The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-09-24
HURON COLLEGE
ATTRACTS VISITRS
Wonderful Growth of this College
i'm a Few Years

Many visitors to the state fair
were surprised to see the remark
able progress already made in build
ing up the Presbyterian College at
Huron, so recently located there.
The management gives out a de-
tailed statement of properties con-
sisting of land, buildings, equip
ment, mortgages and bills receiv-
able valued at $255, ,46l 92, acquired
in ten years. This college story is
taken from one OF the college pam
phlets:
When, in 1898, the College was
removed from Pierre to Huron, on
its material side it had utterly dis
appeared. Its property, greatly de-
preciated in value since the boom
days of fifteen years earlier, was
more than swallowed rp in the debt
which had accumulated. When
therefore the ideal and the purpose
were removed TO a new place, there
was not even tent to fold and car
ry away.
But friends and an open door
awaited the wanderer. A splendid
building, itself a monument of dis
appointment and loss to its builders,
was standing empty in Huron. 1t
was bought for five thousand dol
lars by the people of the town and
given to the College.
Here for four years the reviving
institution lived and grew.
In 1893, Mr. Ralph Voorhees,, of
Clinton, N. j., gave the college it's
first strong hold on the future by
donating a mortgage which, two
years later, put the institution in
possession Of tract Of 1850 acres
of land in southern Montana. This
land with the water rights conveyed
by tie title and those afterwards
secured promises ultimately to be
worth much more than the tweaty-
five thousand dollars which repre-
seated Mr. Voorhees, interest at the
time the mortgage was assigned.
In the meantime, The Chicago and
Northwestern Railway Company had
offered to give four blocks Of land,
about fifteen acres, in the residence
part of town for campus, provided
thirty thousand dollars should be
first expended in permanent i'm
prOvements. The effort to comply
with the terms of this offer first took
form in subscription of five thous-
and dollars from the women of HUI
con and of the state. In Huron the
women of all the churches and those
of none gave and worked, while out
side of Huron the appeal was made
to the Presbyterian women of the
state. Then the men came forward
with their gifts, and Mr. Voorhees,
learning of the effort that was being
made, gave fifteen thousand dollars
to complete payment for the first
building on the campus, The Eliz-
abth R. Voorhees, Dormitory for
Girls A part of the central heat
ing was installed, and. by February,
1905, and aggregate of thirty-four
thousand dallors having been ex-
pended in these improvements, a
deed to the campus was received
from the Railroad Company.
All school work was still housed in
in the old hotel building down town.
but the next long stride was taken
almost before those who had labor
ed and prayed for the coming of the
better day could realize it. In Nov
ember, 1905, anh trustees were Of
fered fifteen thousand dollars for
the old building. Mr. Voorhees,
gave the one hundred thousand dol
lars to provide for the erection of
the new main building on the cam
pus, now completed ard in use.
Much has been done, but the story
is only begun. AS it unfolds it will
surely be fraught with blessing to
all who have part in it.