The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-07
FOUNDER Of
FRIENDS UNIVERSITY
Visits the City and the Big
School.
WAS GREATLY SURPRISED
At the immense Advancement
of University
CITY IS MUCH IMPROVED
More Buildings Than en- His
Last Visit.
CITY IS MUCH IMPROVED

James N. Davis OF New York CITY. the
man who purchased the Friends Univer-
sity building ana made II possible to omen
the school here. and to build I'D one of
the largest schools in the west. was in
the city yesterday. He has not been In
this city since ne purchased the building
four years ago. He dropped into Wicaita
yesterlay morning and went to the Uni
versity. where he spent most Of the day
looallng over the building and meeting the
students
To a reporter for the Eagle. who asked
hira how he came TO buy the building.
he said.
nave always been interested in col
lege young men and women ever since 1
graduated from school myself I am A
Quaker, and you know they are great
people on higher education. guess that
my love Of education comes from that.
/ nave been in business thar has heIDed
many Young men go through college and
an soing 70 DO all IN my power TO help
the young people Of the west as wen as
those elsewhere. While in ST. Louis sew
erai years ago I read an account Of the
biz university building in this city that
was standing Idle. I thought it would be
my chance 10 help education along 50
after thinking IL over awhile, I came to
Wichita I arrived in this city on an
early morning train and came Immediate
ly TO the building I looked the build
ing over before breakfast and decided to
buy It If I could and thus lay the founda-
ton Of the greatest Friends school in the
would bought the building and the
citizens save about 80 lots or the West
Side. ] also bought about 600 more ana
at the end OF three years more. and $50
Coz en- l0wment is raised. I viii give the
bui,dirg and those lots TO the Kansas
Yearly Meeting Of Friends The money
derived from the sale OF those lots can
ONLY te used as an endowment. I see the
yearly meeting raised over $4,000 Of that
endowment al their meeting here a short
tire ago.
1T IS wonderful that IN three years a
school of over zoo students could be baIt
up Il is my policy as Iong as + am con-
nected with the university not to allow
them 70 20 into debt bat 70 build ND the
school as fast as they can. 1t VIII take
time. but Wren It IS done. II wiz have a
z.,,,-.- ,--l,.--, 49,, -
r--.7s si-cs r,-,s rs-. Ice - 80. .-5
r.. mann. -,o-s -, q sl,-. 49,. ,-l--- -
,1i-,,-s 7,,,s+ n, p,,I+ ~ 80. 49,, -
e--ss-ts rs-,o+ be s-,r-.-,17--..1
vva7-s5 r. s+4-4 . srtorl -, H., - -
T v-,s+s-- - ,---.-le. -.'.,---
iz living f- r.7--s-cs ~ -,-s.--+ 80
lived -ba-s f,- s.--,, -i.,,.
.arra western, z.-.,,-- ~ --5 ~-,-...
ors brewer +f,7 thass of -bs sss+ r.
vor7r man in the eaet tb,- desired =,
come west ana grow I'D with the r.,,,,-r,.
and did come. and faced the dangers ana
privations OF this country when tl1e~e MAS
not q foot Of railroad in the state and
none Of the ,arve0ienres OF their ola
homes. founded a class OF pe7ais thar has
no canal elsewhere for bravery and tbav
nave STAYED with Tho country urtu trav
can see one OF the greatest eurires in
tho worlo.
The first tire 7 was IN THIS state was
at n rfrrs when there was not foot az
railway 7fta.n its bounds. came IN
where r.7ror.a IS now. ard tsre were
plenty OF Trsfers ana brreIos Vow
core I'd a srqte thqr stands hfrb in her