The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-05
CHURCH HALLS


In Connection with the State University.
An Isaper,aat Prebiem Solved.
To the Editor OF the Intclligencer.
SIR desire to call the attention
OF your thoughtful and educated read
ers to n great work which can be done
by the various churches OF West Vir-
ginia-a work which lies at their hand
ready to be done. mean the practical,
common,sense idea OF taking advan-
tage of the great opportunities offered
by the state at the state university.
The Protestant Episcopal church.
through its wise and far-sighted head
in West Virginia, has already made
an important step in this direction.
Let me quote what. Bishop Peterkin
says in his annual report on the diocese
of West Virginia:
I'm ftiihiiment of plan which has
been In contemplation for several years.
a church hall has been established in
connection with the state University at
Morgantown. This idea OF Church
halls or dormltories at state UNIVERSE
ties has of late created unusual interest
because OF number of magazine ar
ticles and addresses by Prof. Richard
T. Ely, PHI. D., and other earnest adj
vocates Of the plan.
THE idea has its origin in a condl-
ton of things which may be stated
thus: All the states-except a few OF
Vtded otherwise-have established state
universities, which are munihcently
equipped for the highest training In
every department OF educational life.
Many people, however. object to these
universities on account OF tho fact that
they do not or cannot exercise a care
over the students In their home life.
and because OF what is supposed to be
an insufficient moral or religious inffu-
ence. This is due to the absence OF
dormitories. and OF ability on the part
OF the state TO provide religious In
fiuence which. would entirely satisfy
each denomination.
There are two ways Of getting rid
OF this objection: ~ By building sepa-
rate church colleges: az BY building
church dormitories, called church
halls. for the accommodation Of stu
dents at the state universities.
"ru build a separate church college.
with an equipment equal to- that OF
the state university, Is impossible for
the church In any state: and, even II
It were possible. It might not be wise.
for experience has shown that students
ordinarily prefer the more general in
stitution, where extraordinary privi-
leges are offered them free of charge.
It is here that the church hall comes
in 10 relieve the church OF the burden
OF building and endowing a large uni
versIty for q few students, and TO sup
plement whatever may be lacking in
either home or religious way In the
state institution. The church hall can
provide all that the separate college
could. It supplies the home, with its
dormitory, under the care of a church
clergyman. or other 1T person. and II
may, II desired. have its separate chapel
services or family prayers. its special
studies Of religious or voluntary char
acter. and. In addition to all these, ev-
erything that the great university can
give In either an Intellectual or social
way. It keeps the stu dent under the
influence OF the church. and II docs II
without deprivlng him OF the Inesti-
mable advantages provided for him by
the state. In fact, Il seems an easy
and sensible, solution OF the difficult
question as TO the proper relations OF
the church and state in the field OF
higher education. II makes the one up
hold and supplement the efforts OF the
other"
II seems TO me that the bishops ar
guments are unanswerable. and other
denominations In West Virginia ought
to see the practical wisdom OF doing
something OF like nature. II is i'm
possible. Us the bishop says, to found
college these days and support Il so
that II will be OF respectable standing
without large sums OF money; but with
n comparatively small sum church halls
can be established at the university,
and when established they would prob
ably be self-supportlng.
EDUCATOR,
clarksburg, W. Va. March (,