Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-17
BELLEVUE'S NEW PRESIDENT
DR.. Guy W. Wadsworth Installed at Head
Of Presbyterian College.
CEREMONY IMPRESSIVE AND INTERESTING
DIR. Kerr Relates Much URwritter
History of Institution and DIR.
WRdsworth Outlines His
Policy for Direction.

wRdsworth Outlines His
Policy for Direction.
Bellevue colleges twenty-ffth anulver- |
sary was celebrated last night with the in !
stalation of Guy w. wadsworth as presi- |
dent at the Bellevue Presbyterian church.
| Dr. Wadsworth came to Omaha in Sep |
| tember from Los Angeles. where he was
president of Occidental college, to assume !
the administration of the institution at Bel |
| levue. He is the successor Of DR.. G. II. |
| Lampen. who resigned last year.
Beside the faculty and students and citi- |
| zens Of Bellevue interested In the institution !
| about 800 people went down from Omaha on
| the afternoon trains to attend the services. |
After visiting class rooms, laboratories and
| dormitories. they gathered at Fontanelle
| hall for supper, which, If It was fair sam
pie of the meals served at the college.
| proved to the satisfaction of the visitors
that the students ought to consider them
selves well fed. The big dining room was
scarcely large enough to accommodate all
the guests, and the students took their
plates in their hands and made merry in
| the halls
| At 7:30 the inaugural ceremonies began at
the church Rev. Thomas c. Clark. d. D.,
of Grand Island, presided. Rev. Stephen
| Phelps, ID. D., pronounced the invocation.
| Miss Allen offered a violin solo. Rev.
Joseph J. Lampe, d. D.. read a passage of
Scripture and Rev. +. IL. jerks made the
| inaugural prayer
| DIR. Kerr on Its History.
Then came an historical address by David
r. Kerr, d. D., president of Westminster
college, Missouri. and former president Of
Bellevue. Realizing that the history of
the last ten or fifteen years has been told
time and time again to the people who We're
assembled, Dr. Kerr devoted perhaps more
than half his time to the foundation and
earlier history of the college. He said In
part
the educational history of the synod of
! Nebraska, which had its beginning in the
mission to the Omaha Indians, established
az Bellevue in the forttes and which is
traced back to those who in that atmos-
homes priced education and knew its neces-
sity for the preservation Of church and
AS early as 1859 the Presbytery of Omaha
meeting at Plattsmouth, appointed a cLm-
mittee to consider the propriety of estab-
with authority to receive proposals. In
1861 the Missouri River Presbytery, meeting
In Nebraska City, appointed committee OF
report at the next meeting what can be
done for education within our bounds. In
the establishment of an educational Institu-
tion at Nebraska City. Trustees were
elected and visitors appointed.
II, T. Clarke bid to have the institution
at Bellevue and offered ninety-three acres
of land, 100 acres II he could get the owners
ships.
The institution founded at Nebraska city
Paed 9s2s qnysrsi t 1ansa i sens sSd .
and in two or three years was so tangled
that the property was sold to the Episco-
palians. They, in turn, gave IL up after
short struggle. This was lesson in eau
ton.
Efforts of other Schools.
DR.. Kerr went on to tell in detail of the
efforts of Hastings and Beatrice to get The
support of the synod for a college, and of
the endeavors of Highland University kan
sas, to secure the financial aid of the Ne
braska synod He stated that in 1879 a COM
mittee appointed to receive PROPOSE
tions from the various places wishing the
college. The committee consisted of ID. S.
Schaff and Samuel Alexander of Kearncy
presbytery. ]. T. Baird and John r. Clarke
of Nebraska City presbytery and w. j.
Hawka and II. T. Clarke of Omaha pres
bytery.
"'The same synod" said Dr. Kerr,
adopted resolutions declaring that presist
ent and tireless efforts were being made
to wrest our state university at Lincoln
/
the institution not merely secular but
avowedly anti-Christian and goddess. The
historian declares that resolution did good
: in two directions: 1t FASTENED a Presby-
) terian college and It did good at Lincoln
, H. r. Clarke made bid for Bellevue
before the committee appointed in 1879 The
2 synod of 1880, on October 16 considered tie
1 committees report The committee re-
\ ported that they had met several times and
= received three propositions (which they
a stated in fulD-that they had resolved that
the institution be located at Bellevue
1 Theft report was adopted"
Delays that Annoyed.
1 Dr. Kerr told in detail of delays Which
I postponed the beginning of work in the
college until 1888. He told of the gifts of
a II. T. Clarke to the college, Of the growth
v in students and buildings, of financial re-
= verses and struggles in the hard times OF
4 the sos. His narrative embraced the ad-
ministration of the five presidents, w W.
Harsha, Rev. Francis s. Blayney, DR..
( David b. Kerr and DR.. q. II. Lampen He
fingered long over his story OF the organi-
, | cation of classes In 1888 and the building OF
Clarke hall In 1884. Mr.. Clarke he men.
toned as the man who has made the largest
gift to any Nebraska college Christian OF
sectarian.
e After DR.. Kerr's address Miss Fawcett
! sang a solo entitled, Day Is Ended" Presi
3 dent Charles NJ. Wilhelm OF the board OF
/ directors then delivered the address of in.
y junction and performed the ceremony OF
3 delivering the keys charter and seal to tn,
D new president.
President WadswOrth's Address.
= "The Three-fold Purpose OF the College.
o implying the cultivation of body, mind anC
D. spirit was the subject of President Wads
le worths inaugural address. Men who cul
tivate their minds at the expense Of theii
2, bodies he characterized as lop-sided: men o.
o mental superiority who are without re
? ligion he spoke of as clever devils. II,
"a quoted Bismarck that "one-third of IN,
.t..a...La o. IL.