Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-05-08
BUcKspoRr SEMINARY.


Principal Bender Appeals to Confer
ence for Aid and support.
At the East Maine Methodist confer
ence in Clinton last week, Principal 8. A.
Bender, of the Bueksport seminary, made
stirring appeal for aid for the seminary.
He said:
Two generations of men have stood for the
founding and perpetuaizine of our conference
school. Its existence is the product of the
judgment of the men of the 40s, whose
prayers and sacrifices organized confer
ence. Its REORGANIZATION has been made
possible through the devotion of the wisest men
of our conference who have made the school
the altar for a continual sacrifice The sup
porters of the school for the last half century
have been the men whose names are the symbols
for Methodism in eastern Maine.
The conference faces crisis in the schools
existence. The present comparative non
support of the school will lead to absolute
failure. For in the educational world there is n
progression that is constantly enarging the
facilities of our educational institutions. The
present non-deyelopment means relative retire.
gression.
Our school must compete with rival schools.
Our power of attraction should consist in the
presentation of adequate facilities to develop
the highest type of manhood and womanhood
Only in such an appeal can we as a church
maintain our moral selfrespect. The developed
manhood of our children is of more value than
our school. and If we cannot support school
whose equipment will mould as noble and CON-
prehensive manhood as that of any other in
stitutiOn within the avail of our younU ppOple
we have lost our right to exist.
Our position relative to the school is con-
ducive of injury to ideals of financial integrity.
The pressure of financial need unrelieved by
the generous support of our people has en-
croached upon the endowment fund that should
have been kept sacred to perpetuate the
institution. Such method of finances
aienates the best men of the church.
The present precarious condition of the
school is demoralizing; it is impossible
for the administration of the school in the en-
forcement of discipline to be as rigid as it ought
to be when the faculty realize that the loss of
one student will be disastrously felt in the
financial welfare of the school.
In fact, the school is facing erisis-a failure
to advance means the doom of the school. We
cannot bolster up the institution by deception.
The conference faces the alternative-either ad-
vance in faithful obedience to the ideals of the
fathers, or close up the institution and confess
ourselves unequal to the task assigned US by
the past.
We must have our school manned by men and
women whose personalities have become I'M
bueo with the truths they teach. Otherwise
they cannot fight that vital spark in the minds
of the students. This necessity forbids the
employme.at of inexperienced men or the load
ing of them with seven or eight studies.
Our scientific department must be remodelled,
and at least $500 should he at once expended in
equipment. Our teacher in English literature
has greatly increased the enthusiasm in the
course. but he cannot be retained another year
without an increase in salary. We need at least
$500 to expend in apparatus for the gymnasium.
1 shall ask that during the summer th Sc two
s300's be given. The school must expand, and
believe that the heart of the church is with me.