Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-09-19
Mason City Gets the University.


The writer returned on Saturday
from his trip to Syracuse, n. Y, &c
attend the national encampment OF
the Sons of Veterans. AS announced
in these columns previously, one of the
principal objects of our journey to
| Syracuse was TO assist if possible in Sc
curing for Iowa the National Military
University, an institution of learning
to be erected by this organization as a
memorial to the patriotic men and
woman of war times. We found a
half dozen localities in different parts
of the United States contesting for the
location of this university, the strong
estcompetitor being the city of Wash :
ington, D G..
After four days of "wire- pulling"
the vote was taken, when we We're
surprised to find the work so COM
pletely organized and carried out that
Iowa seemed to be on'the lips of every
one, and when the final deciding vote
was counted Iowa had 147 votes to 10
for Maryland, and Mason City was
declared to be the location of the uni
versity.
The plan to establish a university of
this character had its origin i'm Iowa,
among the Sons of Veterans of this
state. For the past five years the
scheme has been developing gradually
until the present purpose is toestablish
an institution upon the university
plan, combining the teaching of
patriotism and military tactics, etc.
About 81, 900 600 is already in sight for
the endowment of the university, and
it is believed that it will become one of
the greatest educational institutions of
the nation. The bonus offered by
Mason City includes forty acres of
land within the city limits for a cam
pus proper; twenty acres for a drill
ground, rifle range, and athletic field;
twenty acres on Clear Lake shore,
connected by trolley car line, for
naval reserve; the erection of build
ing, to cost not less than $75, 900; the
endowment of chair in Applied
Patriotism and another in Bible Study;
and besides the above the establish
ment of city park adjacent to the
university grounds, the extension of
water main and sewerage to the
grounds, trees aud shrubbery for the
adornment of the campus; books for
the library, etc. etc, making one of the
grandest offers ever made by any city
of several times its size. In fact it was
a surprise to all that such handsome
bonus could be raised. But Mason
City is awake to the responsibilities de-
volving upon the place securing this
institution, and is composed of class
of people abundantly able to carry out
its purposes. The Federation of
Womans Clubs hasalready started up
on the work of fcanvassing for students,
and has about 500 enrolled for the
opening term.
Applications for charters by private
corporations for the establishment of
professional schools under the super
vision of the general university are
already coming ia, and it is practically
certain that the institution will at once
assume a front rank among schools of
its character.
The Board of Regents was elected at
Syracuse, and work will be begun at
once upon the preparation for building.
1t is expected that the corner stone of
the main building will be laid this fall.
The following students of Valdez
Business College have recently re-
ceived positions as follows: Anna
Siewers, Decorah Posten; Geo. Wilson,
stenographer and book-keeper, Upton
Bros, Cresco, Ia; Elsie Miller, steno-
grapher and book-keeper, sash and
door factory, Calmar, Ia; Robert b.
Bergeson, stenographer, Everett, Aug
henbaugh & Co., Waseca, MINI; !;
Alice Bailey, stenographer, Decorah
Republican, Deccrah; Will Roney,
book-keeper, Lumber Co., Sioux Falls,
S. D.; Ethel FallOws, stenographer,
Newspaper Correspondent, Washing
ton, ID. c.; Anna Ziegelmaier, steno-
grapher, r. r. Office, Kansas City, Mo. !;
1. Honsey, stenographer and book
keeper, First National Bank, Buffalo
Center, Ia, Oscar Lee, stenographer,
bank, Albert Lea, Mimi; Ross Daub-
ney, stenographer, Citizens State
Bank. Lake6eld, Mimi; Myra Nc
Intosh, stenograpber, Sibley State
Bank, Sibley. Ia. Send for 32 page
catalogue and ascertain where the
Valdez College students are employed.