Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-01-11
THE DeExEL INSTITUTE.
a philadelphia School to Resemble Some
what the Cooper Union.

a PhllQdcl phtN school to iseScWDle Souio-
what the Cooper Union.
In order to correct erroneous impress
sions about the Drexel Industrial in
stitute. which it was inrende,l to es
tabliSh at Wayne tnear 'Phila%lphia),
i is thought advisable to make arbrief
statement, giving the original purpose
US it existed in Mr.. y. j. Dlexc's
mind. with u, review Of the circum-
stances which, have modified and en-
larged that purpose.
His FIRST thought was. that as quito
a number OF institations had been
founded for the industrial training Of
boys. and but lew tif any, exclusively
for girls. that he would establish an
industrial college for girls. in which
they should be instructed and trained
in such way as 10 help them To en-
ployment aud occupations in which
they could earn liberal living. Ac
Communications and facilities for hous-
ing, boarding and training about 200
girls were to lie furnished and To this
end land and buildings were purchas
cd ut Wayne, and architectural plans
were prepared by competent archi-
tccts. In addition To the girls who
were to be thus boarded and instructed.
it WAS thought that hecontemplated
institution might accommodate about
four or five hundred more girls. who
could get to the school during the
day, get their luncheon there, and get
back to their own homes in the even
ing.
After more mature elaboration it
was found that this scheme had sew
eial drawbacks. the chief OF wE;:.n
was the withdrawal of the .g:.'is from
home influence. There were other
strong gorside. ..,tons. But that was
the priHclpal one. together with the
belief that the sphere of usefulness OF
srch an institution mrght be .....eatly
enlarged by the adoption Of another
plan. abandoning the idea OF boarding
the, girls, and establishing the insti-
tutc within the city limits.
Lis now the purpose OF Mr. DrcXel
to provide funds To purchase land and
construct buildings, and for the main
terance OF u full corps Of instructors
for an industrial institute for young
women and young men, that will &C.
comnodate for their instruction and
training. as many rs a thousand girls
in the day time ami thousand boys
at night.
The facilities and instructions to be
provided for this school are 10 be free
OF any and all cost to its students for
ever; that is, so i;r us the, provision oil
ample funds and business foresight
can assure. The working operations
OF the college will be probably
somewhat similar to those OF
the Cooper institute in New
York. A large lecture hall, ca
pable OF seating at least 1000 persons
and all extensive reading room, pro,
vided with all the aseful, technical
and other books and appropriate peri
odicals and newspapers OF the day,
will be features of the plan.
To The Ledger it appears that this
modified and greatly enlarged scheme
is much preferable to the original de-
s;gli, not only because. it will freely
open the doors Of the DreXcl institute
to 50 many more students, but because
the administration of it will be SIM
pier and much more manageable. 1t
will, of course. cost Il much larger
amount OF money. as an annual III
come ol from *4O,G00 to $50. Ols' may
be required for tile college, in addition
to the cost OF the land and buildings.
In all, Mr. Drexel expects the founda-
ton, lands and buildings and endow-
mcnt of institutions may cost $780,.
OJ0.-Philadelphia Ledger