The Washington times., 1894-03-19
WEALTH FOR. SCHOOLS.
What Rich Men Have Given to Institutions
of Learning.

! What Rich Men Have Given to Institutions
of Learning.
| In 1e47 Abbott Lawrence gave csc, 900 tc
| Harvard, says Rev. 8. P. Cadman in the
Chautauquan. and 1t was then said to be the
largest amount ever given At one time during
the lifetime of the donor to any public in.
stftution In America. The reconstruction
period, 30 f1tly consummated at Chicago last
year, is a marked epoch for college endow.
ments. Between the years OF 1860 and 1885,
the colleges Of this country gained in wealth
an amount larger than their entire valuation
in 1859. More than $50, ,000, 900 were bestowed
in these twenty-five years upon our educa-
tional establishments, and S35, 900 900 Of this
amount were donated in the ten years be-
tween 1s70-sO. Johns Hopkins endowed with
$4,000, 900 the university bearing his name.
Mrs. valeria G. Stone, of Massachusetts, dis
tributed more than 81 ,000, 900 among various
institutions Of learning. Asa Packer founded
Lehigh University, and Ezra Cornell the
university at Ithaca, N. Y, which bears his
name. The names of Matthew Yassar. Sophia
Smith, and Henry +. Durant demand more
than passing mention. Each OF these pio-
neers in the cause of higher education for
women made their beliefs permanent by
founding female colleges, and Henry W. Sage
provided for the special instruction for women
in Cornell University. But the ideas OF
generosity have widened with the pro-
cess of suns, and the last ten
years have witnessed far more
liberal endowment Of educational centers than
the period just referred to.
ol-nf fnl1n ,rt.y ytno1 nffa nf
toward the resuscitation of the defunct Chi
cago University was made in 1886, and the
total sum he chiefly, and others in lesser
amounts, since bestowed is more than
S7,000,000. Mr.. C. T. Yerkes gave S500.0
for the observatory and telescope, Mr.. Mar
shall Field gave the university lands, and an
other $500, 900 was bequeathed from the estate
of William B. Ogden for the School of Science,
the Reynolds estate adding S250,000 more.
Here, then, and at Palo Alto also, is
university practically made to order.
Senator Stanford's gifts to Palo Alto amount
to more than 100000. By the gigan-
tic power Of wealth wisely used he has Gre
ated the Oxford or Yale of the West upon his
fruit ranch. The quiet man OF affairs has
put all future civilization under bonds OF OBJ
legation to him for his singularly noble
achievement, the phenomenal gift OF all CIV
ing. Mr.. James ]. Hill. of st. Paul, has given
81 ,000, 900 for the erection of q Roman theo-
logical seminary beneath the superintendence
of his friend, Archbishop ireland. Mr.. ]. s.
Pillsbury presented the city OF Minneapolis
with $50, 900 for science hall in its universi-
ty. Mr.. George A. Piilsbury gave another
S150,000 toward the Pillsbury Academy. Mr..
James Lick provided the observatory, with
its mammoth telescope, situated at Mount
Hamilton, Cal. and named in honor
OF the donor. DR.. Coggswell, bestowed
100000 for the San Francisco Polytechnic
school. Miss Mary E. CARROTS check for
S350.000 was recently handed to the trustees
Of Johns Hopkins to complete the sum neces-
sary to open to women the medical DEPART
ment of that university.
The Girard College at Philadelphia has
been too long before the American public to
need any special introduction here. 1t cost
nearly S2.000,000 TO found this institution.
The Drexel Institute is the latest descendant
of GIrard, and perhaps it is the best and
wisest of Philadelphia philanthropies. The
various departments of Pennsylvania Uni
versity owe great deal of their existence
and efficiency to prominent Philadelphians.
Mr.. Lenning, for example, gave $3.50. 900 to
the scientific school, and the late Mr.. George
Pepper left more than 81 900 600 TO the schools
and charities OF the city. The Western Re-
serve University has founded medical col
lege with S250,000 given for that purpose by
Mr.. J. L. Wood, of Cleveland. Ohio. William
F. Clark followed with 100000 for the
Woman's College of the same institution.
The Cincinnati University was the gift of Mr..
McMicken, who bequeathed almost : ,000, 900
for its support. Mr.. Armour has given his
institute TO Chicago, worthy peer of the
the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and the
Cooper Union in New York. Mr.. Armour's
gift will have cost him about S3,000,0 900
by the time it completes the found
er's purpose Bishop Hurst's scheme
for national university at Washington is
well under way. A donation of 100000 is
just reported. 1t should he observed that
the monetary estimate OF these numberless
enGowments is only a partial one; the con-
tagion OF generosity has caused Il leading
offer. such as Mr.. Rockefeller's to Chicago. TO
become the precursor of far greater sums.
The timeliness. the healthy spirit, the sanity
of view Vhich has prompted such donations
is even more admirable than their magnitude.