The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-13
STRANGE SMITH CHARITIES.
Cause Great Discussion in a Massa
chusetts Town.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Northampton, Mass. Is wrought up over
the management of one of the most sim
gular charities that has ever been de-
vised. There is a sum of nearly $780, 900
to be spent in organizing and perfecting
two farms within the town limits, and
as the disposition of the money must be
made in the near future the city is talk
ing, discussing and even fighting over the
best way to do 1t.
These farms are the last expenditures
to be made under the will of Oliver Smith
whose famous charities for INDECENT boys
girls. widows and young women, and
whose relationship to the woman who
founded Smith College. make him one of
the most notable figures among philan-
thrOpists of this country. He so orga-
nized his fortune at the lime of his death
that, like the Stephen Girard charity of
Philadelphia. the money has grown to an
immense sum and each year the good
that its'can do is extended to a larger
number Of persons.
1t was his dream to establish in North
ampton a pattern farm, where the most
advanced and perfect methods of farm
ing could he practiced and taught and to
supplement this with an experiment farm,
where all kinds of agricultural trials and
ideas could be made before they were put
into practice on the pattern farm For
this purpose he left $4,000 to be invested
for sixty years and at the end of that
time the proceeds were to be used to es-
tablish the farms. The term Of years is
now drawing to a close and within a
comparatively short time the farms will
be in working order.
' When he died his heirs employed Rufus
Choate to contest the validity of the will
and the executors under that testament
employed Daniel Webster to defend it.
After trial of two days, in 1Si7, the SUI
preme Judicial Court OF Massachusetts,
gave verdict sustaining the will and the
Smith charities became a fact.
F., q Originally there We're three purposes
and three separate funds under it's pro-
wisions.s First. there was $4,000 set aside
for thed farms; second, there was $4,000
,SRt asids for the use of the American
Colonization Society, and. third, there was
the major portion Of the estate. $500 900,
that was intended to aid INDECENT boys
and girls The American Colonization So
ciety. which had for its purpose the eX-
portation of negroes from this country to
Liberia. finally went the way of all such
societies and the money that was left to
it was transferred to the farms fund
This fund has been at compound interest
for sixty years and, under the judicious
management of the executors, it has
grown to nearly $500, 600
These charities being in perfect order,
the town is now at work settling the
questions that arise out of the fund for
the new farms. Under the provisions of
the will, these farms must he laid out
within the limits of the town of North
ampton, and within very short time
three discreet freeholders" will be elect
ed to take over the moneys and establish
them. The fact that the Massa chusetts
State Agricultural College is very near
the town has caused some of those in
terested in the project to agitate the
question of changing the farms into
technical or trade school. Under certain
readings of the will this might he done.
but If il should. then Oliver Smith would
turn over in his grave and groan He
wanted to organize two model farms. and
If those who have had charge Of the
money during the time that it hasa been
accommodating are consulted the Pattern
Farm and Experiment Farm will be
opened and the trade school idea will be
thrust to one side