Evening journal., 1901-01-04
Want Appropriation Of $780,
900 for The Purpose
THINK MOVE WOULD Be BETTER
After The Petition Was Read Ii Was
Referred to the Committee on
Education

Strenuous efforts are being made to
have Delaware College removed from
Newark to Wilmington, and the Will
mington Board of Trade has been pc
titioned to not only assist in having
the college transferred, but to raise
500 900 for that purpose.
At last nights meeting Of the local
board the following petition was read
and referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and to the boards attorney,
George A. Elliott:
Some thirty years ago the city OF
Syracuse, N. Y, bonded itself for $780,
600 to move Genesee College from
Lima. N. Y. The chancellor of SYRIA
cuse University says that that institu-
ton, which is Genesee College moved
and transformed, brought S75O,OOO into
Syracuse, and paid $4,000 in taxes last
year. The bonding of the city and
moving the college evidently was
fine business venture for the city and
an equally grand move for the college.
Delaware College, which has been in
existence about sixty years, is small
and located in a small town, as Gen
esee College was. If brought to Will
mington the general result will be the
same for Delaware College, as moving
TO Syracuse was for Genesee College.
An indication OF the results may be
seen from what has already happened.
Some weeks since one of the professors
of Delaware College offered TO teach,
free of charge, German and French 10
any teachers who might present them
selves. The college sent out invita-
tions to the teachers Of the State, call
ing the first meeting at Newark. Five
teachers came. One week later a
meeting was called at Wilmington,
and eighty-nine joined the classes. At
present over 100 teachers receive
gratuitous instruction in Wilmington.
The city Of Wilmington has not far
from half the population Of the State,
and probably is destined to have a
constantly increasing proportion Of its
people. Environment is a great factor
in education. and the environment OF
a busy and serious city like Whining
ton will be a revelation, a training, an
inspiration to the youth OF our State.
1t is indeed true that there is more
evil in city than in a small town,
but it is equally true that there is more
good in the city; and in the proportion
of good and bad, a city may be round
superior TO a small town. Out "City
of Churches" does not acknowledge or
believe that the moral average of any
other community OF the State is higher
than its own. Except when great
State (as Michigan for Ann Arbor), OF
great fortune las the Stafford estate
for Stafford University. or a great
F,r
Princeton), is back of a college, the
colleges in populous centres, as Har-
ward, Columbia, Yale, Paris, Berlin
etc. are outgrowing the others, and
greater growth means greater useful
ness.
Even the agricultural department
will be more useful on the outskirts oi
Wilmington than at Newark, for hun
dreds and probably thousands of farm.
ers who never go to Newark, do visit
OF pass through Wilmington, and they
could and would consult the agricul-
tural staff there. 1t is understood thai
only a small tract of land (three ol
four acres possibly is under cultiva
ton at the agricultural station, and
that could be readily founds4in vii
mington. 1t is highly probable that {
site for college and station can be hat
without cost. Indeed, rumor has Il
that one has already been offered.
The mechanical electrical and civi
engineering departments Of the collegi
already have to resort to Wilmington
for practical demonstrations. anS
would be unquestionably better Of
there, as would all other department.
of the college.
The immovable plant CT Delawar
College is worth about 100000. /
probably will be useless to appeal L
the authorities 10 move the college
unless a sufficient sum is guarantee
to obtain at least an equal plant in VIII
mington.
Il is true that the college and sta
ton get some $4,000 from the nationa
government. This. however, is barel,
sufficient to run the college there AM
as it IS. This money cannot be spen
for buildings It is said that the trus
tees OF the college are intending 4
ask the Legislature for an appropria
tion. The appropriation ought to b
made. for the State makes no regula
contribution to the college, but if mad
to Newark. it will tend to fit the col
lege there II should be made to III
Delaware College when located in VII
mington. II Wilmington acts wizel