The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-18
DE PAW FINANCESt
Convention of MethOdists VIII BE
Held to Consider Their Condition.

The Methodist preachers meeting, which,
by special invitation, was attended by a
large representation of presiding elders and
other influential ministers from the three.
Indiana conferences, unanimously resolved
last Monday to invite every Methodist pas
tor in the State and at least one laynan
from every pastoral charge to meet in Me-
rid1an-street Church April 26 and q to con-
slider the critical condition of De PAW
University and devise measures for it's re-
lief. Hitherto only those in the inner cir
Gle have known the straits into which the
university has fallen in the commercial
disasters which have reduced the pro-
ductive values of its endowment funds and
greatly reduced the fund itself. In addi-
ton to this inevitable result, which has so
affected all investments that even the Johns
Hopkins University is suffering seriously
from 1t, when fourteen years ago Mr.. De
Pauw's munificent gifts were made those
VINO had from time to time given literally
Tor specific purposes and current expenses
almost all ceased at once to care for it i'm a
nnanclai way, under the impression that
would be no necessity for their help. Mean
while, under the impulse of Mr.. De PauW's
large donations, the institution shot ahead
IN its numbers of students and professors,
taking on several departments not neces-
sarily belonging to a school of liberal arts.
During his life Mr.. De PauW met most Of
the additional cost of these new DEPART
ments out of his private funds providing
IN his will for $4,000 annually for expense
fund during the ten years before his be-
quest could become available The last of
these was paid last June, leaving the ex-
penses of the current year to be provided
for otherwise, as the endowment fund is
not yet productive. Meanwhile, owing to
the reverseS which came upon every kind
of productive industry, manufacturing in
particular, the net receipts of the uni
n Ion ami h1xra
greatly diminished from what was ex-
pected, but what is left is necessarily tied
up for at least another five years, so that
one object Of this meeting is to provide for
meeting this sustaining fund during this
period and to put the university on a finan-
cial basis adequate to the demands of its
large and growing patronage. 1t was sug-
gested by the meeting that the vice chan
cellor, Rev. Dr. Hickman, should prepare.
condition of the university for that meet
ing, not to be read merely by the secretary
but to be put in such form that it might
be taken home and studied. 1t will. no
doubt, be a revelation to the Methodists of
the State that when the now very uncer-
tain amount of the De Pauw endowment
shall have been received there will be not
only a demand for even larger donations in
the future, but probably annual contribu-
tions from its friends for all time TO come,
or at least as long, supporters of De PAW
believe, as the State contributes its hun
dredS of thousands TO sustain schools no
better. They also believe that the late de-
liverance from the State Normal School
that young men should be taught at college
TO throw OFT ecclesiastical domination" is
not calculated to decrease the zeal of men
who believe in churchly influence in every
department in life. While. therefore, the
proposed conference is not expected to rival
a state political convention in its magni-
tude. ii will call together a large number
of ministers and laymen who do not pro-
pose to let De Paw University languish
for want OF funds through the mistaken
notion that the De Paw endowment is
sufficient for all time to come While such
old and wealthy institutions as Yale and
Harvard are stilkreceiving large donations
10 meet new wants De PauW University
will not perish for want of friends and
funds
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