St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-10
IT MUST BRACE UP.
Manchester College Finances
Are at an Alarmingly
Low Ebb.
Probability That President
McCurdy Has Seen His
Last Year.
A Scheme to Liquidate the
Debt of 500, 900 Now
Hanging Over 1t.
Field Day Exercises Of Yes
terday Very Pleasantly
Contaminated.

Manchester college has had somewhat
of varied history the past year. AS is
well known, the institution is in debt
and has been running behind the past
year, but her trustees have managed to
keep it afloat and another year has
closed. The prospects for next year are
ester would wish. There is a good
deal of uncertainty about the
future of the institution, and the visitor
at this pretty little college can teel it in
the air. Last evening reporter OF the
GLOBE was discussing the future OF the
college with one of her professors.
doctor of divinity. He acknowledged
that the faculty we're little i'll the dark
as to how long the school would
continue to run. 'You see," the
professor said, Manchester has had a
varied history. In some respects she
has been very successful, but there is
no doubt but that we should now have
more students than there are here at
present. This last year we have had
under 100. The Institution is over
100000 in debt. and we ought to raise
it. We have considerable property
here. but the trustees do not like
to mortgage it. expect that the trust
o6S Will MCGt tO-IlOIlOW ouu N1SooiO
with this problem"
The professor, continuing. said that
no one knew who would be at the head
of the faculty next year. He had heard
it mentioned that DR.. MeCurdy would
not be presi lent another year. Sew
eral months ago Dr.. KirkwOod's chair
was vacated, but he was retained on
half pay, at the same time taking the
pasIorate of the First Presbyterian
church at Manchester Park. 1t is
question whether DIR. Kirkwood will re-
main another year. Several changes
may be looked for when the trustees
have their annual meeting.
A year ago, it will be recalled by those
interested in educational matters, when
DR.. Kirkwood's chair was vacated, his
personal friends came to his aid and Sc
cured him another years tenure. LII
was purely an economic move. Inc
college was not on paying OASIS,
and the trustees in an endeayor to
solve the financial problem decided to
dispense with that chair. Prof. Kirk
woods friend straig htWay raised suffl-
Gent means to retain him, but the term
arranged for thereby expires tomorrow,
and there is said to be no provision for
a continuance thereafter.
e For long time the impression has
obtained among certain Of the trustees.
it is related, and many of the patrons OF
the school, that President McCurdy is
not in all respects the best adapted to
the position he occupies, and IL has been
as good as understood that the present
scholastic year will end his connection
with the institution.
Thomas Cochran, one of Manchester
colleges trustees and patrons, was seen
by a GLOBE reporter last night anent
the above gossip. "As a trustee" he
said, frankly. Il have 10 knowledge OF
any change. The board of trustees will
meet in Minneapolis at 2:30 to-
morrow afternoon, and it is pos
sible, of course, that there NAV
be designations for us to act
upon. but | have no Official knowledge
that such will be the case. The college
is in debt 100000, in round numbers,
but we have not despaired of meeting
| this. Something like month ago we
resolved to lift the entire debt. The
| plan was formulated to secure $4,000
| in $1,000 subscriptions, and we have
already raised $4,000 in st. Paul
| alone, and may be able to
| complete the amount before the
beginning of the new year. | will eX-
plain, by the way. that one-h alf our
| board reside in Minneapolis and the
other half in St. Paul, and it may
be that the Minneapolis contingent will
| alone be present at to-m0rrow'S meet
| ing. In that event an adjournment Will
be had until Wednesday at 1890 at the
college, when the commencement exer-
-