The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-30
DE PAW in BAD STRAITS
ALUMNI DISCUSSES THE URGENT
NEED OF FURTHER ENDOWMENT.
Meeting Mt Roberts Park Church Last
Night-Last of the Annuity from
De PAW Estate.

De Pauw University at Greencastle is In
serious financial condition When the sal
aries for the period ending April l are PAID
the last resources of the university for the
current year will have been exhausted.
With that payment the money provided Tor
in the will of the elder De Paw as sus-
tanning fund will be exhausted, and the an
nual deficit of the university will amount
20 about $4,000 unless something be done
to cover it.
The De Pauw endowment did not amount
to as much as was expected at the time OF
the beouest 1t has now been eleven years
since the endowment of the university. 1t
was provided in the will that 40 per cent. of
the estate should go to the endowment OF
the university, and it was thought this
amount would yield revenue sufficient to
maintain the university for number of
years from the time of the settlement of
the estate A provision of the will set aside
$4,000 a year as a sustaining fund for ten
years, or until the will should be carried
out if it were carried out within the ten
years. No provision was made for current
expenses in case the estate should remain
unsettled at the expiration of the ten years.
The ten years have expired, and the April
payment will wind up the sustaining fund.
The estate has not been settled and the
university cannot draw anything from the
De Paw bequest; and if it could it would
not be sufficient to meet the growing de-
mands of the institution. De PAW Univer-
sity has felt the effects of this lack of funds.
The impression has gone out that it is in a
weak condition. and the number of students
enrolled is less than usual. Only about
six hundred are on the rolls now, as against
an average attendance during the past ten
years of about nine hundred. The lack OF
confidence first began to appear when the
institution lost valuable teachers from time
to time on account of the inability of the
board of trustees to pay sufficiently high
salaries to hold them. Then the law school
and the normal school were cut OFT and
suspended. Those who kept In close touch
with the institution became aware OF the
fact that it was not keeping fully abreast
Of the times. Improvements which ought to
have been made in laboratories and libraries
This state of affairs has aroused the
alumni throughout the State and has caused
a call to be issued for meeting to be held
in this city April 26 and 81 1t is the object
of the meeting to increase the endowment
of the De PAW University If possible, and
to at least provide for the temporary needs.
The programme for the 9th has been ar
ranged The following subjects are to be
discussed: 'Asbury and De Paw and the
Hi DRY of Indiana" DE Pauw, the enid
Sustain and Maintain Loyal Relation to
De Paw University" Relation of De
Paw to the Christian Leadership of the
Twentieth Century"
At one of the sessions of the convention
Mr.. Glenn Studebaker will preside, and
Bishop Bowman will occupy the chair at
other times. place on the programme will
be given to DR.. Moore, editor OF the western
Christian Advocate, and to DIR. Berry. edi-
tor of the Epworth Herald. Members of
all conferences of the State and prominent
laymen will also be heard.
A meeting was held last night at Roberts
Park Church of resident alumni of De Paw
for the purpose of arranging for the April
meeting and providing a programme for the
opening day of the convention. Rev. T. A.
Goodwin presided, and the whole subject of
De Pauw'S condition was discussed Among
those who spoke were DR.. w. II. Hickman,
vice chancellor of the university; A. c. Ma
SON. member of the board of trustees; Rev.
c. +. Bacon Rev. Frank Carson, Rev. Mr.
Lasby and Captain Ritter 1t was shown
that the Methodist churches of the State
would raise considerable portion of the
deficit this year and might be relied upon in
future years. For arranging the programme
for the meeting next month, A. l.. Mason
was appointed chairman of committee
with authority to name two other MEM
berS.