Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-20
DREXEL's GREAT WORK.
The Plans for the Industrial Instifution
Nodded and Eplarged-Accommoda

The Plans for the Industrial Institution
Nodded and acknowledgements ida
lions for 1000 Students.
PHILADELPHIA, August 19.-The Public
Ledger tomorrow will say editorially: In or
der to correct erroneous impressions about the
Drexel Industrial Institution, which it was in
tended to establish at Wayne, near Philadel-
phia, it is thought advisable to make brief
statement, giving the original purpose as it ex-
isted In Mr.. A. ]. Drexers mind, with a review
OF tie circumstances which have modified and
enlarged that purpose. His first thought was
that as quite a number of institutions had
been founded for the industrial training of
boys, and but few, If any, exclusively for girls,
that ne would establish An industrial college
for girls in which they should be instructed
and trained in such q way as to help them to
employment and occupations in which they
could earn liberal living.
Accommodations and facilities Tor housing,
boarding and training about 200 girls were to
be furnished, and to this end land and build
ings were purchased at Wayne. and architec-
tural plans were prepared by competent arcni-
tects. In addition to the girls who were to be
boarded and instructed 1t was thought that the
contemplated institution might accommodate
ABOUT 400 or 500 more girls who could get to the
there, and get back to their own homes in the
evening.
A Change of Plan.
After more mature deliberation it was found
that this scheme had several drawbacks, the
chief of which was the withdrawal of the girls
from home influences. There were other
strong considerations but that was the princi-
pal one, together with the belief that the sphere
OF usefulness of such an institution would be
greatly enlarged by the adoption of another
plan, abandoning the idea OF boarding the
girls, and establishing the institution within
the city limits.
1t is now the purpose of Mr.. Drexel to pro-
vide funds to purchase land and construct
buildings and for the maintenance Of a full
corps of instructors for an industrial institute
1or young women and young men, that VIII ac-
commodate for their instruction and training
as many as LOCO girls in the day time and LOCO
boys at night.
The facilities and instructions to be provided
for this school are to be free of any and all
the provision OF ample funds and business fore.
sight can assure. The working operations OF
the college will probably be somewhat similar
to those OF the Cooper Institute in New York.
Plenty of Accommodations.
A large lecture hall, capable of seating at
least 1000 persons, and an extensive reading
room, provided with all the useful, technical,
and other books, and appropriate periodicals
and newspapers of the day, will be features Of
the plan. To the Ledger (which publishes the
foregoing by authority 1t appears that this
modified and much-enlarged scheme is much
preferable to the original design-not only be-
cause 1t will freely open the doors of the Drexel
Institute to so many more students, but be-
cause the administration of it will be simple
and much more manageable.
1t will Of course cost much larger amount
OF money as an annual income Of from
$4,000 to $4,000 may be required for the
college IL addition to the cost OF the land and
buildings. In all Mr.. Drexel expects the
foundation, lands and buildings and endow-
ment OF the institution may cost 81, ,66O,OOO.