The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-04-05
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CITIZENS
OF LEXINGTON.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CITIZENS
OF LEXINGTON.
The writer of this letter desires TO
call the attention of the citizens OF Lex
inglon to the history and prospects of
the Wentworth Military Academy and
asks u candid hearing. lie wishes to
give IA brief history and then state it's
needs and ask you "what arc we going
TO do about the matter?" The history
of this institution is well known to you
all. We deem il unnecessary to enter
Into details, neither do we see iii to use
ilatiering words regarding IL generous
founder, the venerable old man whose
name il bears. We all know of the
generosity of Mr.. Wentworth TO u
academy. lie has always been its ben
eiactor, and is to-day, after all he has
done III the past for it, the greatest
beneiact0r il Gun claim. We will how
ever, briefly call your attention to the
growth OF the Wentworth Military
Academy. II began its existence as an
unpretenti0us day school. In u very
short time its good management began
to attract the attention OF the parents
of our neighboring counties, and IA
suitable boarding department was pro-
vided. These quarters, however, were
soon outgrOwn and Il new building
designed Tor the barracks of a military
school was erected, but even that snffi-
ced for only IA few years. The we'll
deserved popularity of the school made
il necessary to enlarge these new
quarters, and 80 only two years ago
the boarding department had its rapac.
ity nearly doubled through the kind
ness OF MIR. Wentworth aud the citizens.
Now h fact again conironts the school
that its barracks and school building
are both too small to meet the patron
age il IL drawing from seven states.
We thus briefly alInde to its growth,
but VT do il with a feeling OF love and
pride tor AL institution that is a bless
ing to our SONS in its high moral tone,
and through them to us. We say from
experience and without ear of contra
diction, that the moral influence exerted
on the cadets in Wentworth Male
Academy are a. good and as affective
N any school in the land. But the
patronage has OuigrOwn the
datiOns, and we are sure that The two
must grow together or the school will
decline. What must we citizens of
Lexington do about il? We must lend
a hand by giving Of our means. Why
For the following reasons: The school
il now ready to take II place IN the
front rank OF schools of its class. lta
merits have been acknowledged by the
Washington Lee University OF Virginia,
in their beBtowAl Of "A scholarship; by
the University of Missouri in the fact
that the institution admits the gradu-
atcs OF the w. NJ. A. without exnmiua-
ton; by the state of Missouri in that
two Of the members OF iis faculty were
JiurinA tn last year commissioned
major aud captain respectively in the
National guard OF Missouri. This year
il has drawn its patronage from seven
different states. The people OF Kansas
City who have boys to educate, are
finding this the place to send their boys.
The barracks contained fifty boys at
the beginning of the session aud there
are fifty In barracks now. The school
prepares young men for college Or bus
mess and is not u school Of correction.
Young men of good morals come here
and are strengthened and built up
in their manhood. Financially, the
school benefits the whole town aud be-
longs TO the town. In the first place
il educatcs our boys at home, and
saves us the expense of sending them
away. Secondly, with its present
capacity Tor fifty boarding pupils IL
brings TO our town, by a small estimate,
$3.50 90 per pupil, or in all, $l7 800 90,
nvary ynar. Ugnrn ito cunaciiy anlarnaI
this amount would be enlarged In pro-
portion. The greater part OF this money
IL spent in Our town with our mer-
chants, and they all acknowledge that
the academy Is tar more of "A benefit to
Lexington than any other college In
this city. The last reason, but by no
means the least, we shall mention is
this: The money You give Is no nncer-
tain speculation, yOu invest in all
institution that you have tried and
found to be u benefit to you. Our rea-
son for mentioning 80 distinctly this
last, is that ip many towns tbe ciiiFens
are even willing to furnish most of the
funds necessary TO fOUnd such an insti-
tuition and after q few years are 81 well
repaid, that they give oyer oil the
property into the possession of those in
charge. You ara only called upon to
contribute to the enlargement OF an
institution that has for years been a
source of benefit TO you. "What," you
ask, "atter all, Is the object OF this let
teri' IN answer, we tell you that IA
movement is now on loot TO raise
money to Increase the capacity of the
boarding department OF The academy,
and to erect y new school bnllding.
Prof. Sellers proposed to the board OF
directors that he wound invest three
thousand dollars il the board would
raise the same amount tor the carrying
ont Of the above named improvements.
MIR. Wentworth will release Il debt of
one thousand qollar9. dyed him by the
school, aud give an additional Thousand
on the same conditions Prot. Sellers to
be given "A lease on the ~aclIool property
tor fifteen years. Are YOU going to do
your part ia rGl8ing the three thousand
dOllars2 We think thai IN view of all
theI reasons we have given why the
school should now be helped in its
needs, we certainly will not prevent its
growth and keep il from taking its well
deserved rank, through our failure to
raise this three Thousand dollars. Let
us come to the help OF these W o men
who agree to give iour thousand il we
give three, AID place the Wentworth
Military Academy on Ii sure footing.
Can we afford To allow the plan to iallf