Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-03
A CITY OF COLLEGES.
Pittsburg Coming to the Front As an
Intellectual Center.
1 NEW UNIVERSITY PROJECT,
Under Consideration by United Presby'
terian Leaders,
TO BE DISCUSSED AT 4 CONFERENCE

The United Presbyterian Church o
Western Pennsylvania has about decided tt
| establish university. It will be either In
Pittsburg or Allegheny. 1t is likely the
| q nited Presbyterian Theological Seminary
in Allegheny will be changed to great
university. There is also talk of bringing
Westminster College here from New viii
mington or to somewhere that offers better
| facilities as an educational center than the
| present location.
The matter eliminated in an educational
conference OF about forty ministers at the
committee rooms on Ninth street. The edu.
cational needs OF the Church were discussed
and a committee appointed. The basis oi
the conference and what was almost unani-
mously adopted was that the interests OF
the Church demanded an educational in
stitution with university facilities in West
ern Pennsylvania.
discussed, but the sentiment was against its
removal. The following was adopted:
Resolved, That no such removal of West
minister College would be practicable, that
New wilmington. already supplied with
buildings and educational facilities and so
long associated with the work Of heChurch,
must always remain an educational center
OF the same.
Preparing q Plan OF Action.
The following committe was appointed to
prepare plan from which practicable re-
suits might be realized: It consists of Rev.
R. NJ. Russell, Rev. J. T. McCrory, D. D. +,
Rev. D. F. McGill and A. P. Burchfield
This committee expects to meet soon and
has charge of the whole matter. 1t also has
power to call conference, but in the mean
time will entertain all suggestions that will
further their work.
A leading member of the Church who was
at the conference, in speaking of the ques-
tion afterward, said: ''The United Presby-
terian Church in Western Pennsylvania
eating its ministers for some time and feel
something is now about to be realized. 1t
may not come right away, but it cannot be
delayed more than a year. We have had
two meetings of the friends of higher edu-
cation in the Church and the sentiment ex-
pressed means success Another meeting
will be held in short time.
cat first the question was suggested
whether a university was possible. We
found that it was, and at the second confer
ence many plans were proposed None,
more time to think over the matter. The
plan that seems most feasible is to add col
legiate department to Allegheny Seminary
and create university that will take first
rank among the great educational institu-
tions OF the country.
appealing to " ealthy Phiianthropists.
'It can be done if some of our monied
men will only contribute. The Allegheny
Seminary already has an endowment of be-
tween $3.50, 900 and $500, 900. The example of
Rockefeller and others in contributing large
sums to educational institutions will have
its effect, and feel sure If the matter were
presented in the right light many of our
wealthy church members would give lib
erally."
When the matter was broached to another
member of the same Conference he said:
Eyes, the subject of q University in West
ern Pennsylvania is being earnestly and
thoughtfully discussed. We are busy try
ing to find the right plan. Our idea is not
to move Westminster College, but to leave
it where it is. We have several other
small colleges in the West, and they are do
ing good work, but we want a representa-
tive college or university, one that will be,
as it were, the center of United Presby-
terianism. As 1t now is, we are really be-
hind most Of the other churches, and keenly
feel our need. 1t has been suggested to
have University somewhat on the plan of
the new University of Chicago, and have
these other small colleges as merely affili-
ated and working under the same curricu-
lum. This would make the standard of
scholarship uniform throughout the Church.
As to where it will be located is yet un-
decided, and have really heard no definite
place suggested. I would not like to say
whether it will be in Pittsburg or ALLIE
gheny, but if the plan is realized, we would
want to locate it where it would best serve
the interests of the Church.
A Central Location Necessary.
''This place has its advantages in that col
leges, such as Westminster and Muskingum,
in Ohio, could be made preparatory schools
and serve as additions to the main Univer-
sity. The first two or three years of q col
lege course could be completed in them and
then the coGrse finished under the better
facilities afforded by the University. This
would meet my idea of an education, and
feel sure, if this plan were adopted, good re-
suits would follow.
81 have no desire to see Westminster re-
moved, but its removal has been suggested
almost periodically, and think the time
for some change in educational matters is !
ripe. The fault with New Wilmington is
that it is too much of an out-of-the-way |
place. The farmers living in its immediate |
neighborhood, and for that matter many |
other members of the Church living else |
where, send their sons to be educated there,
but it does not attract the young men of our |
cities. They go to the Eastern institutions
and this detracts so much from church dis |
cipline. With an institution of high rank |
under the Church this would all be OBJ
waited, and that is what we are now striving
after. I hope it may be realized"
Several other members who attended the
were seen, and all took hope
full view of the situation. None, however
would make any definite statements. but
admitted that proposed University was
being discussed. The subject seemed to be
attracting much attention in church circles,
and was apparently the topic uppermost in
he minds of all. An educational crisis is
thought to be upon the Church, but how to
meet it is the question.