of the Bureau of
| Education at Washington, there were but
246 students pursuing a collegiate course
| in the whole State of Tennessee. Surely
there is need of a few more, and there is
little danger of crowding upon any de-
nomination: and least of all, upon the one
| in Wy int hn 1oi, 10,
| eddy made. I think if we could hear her
voice it would be "save me from my
| friends q nEaEF Rp-nR "a ashEfp
Of these 246, only 17s belonged in this
| State-less than one to every 1000 of her
population! Certainly there will be enough
| youths left unprovided for to amply fill
the Vanderbilt University, after that of
| the Nj. E. Church has secured all it can, or
even all it wants.
There were only 60 students from
other States, pursuing collegiate
that the climate and scenery, and other
advantages of our State, can reasonably
expect to draw from other States? Ought
there not to be enough attracted here to
| fill not only all the colleges now existing,
and the proposed one of the M. E. Church
| South, and then leave enough for that of
the M. e. Church
But again, the same statistics inform us
that there are 100 youths of this State, who
are attending the colleges of other States I?
Is this condition of things satisfactory to
the writer of the above noted article ?
Does he prefer that our young men go to
other States to receive their education? If
not, will it not be well to have as many
| first class colleges as we can secure and the
more the better? Whatever denomination
establishes college in this State, will both
bring large sums, of money. from other
States, as the M. E. Church South is now
doing, and will also draw large sums from
its own membership, whom no other
Church would be able to reach, all of which
will be used for the Christian, but unsec-
| tartan education of our own youth, and of
those who shall be induced to come from
other States. dKk
/ In conclusion allow me to present few
more figures from the valuable tables to
(which I have referred. Let us compare
the number of students pursuing collie
| giate course in our own State with those in
the States which surround us. Alabama,
far inferior as it is to cur owns State in
natural advantages, has 242 collegians-4
Hess than Tennessee. Georgia has 5l5, more
than double. Kentucky has 724, almost
three times as many. North Carolina 324
nearly once and half as many. Virginia
1893, almost four and half times as many.
I think the above will sufficiently an
/ swer any objections that may be urged
from any source against the establishment
/ Of first class educational Institution in
our State by any Christian denomination.
Mach 25, 1875.