The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-23
GIRARD ANNIVERSARY.
Coming Semi Centennial Of Phila-
. delphia's Famous College.
ANECDOTES OF THE FOUNDER.

His Heroic Solf Sacrifice During a
Yellow Fever Scourge. When lie
Bravcd the Dread Disease and Acted
as a Nurse-IIis Restrictive VIII.
Philadelphia, Dec. 21.-On Jan. 3 the
fiftieth anniversary Of the founding
of Girard College will be celebrated
with great pOmp and ceremony in the
city of Philadelphia. This famous in
stitution. established by the great mar
liner and merchant for the free educa-
ton of orphan boys, Is now conceded
to be one of the grandcst charities of
modern tmes-unique in the history of
personal philanthropy. The magnitude
of the gift is beginning to be appre-
ciated by the people and, as it is, the
character Of Girard is beginning to re-
veal itself in a new and more favor
able light to the people of the United
States. Time and the cool, sober judg-
ment that comes a half century after
a man has passed away shows this re-
markable man to have been one of the
great characters of the age.
At the time of Girard's death his es-
ttilV aiilpuiNSN- ~ d'"'uN @'ioVV,uuV' -
was by long odds the greatest fortune
in the United States at that time, and
1t was surpassed by few if any of the
private fortunes abroad. One hundred
and forty thousand dollars of this vast
sum was bcqueathCd to members Of the
Girard family; $50oO00 to the city Of
Philadelphia for the Improvement of
its water front; $3C0, COO to the state Of
Pennsylvania for internal Improve
ments, and the balance in trust to the
city of Philadelphia for the erection.
improvement and maintenance OF a
college for poor white orphan boys. In
addition Girard devised to the cities
of New Orleans and Philadelphia 80,
600 acres of land in the state of Louisi-
ana, but this was subsequently lost to
the legatees by decision of the United
States supreme court.
Two million dollars was set apart by
his will for thr expense of the erection
of the college. Excavations commenced
On May s, 1913. and the completed build
ings were transferred to the board Of
directors On the 18th of November, 1877.
/. viii thus be seen that j. years were
consumed in carrying out the preim-
mary Instructions Of Grard's will. The
work. however, was largely delay I'd by
reason of innumcrablc suits brought
against the estate by the heirs OF
Girard. The original purpose was tn
have the college erected on the block
bounded by Eleventh. Twelfth, Chestnut
and Market streets, in the very center
of the city, but q codicil to the will
changed the site to the William Par
ker farm, a plot Of ground occupying
45 acres on the Ridge road.
Pupils We're accepted as soon as the
building was completed, and the num-
Der has been gradually growing larger
year by year until the number of boys
now being maintained and educated
reaches the large total of 500.
There are hundreds of applications
on the waiting list Of the college, and II
is considered rare distinction to final
ly obtain admission to the institution.
In 1882 the value of the estate left for
the endowment Of the college amount
ed to between $2,0O0,0OO and $4,000, 900.
In 1896 the total value of the estate
reached the enormous sum of s14,921,-
1928, and the net income amounted to
81, $50 SS0.22 and this latter sum is now
sufficient to maintain tia -Sllege.