Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1889-02-21
COLLEGE COLUMN.
PROFESSOR B. F. POwELsoN, Sup't.
DODGE CRY, KAN, Feb. 12.

member of that body, and chosen to do a specific
| work. AT the same time. coming here TO do
| work which will take years in its accomplishment,
we became identified, and that very closely, with
! the best interests Of Dodge City and community,
and hence we cannot but feel doubly grieved at
the delay in pushing forward so important an ell
| terpri.e a. the cole e.
Wet,ke il for granted that the citizen who has
| addressed us, means just what he SAYS, and is
| therefore representative person, and We will
| therefore attempt TO give a statement Of facts
which we think wi meet the issue in the request
made, hoping at the time to enlist the active
sympathy and cooperation of the large class of
| citizens. represented in 80 laudable en- enter
| prise as the one engaging Us.
| BRIEF RECITAL
of the history of his enterprise seems here de-
| nianGed.
| This college matter was first brougt to the at
tention Of the Presbytery at Its me- ting in Med.-
cine Lodge, April 9th, 1857, when petition from
| certain citizens of Dodge City presented ask
| Ing Presbytery, through Commission, TO visit
Dodge to consider al offer in lands with view
TO the establishment and control of a college.
| Presbytery appointed a Commission in accord
ance with the request and instructed them To
proceed TO Dodge ity a. soon as possible and act
| for Presbytery. The first days of May were Sc
| lected a. the time
On the 4th day of May, 1887, the citizens Of
Dodge met TO act in the matter Of erecting col
| lege, and duly organized. committee Of rix-
| teen persons was appointed TO take in charge the
| matter above stated in behalf of the citizens,
10 be known as the Citizens Committee. The fol
| lowing named persons composed said committee:
| +. NJ. Boyd. VIC Shnn, NJ. V. Markley, ii. NJ
| Beverley. 5. Muilendore, +. c. Zimmerman, B.
+. Milton, L. X Soper, Z. VI. Becson. Marsh,
J. ii. Crawford, J. j. Summersby, X. NJ. Wright,
| John >layen, J. NJ. Gilbert and NJ. W. sutton.
o. May 9Th. the committe. met and Was duly
| organized. AT this time the Presbyterial Com
| mittee was in the city. -Four different sites and
| offers We're rendered and made to the commission.
They reported to the citizens committee their
| preferences a. follows: 1st.-Our preference is
first the west site offered by ShInn, Collar, Zm-
| hermann and Others, provided assets be
guaranteed 10 cover 40 acre site and $4,000 cash
| for building and leaving equivalent of SEQ
| 900. for Operating fund. 2nd.-Our second pref
ereLce is the north site offered by Soule, Mall IL
| dorc and others, with an equal sum guaranteed.
The citizens committee 10 complete arrangements
for one OF the sites ane guarantee the erection of
| building, etc. Us required, and the proposers of
| sites to report to the chairman of Commission
within i've days.
Those making offer Of west site were not able TO
meet the roquirments, but Mr.. Soule. in behalf of
himself ana others, proposed To give in cash s5i,
b0 and ~ acres of Hand, he to receive all lands
rendered in north site. provided the college asso-
ciat or Authorities erect building TO cost no
| les Inan 5000. aa.d vii, conduct II college of
first lass CaDacity and ,ffici,uc,
The Commission accepted thi- as a compliance
substantially with their proposal for the second
site, and agreed to Meet at as early date H.
possible TO complete arrangements for getting the
work under way, consulting with the citizens
committee. And at meeting of the Commits sion
May aith, Mr. Soule's proposition was accepted,
and selection made Of the 10 acres for site They
directed that the executive committee, which had
been constitu ed in the meantime by the citizens
committee, should have full control of the erection
of buildings and the distribution of funds there
for, after plans and specifications have been plac
in their hands. This executive committee con-
sisted originally of Messrs X. NJ. Wright, S Null |
endore. W. Z. Shinn. j. W. Gilbert, L. X. SOper |
and NJ ". sutton, but subsequently Messrs. NJ |
V. Markley and John slaven put on the COM
mittee vice Wright and Soper, resigned. II was |
then agreed also that sa0.Oo Of the $4,000. be |
expended III the erection of college building, and
the balance in tn erection OF Il boarding hall. |
Persons were appointed to look after the differ nj
matters looking 10 the completion of buildings by |
Oct. /, 1851.
\ Preparatory school wa, determined LpU,.
tirou Il ;he year beginning oct /, icsi, and nel.
Il. +. PoweisOn was eiectcd fr.Ac.pai, Win : al |
AIRY stipulated. This school was opcn proyiuoi
4 sufficient guarantee fund could ht OhJaInoG |
through the executive committee, !y saO>cri piioA,
meet expenses.
The executive committee, by direction, incOrpo-
rated as the sOuie College Erection Association,
and with the full practical management OF the
matters connected with the building of the college,
Ar. SOHle giving his bond 10 tnrn over the proper
~ 10 Pre-b ytery Whenever buildings are complet-
e;i, Der contract.
More time then expected was consumed III get
ting plans and specifications and securing bids.
On the l2h OF Sept, IcS., the contract was award
et TO Mr. VIM. Lawson at s3i.UJO., $500. having
ben added 10 lie building fands Jy subscription.
Nj. LAWSON give bond 10 The arlOGnt of ssrU".
aiId time Tor completion ol the OuIlIing--
college hall ana dOrInitoly Aug 10. 1855. The
architects Aes-rs. Weston ant. Manning, also gave
bond 10 amount of ST. 400. that the cost Of build
ng- should not exceed the estimate made IL their
specifications.
With these things done. anu with fund of over
3, 10 subscribed by the citizens, aud more prom
ised, as guaranteeing The payment Of expenses, the
Preparatory school was opened, and Presbytery
took up in good faith its work towards the estab-
lisnment of Il first rate institution OF learning |
There were other inducements given to lead them
in, oh ,,t,aa -i,,r tpa of hes I
promise Of street railway to college grounds
The school Was successfully conducted through
the collegiate year, ending jane 18th, 1888, and
having an aggregate attendance Of ITO students.
But then began embarrasments. Much Of the
guarantee subscription fund was not paid The
teachers salaries and other expenses remained
unpaid, or only paid in part. The work in the
construction of buildings delayed, so that no
canvass Of students could be made. The Board
of Trustees Of the Presbytery, then fully incorpo
rated and organized, could not advertise an open
ing having no assurance Of the timely completion
of the work, and being unable under such state
of affairs to funds for operating Still they
resol, ed to stand loyal ID the enterprise and urg
ed the citizens committee to go forward. With
some fresh promises and assurances, they made
provisions for opening on Sept 18th, but too late
TO make any effort to secure students. The OPEN
ing and the results are, We presume, known TO
all. And here We are, the last days of Feb. 1888,
with no building completed; crippled sadly fnan-
ciaily, because We cannot have Of funds we
expected, funds We were careful TO have insttut-
ed, and which we had every reason to expect
IL il not for us to say who is to blame for this.
But We do know that We in enviable posi-
ton, with our teachers unpaid, and enduring hard
ships and priyatIons, and many Of our current ex-
penses unpaid, and more, unable to extricaie
ourselves.
Nor viii it do good to consume time in attempts
to saddle responsibility Of failure on some one.
The question is: what can be done TO relieve
Us from embarrassment, and do Justice to our city
and county in putting this enterprise squarely on