Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-04-16
THE METHODIST UNIVERSITY.

The Methodist AdUocdtc (Atlanta) has
an editorial on the subject of benefits aris-
| ing to community from the location of
educational institutions, from which we
make extracts, in view of the contention
for the location of the Methodist Central
University. DIR. Cobleigh says:
We are not surprised that Chattanooga.
Athens, Knoxville, and other places, are
anxious to secure the location of our own
contemplated University in their neighbor-
hood. Such an institution, when located,
will bring money to any place. A student
who spends forty weeks at such a Univer-
sity, will pay for board, clothes, light, fuel,
books, stationery and other necessaries or
luxuries at least from $3.50 to $500, He
will do this every year. This is a close,
economical estimate. Some will increase
the annual sum to $1,000 or more. We
knew student in college thirty years ago
whose expenses averaged over 81 200
year, and he was not dissipatedHand ex-
penses were much less then than now. But
suppose we fix the average between the rich
and the less wealthy at $500 year for each
student. AT thatrate one hundred students
will spend $50, 000-two hundred, 100000.
and five hundred, S250,00O. Either sum is
quite an increment to the trade of a town
or city.
But this is only a part of the estimate.
There must be professors to teach the stu
dents. They will have families. 1t will
cost ordinarily from 81 900 to 50, 900 on a
very economical plan to support professor
and his family for one year. If only ten
professors should be employed, which is a
very small number for University they
would spend not less than $40, 900 to $50, 600
year, all told. Such an institution would
draw around it many other well-to-do fam
lilies for the purpose of enjoying the lite
rary society and privileges or to educate
their children, and they would spend from
81 900 to $1,000 each annually. Now all
these things together, when a University
is fairly established, will foot up to quite o
respectable sum to be expended in the
community annually. 1t does not take
much of an institution to pour into the
town or city where located S5O,OOO to
100000 year. The citizens of Knoxville
or Chattanooga can well afford to give
$4,000 or 100000 to secure the location
among them of the Central University,
for they would soon get that amount of
money back again. Athens and New
Market could afford to be equally liberal
according to their means.
This will give faint idea of the annual
revenue to town or city from such Uni
Nersity, when fairly established. But large
sums would have to be expended at the
outset for fencing and fitting up the
grounds, erecting buildings for the Uni
versity, and houses for the professors also.
houses for boarding students. One hun
dred thousand dollars paid out for mate
rails and labor in this work would hardly
make beginning for first-class Uniyer-
sity. This is only the financial side of the
question, and from this view alone we can
say Fortunate will be the town or city
that secures the University in its vicinity.
The Methodist then gives views of the
moral effects ofsuch an institution, taking
position which no man would care to
gainsay in this enlightened age and closes
as follows:
We are not surprised atEthe competition
excited over tho question of locating the
University, except in one feature of it. We
are surprised that there is comparatively
so little zeal manifested and so little spirit
and purpose in it. 1t seems to us that, after
all, the people are looking at this without
a hundredth part of the real
value that will flow from such a Univer-.
sity as it is the purpose of our church to,
bulld up at some suitable point in the
South.
We commend these thoughts to the ear
nest consideration of our people. We have
t in our power to secure the location of
this Central University in Knoxville if we
will only do it.