Evening star., 1896-03-09

Mackay Smith, rector Of ST. Johns p. f.
Church: Rev. Dr. T. 8. Hamlin, pastor of
the Church of the Covenant, and Rev.
DR.. Hugh L. Wilson, presiding elder Of the
District.
A hymn. written for the occasion by
Rev. Dr. E. J. Rankin, president Of How
ard University, was read by the author.
Among those who delivered short ad-
master General w. l.. Wilson, Senators
knute Nelson and John n. Thurston, Rep
resentative L. E. Quigg and DIR. b. L..
Whitman, president of Columbian Unf-
versity.
History of the Movement.
The American University was incorpor-
ated in the District of Columbia May 2S,
1891, for post-graduates and professional
courses of study and for original research.
The charter from the District of Columbia
was surrendered, and new charter with
enlarged powers. was granted by Congress
in 1893. The land was bought upon faith
alone. There was no wealthy individual
who came forward to make pledges for
its purpose, and every step at the initial
stages was taken on the ground of relian ce
on the great multitude of people and not
upon the generosity of one or few. Mr..
john F. Waggaman of Washington fur
nished the $1,000 for the option The cp-
ton was later accepted. and the land was
of $4,000 was made February ~. 1880.
The remaining payments have been met
and March l. 1885, the last payment was
made, and the land is now in possession
of the trustees of the university.
With the idea that education would not
flourish unless some attention was paid to
religion it was decided that the control
Of the university should. be lodged in
board of trustees of that class, and while
two-thrds of the board are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. there are six
denominations represented in the corpora
ton.
dents young men and women who shall have
completed their academic studies and re-
-ceived their first degree. Its plan is to fur
nish ample facilities for the broadest and
highest work in professional, special and
original studies.
The Projected buildings.
The buildings will include the administra-
ton hall, to contain the general offices for
the management of all departments, with A
senate chamber for general assembly pur-
poses Of the university. Combined with it
will be library and chapel, the hail of his
tory, to be begun next week, and proposed
colleges of language and literature, phil
osophy, the sciences, technology, sociology
and economics. law, civics, medicine, scen-
tific, temperance art, religion and other de-
partments. The beginning of the hall of
history was made some time ago, when a
lady in New York provided endowment for
the department by the gift of SHOOTER and
pledges have been received of over S150.OGD
for. the erection of the building. Ministers
all over the country have been deeply inter-
ested In the work and their subscriptions
have been merged into one fund, known as
the Asbury memorial fund, which has now
grown to be over $4,000, and which is to be
used for building to be known as Asbury
memorial hall. This hall will be reproduc-
ton of Christ Church College, Oxford, the
college where John Wesley studied
A recent report places the financial condi-
ton of the university as follows: Present
value of the site, $20O,O0O; other real estate
$4,000; building funds in hands and pledged,
$340,OOO; endowment in bonds, security, ETC.,
$2OO.O0O; endowment pledged, $250,OO0; total,
s., ,O4O, 900