Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-01-06
CRISIS FOR NoRTHFlELD SCHOOLS.
w. r. Moody Says 100000 Must Be Raised
to Wipe out Deficit and Pay Expense


w. r. Moody Says 500, 900 Must Be Raised
to Wipe out Deficit and Pay Expense
This Year.
The following letter appeared in several
Of the leading papers of the country Tues
day:
The Mortified schools are confronted
with a crisis For nearly a generation
the friends of the work have maintained
them upon their original basis in afford
ing educational opportunities to young
people of limited means. In order to
foster spirit of self reliance every
student was required to pay for board and
tuition at one half the actual cost for the
same to the schools, making the annual
fee 500. The consequent deficit of equal
sum was raised among friends who were
in sympathy with the purpose of the
founder in his efforts to help young peo-
pie to help themselves in acquiring an
education"
In recent years the work has grown rap
idly, and, with other institutions. we have
experienced heavy increase in the run
ming expenses of the schools With 500
students we now have to raise $4,000 a
year, and last year owing to unusual ex
penses, we incurred a deficit of $l7 600
In view of these conditions it is seriously
urged by some that the price for board
and tuition should be raised so per cent
This would, however. be serious calami-
ty to the schools. | found. on a conser-
VatiVe estimate, that IS per cent. OF our
present enrolment are either wholly. or
in a large part, dependent upon their own
efforts to raise the present amount of
tuition. and an increase of so per cent
would effectually exclude them from our
schools.
While it is true that the cost of main
tenance is higher than at the inception Of
the work. also find that the ability of a
young person to earn the 800 we require
is not any greater now than 1t was twenty
years ago. From the recent bulletin Of the
Bureau Of Labor. / find that general
laborers," under which term would be in
cluded unskilled labor have gained only
6 per cent. in wages in the time covered
by the report, between the years 1890 and
1903. During this same time. however
the retail prices of food alone have in
creased per cent. and with the addi-
tional cost of fuel and other additional
expenses this is greatly increased. In
fact, the Department of Labor estimates
that during this period the cost of living
approXimates an increase Of 10 per cent
"Unskilled labor represents the means
of livelihood for most Of our young peo-
pie, and I think that it is very evident
person now to save the 800 necessary
to pay for board and tuition than it was
at the inception OF the work.
To wipe out last years deficit Of $17-
600 and meet our current expenses for
the year ending July /. 1905, we must
raise 10000 Twenty thousand OF this
has already been pledged or donated
leaving $4,000 still TO be raised. A few
thousand dollars will also be given in
sums of 81 to $25. but to meet the greater
portion of this amount ! am seeking the
following subscriptions: % subscriptions
of 1000. so subscriptions of $500. l0C sub
subscriptions of 800, 100 subscriptions of
$50. 200 subscriptions Of $25, 500 subscrip-
lions of 80.
Should any of your readers be able to
assist us in this effort in behalf of poor
but self reliant young men and young
women who are seeking the benefits OF
an education under Christian Influences
we would be most grateful to them for
any help they could afford us at this time
Our students come TO us from every
state in the Union and We thus feel JUST
fled in making our appeal as comprehen-
sive as the extent of our work.
w, r. MOODY.
East Mortified, Mass, Jan. 2, 1905.