Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-02-12
An IMPORTANT SUBJECT

In its personal gossip from Tacoma
the acknowledgement has the follow
ing item, which suggests a subject In
which the readers of the HERALD are
specially interested:
Rev. William NJ, Jeffries has returned
from California, where he inspected the
Stanford university, finding twenty stu
dents there from this vicinity. There
are $50 students all told, and sixty-siX
professors. He said today: MY visit
has convinced me perhaps more thor
oughly than ever before that there Is
room for a large university OF high class
In this state. The Stanford university is
not admirably located, to my mind. Ii is
on low spot in the valley. 1t is swampy,
and we had to walk about on boards out
side. II he had this work to do over
again the president informed me he would
make some changes"
In direct contrast with the Stanford
university, which Mr.. Jeffries says is
located on a low and swampy spot in
the valley, the site of the Fairhaven
University has been admirably selected
and commands the admiration of all
who are acquainted with its excellent
location. The conclusion of the rev.
erend gentleman that the state of
Washington needs ga large university
Of a high class" is the very one in
spring the gentlemen interested in
founding the university of Fairhaven.
The field is an open one, and the de-
mand for such an institution is grow
ing more urgent with the completion
Of each school term, and If not supplied
by the erection Of the proposed uni
versity on this favorable site must go
to some less desirable place.
A recent letter from President Laid
law, who is touring the eastern states
In the interests of the enterprise, says:
~ will send you some good news
shortly respecting the university"
Though referred to in previous articles
on the subject, the argument still holds
good that the residents of Bellingham
bay and of Whatcom county should be
as willing to work for their own inter
ests in this important matter as are the
people residing in the eastern states
Mr.. Laidlaw is meeting with very
gratifying success in securing funds for
the erection of the university buildings,
and only asks of the property owners of
Whatcom county that they provide
sufficient endowment in land and
other securities to warrant the future
success Of the enterprise. Considerable
land has already been donated, but
more is needed, and it is a question of
the utmost importance that the endow-
ment fund be increased at once.
The University of Fairhaven is pro-
posed TO hold an equal rank with any
educational institution in the United
States, and will give to the state of
Washington a high rank among the
educational centers of the country. 1t
will provide facilities of education in
the higher branches of learning that
cannot fail to attract a large patronage
not only from Washington but also
from the adjoining states, and in ask
ing for liberal endowment fund its
promoters are only Influenced by the
desire to found an Institution adequate
to the demands to be placed upon it.
There Is no opening for a small institu-
ton. In his comments Mr.. Jeffries
puts special stress on the need Of a
" large university Of high class" and
it is this demand which the Fairhaven
University is intended to supply, but
its success depends not alone on Presi-
dent Laidlaw, nor upon the few who
have thus far contributed to its endow-
ment fund, but upon every one who
has property interests in the county, the
majority of whom would doubtless
cheerfully make donations Of land to
this enterprise If they would but bring
themselves to realization of the great
advantages TO be derived from its sue
cessfnl prosecution, and of the vast
amount of good TO be accomplished
through its erection. The call is urgent;
the need is imperative. Letters on the
subject addressed to the HERALD will
be promptly answered and all needed
information cheerfully given.