The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-13
NEW BUILDING DEDICATED.
APPROPRIATE EXERCISES HELD At
WHITMAN COLLEGE.
on, of Chicago-OutIines Briefly
the Struggles of the College and

Five years ago the college was in debt
tc the extent Of $1,000 with no endoH -
ment and only one small frame building
Today there are two stone and brick build
ings with a 20-acre campus $4,000 cash
endowment and not a dollar OF debt The
entire amount Of money needed for t1~Se
purposes has been raised ov contributions.
considerable part ing from l1cal
people.
To celebrate the occasion, 1t was ar
ranged to hold dedicatory services dur
Ing commencement week
Tonight the largest gathering that has
ever graced the new college chapel was
present to participate in the dedication
OF 1he memorial building and Billings
hall Special music was rendered by the
conservatory, and DR.. o. W. Nixon, liter
ady editor OF the Chicago Inter Ocean,
delivered the dedicdtory address. Great
enthusiasm was manifest throughout the
meeting Or. Nixon touched upon the
history, struggles and final success Of che
college. saying that ne had fa1tn tnst
such a day as this would come to Whit
man, but he had scarcely expected TO be
living and permitted TO take part in II.
He said the dedication OF great college
buildings for the purpose of upbuildlng,
OF blessing the living and coming genera
lions. is always of Itself an occasion of
interest.
1T would be a pleasure and privilege
for US TO be within touch with this great
army OF our distant friends tonight but
we live perhaps a few years too early
to accomplish II, or from the dome Of Me-
mortal hall we would send by wireless
telegraph wave of rejoicing over to your
Blue mountains, where Whitman in 1896
hewed the boards for doors and tables
for the old mission home. We would ask
the Blue to repeat the message to the
Wasatch. where Whitman was lost in
snow drifts In 1872 We would ask Wa
satch to return the wave to the peak Of
the Rockies. where, on July 4, 1896, the
sweet voice of Mrs. Whitman in songs of
patriotism first echoed TO the rocks and
forests and where the frst prayers dedi-
Gated this fair land TO God and the Union
We would ask the Rockies to send a wide
sweeping wave to the Alleghanies and
on 10 the Green mountains OF distant Yer
mont and down the rock-bound coast to
Massachusetts, ana In all that wide reach
We would hear hearty re-echoes to all
our rejoicing.
ON October 49, 1866 the first whitman
college building. after many delays was
dedicated and the work inaugurated. In
the largeness OF the gift from the stand
point OF capacity to give, In the length
ened years during which the work was
so persistently prosecuted. and the spirit
of Joyousness with which II was done
make the act one unparalleled In beauti-
Five years ago, after an absence Of
forty-hve years, | again visited tina old
oregon territory. now three prosper ous
states. and saw with wonder the great
changes. But I stood in sorrow At tho
grave OF Whitman. which hal been un
honored in all these years except by the
picket fence about II, made by the kind
~ hands Of students. True. the college
with its flowers and shade, mad an afr Of
life and hospitality and charmins mem,
was grooming under mortgage debt
that II was unable To pay. To those who
do not have faith that God rules the
world and answers prayer. he condi-
lions were well nigh appalling, but nom
d human outlook the prospect was not
cheering.
Or. Z. X. Pearsons. with his far-see-
ing eyes. always looked for wise INVEST
ments. had some time before made you
a notable offer OF endowing the coilege
with $4,000, provided you raised in addi-
ton $50 90. IL was made IN the terms
of all his gifts. which recognized he
necessity OF cooperation for success.
But IL was time Of such general t'ran-
clal distress in every quarter OF the land
that by the terms OF he gift the college
seemed helpless to meet Its demands.
some called the conditions hard and
would never be called upon for his check.
and, in fact, there was no concerted effort
made to secure its Dement'S.
DIR. Pearsons is not only among the
most generous but Is the wiseSt Of all
the great gtverS. Every gift ne makes
Is based upon business principles lie m
rists upon an endowment as the first
thing. 50 that poor students as certainly
as the rich can acquire an education. lie
insists in all vases, in all the many col
lcges he has aided and the many he has
saved from extinction. that a healthy and
enthusiastic constituency must surround
each one He lays stress upon thiA, and
by the terms Of has giving he educateS
and induces others 10 give
Hard as II seemed for the people i'm
medtately about Whitman college to raise
the $1,000 endowment required OF them.
yet they did Il, and 1t Tade every giyer
richer In AL tnat enters into the life and
spirit OF true manhood and EiItuOus wO-
manhood. When the endowment Was
nearing completi ou tho demands fer build
ings were SO imperative that pr Pear
sona again came to the front with hi.
generous oter ana yoI. again ad, ptina;
nla Nincet. Nent tn and won "a grand
victory. - seen iu the new and c0mmo-
diaus campus ana the palAuA memorial
building and Billings naH cQuiqIel tor
TO the great army Of liberal si,ers Tor
endowment and FOR billings nall. both
states We can do 70" less uan tender
or thanks ana gratitude A. pr r4le
was The found 50 eurely "a as br Pear
sons the savior ~ Whitman C7lsge Know
INK him - well am aware shat eny
personal sulogy would wound rather than
please Rut a. selhShuess and tho aCts
gr1N Ink out - % are thr Sreat SINS o,
the world. We can rightuny DRAW pVc.
deal lessons frCgn aicA lirc As seen IA
tar work acccmpiishrd-
Il trust 7 will NOT - considered rr.-
srmptGlUs by reminding BE- hlt.ross mon
Ws,A WaNA and the home Seopie Z
WASHINGTON ~ the deep aud abiding in
ttFr~f tN"N ought 70 9A'a SOS tha q. ]
-rrse~s - tna whitman e. Isge su-ak
BE- ur spirit q battery vhrn I marx 'ha.,
states ~ ne Northwest tt declined o. Z :.
among ffo rr1rdest - che ur.ea Your
climate. and scii. and ,0i ests and min
erals and diversified scvn,ry. are s-arr.v
rpaSeei Far AS No4 ITr Go tte north
ward ana westward tasrs ara mountains
"t SO farther n5rtn 3nf acst NJ raaa
cam tc-'s'c Dov is Iksl. to o'rr'stirs'e
RE values q your r1m 1910. ce WHOM jag -
a