The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-26


"If there is one thing more than another
that might make me faIter in my giving"
said DR.. Pearsons, cit is the everlasting
swarm of beggars who crowd into my of
flee after each announcement of a donation
and who appeal and argue for a lift for
their pet fads till my life works seems for
the moment to be only misery.
cit is said for this reason that I have
made up my mind, and the Times-Herald
cannot put IL too strongly, that from this
time on every cent that 1 give L will give
| secretly and witt the distinct pledge from
the institution benefited that my name will
never be divulged while L am living 1t IS
only in this way that 1 can hope for some
pleasure and peace in the WORK 1 have
| started out to do.
Moreover, L never intend in the future
TO give q cent for any purpose but the
educational uplifting of poor boys and girls.
rms world Is very large, and 1T is full of
poverty, munger and woe. MY own hfc's
lesson has taught me that. But 1 believe
that If my energies are divided all the
things to which L turn my hand will fail.
So l stay in one groove and prefer To spend
the balance of my days in lifting struggling
colleges out of the mire, making il POSSIBLE
for those shut out by environments from
mental advancement to shake off the letters
and giving to our vast Western country
men and women who will make ii a second
and a better New England.
Talk about beggars! Why, / wish you
could see some of the Eastern mendicants
me out here to my home in Hinsdale. But.
by Godfrey, l generally manage TO make
them heartily ashamed of themselves be-
fore ! get through with them. One Of
them has been here four times in the last
few weeks from central Ohio-think Of it.
the grand, rich State of Ohio, begging for
aid for a ~well-known college there.
II have said to him. Go among the
wealthy people of your own locality. Do
/ you think I'm going to give to you when
out in that new West, where for stretches
OF 500 miles there is not a good school for
higher education, young people are seeking
to raise themselves up to become good men
and women without one glimmer of the
own section of the country?' That's the
way to let these fellows see the truth.
one man came to me the other day
from the wealthy districts of Kentucky
Through Kentucky, Tennessee and Vir-
gfnia run rugged mountains. The people
In those hills are intensely ignorant, but
call them. and there are 2.000,o 600 of them
100000 of good, honest. plain Americans.
shut out from the advantages that others
have in the part of Kentucky that this
beggar came from. / told him to take his
appeals somewhere. else. Down among
those mountains is Berea College. I have
| given it $150,00, and I'm going to give it
more, for II is doing a noble work. But
l have not one penny for colleges that
| arc planted in wealthy localities. and
| which ought to be helped by those who
are close to them.
BEREA'S STURDY GIRLS.
upstairs in my sitting room to day are
two young girls from Berea. They came
good wages to do my homework. Two 9TH
ers who had earned $50 each left here a
few days ago to go back and finish out
their course at the college. When the two
that are here have earned enough they will
return also. and two others will come to
take their places. That's the kind Of help
L believe in giving. 1t lifts UP. il lets the
sunshine into my own heart and theirs too,
and 1t is sending out into the world men
and women who Will take rank with the
best among US.
but heaven save me from the suave
beggars. / went TO Colorado last month,
and thought l would escape them there.
Not a bit of IL. As soon as my name was
on a hotel register the flies would flock
round. See him? That's the chap. Go for
him.! And go for me. they did. Every old
woman with a missionary or sewing circle
craze tackled me till life became a tor
ment.
1t would have been unbearable but for
my visit TO Colorado College. There Is an
institution that has done more in ten years
than many Eastern colleges have done i'm a
hundred. Twelve years ago the college had
twenty-five students, one building and no
endowment. 1t now has eight buildings and
nearly go students, with an endowment or
S50.00 and a splendid library OF 5000 vol
umes.
1T has students from the whole Rocky
mountain region, many or whom 20 400
miles to their studies. 1t has on its
shoulders the problems OF the new West.
with its increasing population, its Span
ish speaking people and Mormonism. Ii
has taken the place OF moral and intel
lectual leadership in its section, and is
transforming its life.
And 1 am helping tw~enty-one other col
leges of our country TO this same grand
eminence. Yesterday i sent a Christmas
present OF $4,000 to Colorado College. II
was one OF the happiest moments OF my
life when / signed my name TO that bit
OF paper
Some may think that / am narrow in
limiting my gifts TO objects like this. /
must insist. however. tn following my own
Judgment. n in these matters my judy