Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-09
THE METHODIST COLLEGE.
Wichita Must Have an Institution
of Learning.

The reverend gentlemen empowered by
the Southwest Kansas conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church to locate de-
nominational college will again be in the city
to-day, and for the purpose of finally de-
termining which city has offered the best in
ducements for the present and future of
what is hoped will become prominent in
stitution of learning. These gentlemen
have visited several towns of more or less
local Importance, whose people, no doubt,
with great unanimity, came forward to meet,
entertain and persuade the committee Of
their several advantages. Some Of these
people, recognizing that successful educa-
tional institution would prove Of more i'm
portance TO their towns than any other en-
terpiise they would be likely to ever obtain,
haze strained every nerve and drawn upon
every man and every resource for gJaran-
teed subscriptions. Of course, the commit
tee viii recognize the fact that this is not
true with reference to this city, which, with
in days notice and without special effort,
and without calling on one man in a hun
dred of her population promptly met the first
prerequisite or demand of the conference as
TO money and land, but on the contrary
1t hardly touches upon its reserve forces, re-
sources and influences, which would be all
brought into full play TO boom the college
as Wichita booms all her enterprises, as
soon as it should be decided that il was to be
one of her institutions. Leaving out of the
question Wichita's central location and out
of the question the fact of her greatest ac-
cessability, and out Of the question the very
prominent fact that Wichita would afford
local support four or five times greater than
any point contemplated, we say leaving out
all these, ii would still be. by far, the wisest
thing for the present and future of the
school to locate it within and subject to the
influence of the men and surroundings
which have made this city what it is in spite
of all rivalries, and in spite of the opposition
Of great railway interests and of the men
who controlled them
Our leading men recognize these truths
and, while they could have raised
twice as much money as any town has offer
ed, recognition of these truths and that
should be it located in Wichita, it would be-
come their duty and pleasure to make it
second to no college in the state, has wis ely
restrained them from expending their entire
resources in the effort Of merely securing
the vote Of the locating commission, who it
is presumed haye the fate of the college
earnestly at heart.
Wichita is bound to have great institu-
ton of learning. As an earne.t of that de-
termination We need only mention that but
a short time since they voted twenty-five
thousand dollars TO start a school. The
bonds could not be legally used for such
purpose and weturned over TO the
board of education, but the
incident showed the temper of our
people. If we fail in being designated
as the point for the Methodist college,
which We hope We shall not, the proposition
has been already discussed and a forward
will be made for the founding Of
such AN institution as SO large and central
city as Wichita demands.