Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-13

DENT YELLING Is MOST HoPEFUL-FRIENDS OF
LEARNING TAKING ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE
PRoJECr-MoNEY ALREADY PLEDGED.
Washington is moving toward its destined
position as the center of higher education in
the United States along several distinct lines.
The Roman Catholic university is an accom-
plished fact, the project Of Methodist univer-
sity is well under way and for a considerable
time the Baptists and members Of other de-
nominations interested in higher education
have been working quietly but vigorously to
build up in the city a Protestant university,
using Columbian university as a foundation.
Publications have been made from time to time
concerning measures which the friends of that
university have been taking for its develop
! ment in the direction of advanced and post
| graduate studies. In order to learn more Of the
| Columbian" movement a STAR reporter dues-
toned President Yelling concerning it this
| morning.
THE ORIGIN OF THE MOVEMENT.
1.-THE present movement in behalf of the
university" saio DIR. yelling, Originated in
the month of December, 1888. In the latter
part OF that month a meeting of the board of
managers OF the American Baptist education
society was held in this city. was invited by
the board to make a statement concerning the
opportunities and wants of the institution and,
, In voluntary response to this exposition, the
board appointed special committee of five
gentlemen, consisting of the Rev. Frank NJ.
Ellis. DID,, of Baltimore, the Rev. George
Dana Boardman. ID. D., LII. D.. of Philadelphia
| the Rev. II. L. Morehouse, DID,, of New York
| city, the Rev. A. c. Osborn, ID. D.. of Albion,
NY. and Prof. W. r. Harper, Ph.D., of Yale
university, with instructions to inquire into the
facts and possibilities connected with the uni
versity problem in the city Of Washington.
That committee, after making visit to Wash
i aFta.
our new university building and verifying the
| statements currently made concerning the edu-
cational facilities Of the national capital, joined
! unanimously IN a report which exhibits under
fifteen distinct heads, certain salient features
OF the university in connection with its 'unpar-
| alleled facilities for educational work of the
highest grade. The report concludes with the
| following resolution:
Resolved, In view of the foregoing facts
concerning an institution already established,
and of the unparalleled facilities offered in
Washington for university studies, under the
guidance of Christian instructors, your COM
mittee, confident in the belief that its recon-
mendation will not interfere with other educa-
tional enterprises. unhesitatingly expresses the
opinion that the effort of the trustees and
overseers of Columbian university to secure an
adequate endowment of the institution should
be, and Is, commended to the favorable con-
slderation of the denomination.
The report of this committee was submitted
to the board OF managers of the education
society at a meeting held in Boston ON the 18th
OF May, 1889, and was made a special order for
an adjourned meeting to be held in the follow
ing month Of October. That adjourned meet
ing was held in the city of New York on the I'd
of October, 1889, and, after full discussion, the
report was unanimously adopted, in connection
with the above-recited resolution"
AN APPEAL TO FRIENDS OF LEARNING.
'What was the next step?' inquired The
STAR reporter.
"A meeting of the board of trustees and
overseers of the university was called in the
latter part of November last to take formal
measures in furtherance of the movement.
The form of an appeal to the friends and bene-
factors OF liberal learning in the United States
was then drawn up and adopted by the author
tiles Of the university. 1t was resolved in the
first instance to ask for the addition of S1000,-
600 to the present endowment of the university,
and committee of the board was placed in
charge of the enterprise"
What has been the cause of the delay?"
I'm the first place." answered Dr. yelling,
"a committee of advice and correspondence
the members of which reside in every part of
the Union, had to be formed, but the principal
cause of delay results from the fact that it was
not deemed judicious to make effort in be-
half of the Columbian university until the
million of dollars appointed for the creation of
college in Chicago had been raised under the
auspices OF the education society. That sum
lacks now only few thousand dollars Of COM
pituOu
What is the present condition of the uni
versty?' asked The STAR reporter
1T was never SO fourishing" said Dr. We'll 4
ling. 1.-The aggregate number OF our students
III all departments Is over 600-620 odd l be-
lieve."
NATIONAL IN ITS SCOPE.
"Will the university be sectarian in the en-
largement proposed to be given to its opera
tions?"
"A sufficient answer to that question:" said
DIR. yelling, may be found in the memorial
made to Congress by its founders. They stated
that they designed to found an institution
which should be of national consideration and
benefit. as it was national in its seat. ma
jority Of our governing board are Baptists, but
all denominations are represented in that
board, in our faculties and IN our students"
What Is the prospect of success in your
enterprise?'
THE prospect is good" DIR. yelling said; "a
considerable sum has been already pledged"