Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-19
SCHOOL CORNERSTONE LAID
Kssrney Military Academy Bas Great Day
When New Building is Begun.
BISHOP GRAVES TELLS OF INSTITUTION
College Was started in Response TO
Demand for Place where Young
Men Could Complete
studies.

KBARNBY, Neb. Dec. 1S.-(Speclal Tele-
gram. with the December sun shining
brightly in the sky and a breeze from the
south, a more suspicious time than this
afternoon could not have been chosen for
LAYING the cornerstone OF the new build
ing Of the Kearney Military academy. The
effect of the favorable weather conditions
could be seen in the immense throngs COM
ing from all parts of the state, IS well
as from the city and surrounding country,
which attended the exercises. The cere-
monies were In charge of the grand lodge
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and
there we're over 100 members OF the local
and other lodges throughout the state in
attendance. Among those participating in
the exercises were a large number OF
clergymen Of the Episcopal church from all
parts OF Nebraska. The Thirtieth Infantry
band the choir Of st. Luke's Episcopal
church, Company A. Nebraska National
guard, and the cadets of the Kearney Mill
| tary academy, Kearney High school. The
state Normal school and the State Indus
| trial school. The orator Of the day was
| Hon. William Jennings Bryan
The visitors and those participating In
/ the ceremonies took the places assigned
/ them and the exercises were opend by the
! hymn. 1--WE March, We March to Victory,
by the Thirtieth United States Infantry
! band and st. Luke's choir Of forty voices
! Rev A. @. II. Bode, dean of Laramie OF
fered an earnest prayer for the school
The Masonic ceremonies opened with an in
| vitation by Rt. Rev. Arson K. Graves
bishop of Laramie, to Most Worshipful
NJ Baird. grand master of Masons in Ne
braska, to lay the stone and the accept
ance Of this request Prayer was Offered
! no Of nd hn
ward Christian Soldiers" was played by
the Thirtieth Infantry band. The corner
stone ceremonies were then performed b!
Grand Master Baird, Grand Treasure
Dinsmore and Grand Secretary White anC
the stone was lowered with grand honors
firing of salutes and the band playing tn
star Spangled Banner" Simultaneous!
Old Glory was raised and its beautitu
folds unfurled to the breeze. After tn
| conservation of the stone and other cere
monies the history of the academy wa
told by its founder. Speeches were mad
by Rev Mr.. Graves, Archdeacon Cope AM
w. ]. Bryan. About 1900 people wer
there to witness the ceremonies.
Bishop Graves spoke in part as follows
On the 18th of May 1890. four month
after | began work as bishop of tn
Platte, l was spending the Sunday !
Broken Bow. In the afternoon a lad
4
! usual salutatlons he said to me: "BishoI
| when can the church take me and educat
me for the ministry" l found he ma
gone about as far as the public school
| there could take him and was anxious 70
! a higher education. l was taken aback b
his sudden inquiry, for l could in no wa
/ help him to his noble aspira tions. AS
| thought the matter over / realized tina
there must be many like him in the sma
villages of western Nebraska and scattere
on the lonely ranches. l pondered severe
months over the problem thus presented
Still, that little incident at Broken Boz
was the birth-thought of the Platte Co
legiate institute, or the Kearney Milttar
academy as II is now known.
. In the summer of 1890 the United Brett
rem came here to see what their chance
l were to establish a school. Land and on
fine building were offered them by the pee
pie of the town. This good offer was take
to York and used there successfully to So
cure a higher bid for the school. Ate
| they had departed Mr.. James Hatch c
Kearney suggested to the committee tha
they turn the offer made to the Unite
Brethren over to the Episcopal churcl
This they Immediately did. I was not pre-
= pared to accept IL then, for I saw no wa
in which / could secure the large amount
needed to complete and furnish the schoo
, However, l did promise to see what coul
: be done 1t was stipulated that ther
should be at least twenty-five acres of Ian
and a large central building of brick pJ
| up by the people here. All this was prom
I iaed