The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-18
UNCONVENTIONAL COLLEGES.
A Tendency to Liberalize and DO
Away with Sectarian Lines.
Philadelnhia Press

Another indication Of the temper of the
times is seen in the effort of Brown Uni
verslty, IN Providence, r. l., to draw its
alumnl nearer TO 1t regardless of denomina-
tional leanlngS. The same movement is no.
ticeable in Rochester University, New York.
Both or these institutions are Baptist col
!eSeS, and were founded in the day when
IL was the practice for each denomination
to run its own educational institutions. but
both OF them have young and energetic
presidents and boards of trustees that want
10 Keep abreast of the times. AS they are
convinced they cannot do this on the old
lines they are anxious, while preserving all
mat is good In the old, to adapt themselves
also TO the new demands of the present day.
IL Is about $50 years ago since the Phila-
deiphla Baptist Association met and re-
solved that it was expedient to found a col
lege, and that Rhode Island offered the
most desirable location on account of its
liberal charter. The new Institution was ac-
corulngly placed there, and SO long as de-
~nominational colleges were the rule Rhode
Island College. or Brown University as il
afterward became known. fourished and
grew strong. But as mems religious views
nave broadened and the lines between the
dliferent sectS have become fainter it is
found that the policy which served fifty
years ago IS too narrow for to-day, and
that a more liberal one must be adopted if
the college is not to drop hopelessly behind
the times.
In seeking a broader policy Brown Uni
versity is only adopting the ideas followed
by nearly every successful college in the
country. Probably no one. in sending his
stops to think of the religious views OF a
majority of Its board of overseers. Yale
University is nominally under the control
of the CongregationalistS, but many of the
largest additions TO It's endowment in re-
cent years have come from Episcopalians.
Cornell University and Johns Hopkins Uni
VerSity, founded at nearly the same time,
and Clark University, of more recent orr
gin, are all strictly undenonlinational. The
great Chicago University, although founded
by a Baptist, will never be known as a
denOminational institution, provision having
been made for broadening and liberalizing
it just as much as the times may demand
In fact, the only one of the older inStitu-
tons of learning that has preserved its de-
nominationalism and kept itself abreast of
the age is Princeton University. But even
there the liberalizing policy Is felt to such
a degree that a Baptist minister in sending
his son TO Princeton has no fear that he
may be converted TO Presbyterianism. One
OF the chief causes of the great growth of
the University of Pennsylvania TN recent
years is the fact that it has not been re-
stricted by d-enominational lines. So long
as the sectarian college was in demand our
home institution was overshadowed, but
with the new spirit il at once sprang into
q vigorous life. All these signs prove that
the UNCONVENTIONAL college has served its
purpose and that a new policy Is demanded
by the times. In trying to adapt itself to
the new order Of things Brown University
is only giving another instance of it's de-
sire to do the work that the age and the
DeOple demand.