Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-05
OUTLINES PLANS
FOR OCCIDENTAL
DR.. BAER DESCRIBES RAPID
GROWTH OF COLLEGE
FUNDS FOR SCIENCE HALL NOW
PRACTICALLY ASSURED
Eastern PhiIanthropist Has Promised
at Least $4,000, on Condition
That Present Indebtedness
Be Wiped Out
BY DIR. JOHN WILLIS BAER,
President of Occidental College


With much enthusiasm the president
of Occidental college begins the new
year and outlines some of his plans
The growth of the student body dur
ing the last three years has been phe-
nomenal. At present there are more
freshmen in the college alone than
there were students enrolled in all the
classes in both the college and academy
six years ago. 1t is this unusual growth
that causes the trustees Of Occidental
college lively concern and challenges
their best endeavors. President Baer
states that the present increase each
year in the college is as large as he
cares to have it.
His plan for Occidental college. SO
far as enrolment of students is con-
cerned, is already being realized. AT
the time of his Inauguration he stated
plainly that he would strive for quail
ity rather than quality. From that
policy he has not swerved, as is evil
denced by the raising of the standard
of entrance requirements each year OF
his administration.
At present the productive endoW-
ment, together with buildings, equip
ment and campus, is conServat1Vely
valued at nearly half a million dollars.
It is known in some circles that on
one of the presidents eastern business
trips he was practically assured of a
new $4,000 science hall.
ct had not expected to announce the
plans for Occidentals enlargement for
several week, but do so now because
we would rather make our own state
ments about Occidental and take the
public into our confidence than have
what might prove to be misleading
stories floating about. Yes, it is true
that a well known eastern philanthro-
pist has practically promised us a
science hall to cost not less than $780,
co., conditioned, however, on our Wiping
out the indebtedness accumulated in
the years previous to my coming to Oc-
cidental. The debt-raising condition is
my own proposition, for 1 wish to- be
rid of that inheritance, and with the
slate clean of debt we may make every
new dollar count for advance work.
More Pledges Received
1--WE have reason to believe that the
$4,000 will be forthcoming, but shall
not call it settled until actually in
hand. 1 am willing that it should be
known at this time that another rea-
son for my confidence in the final out
come is that although I have never
made a general appeal for funds, three
friends in Los Angeles, who have al
ways shown substantial interest in Oc-
cidental by giving literally to it, have
dIT6dQy pl0GSGu 9oOSOUO IOWdIO
ing the debt-raising conditions.
'Two banquets are being arranged,
one for Pasadena, the other for Los
Angeles, at which the plans for the
greater Occidental are to be formally
announced The raising of money at
these banquets is not a part of the
program. Please make that plain. We
do not believe in that sort of business
and will have no part in financial hold
oc5 Of ola TQI1f WA n
acquaint our friends of the great fu-
ture before Occidental and outline def
nitely what the situation demands.
Since coming to Occidental my whole
time has been occupied with its aca-
demic problems and getting in touch
personally with the student body.
with the heartiest support of the
trustees we have had our hands full
reorganizing the faculty and raising the
standard of our curriculum, for we
Prize a high-standard curriculum and
a strong faculty much more than
bricks and mortar. The public has
appreciated this, as evidenced by
the ever-increasing enrolment Of
students, and as matter of
fact our class rooms are now well
filled and we can no longer delay en-
largement. Therefore, from now on a
great deal of my time must be devoted
to securing more adequate endowment.
I'm the past two years I have made
no organized efforts to secure funds,
preferring to wait until I had a grip
on the situation and could say GER
tainly that every dollar given to the
institution would count and be worth
while Our present endowment in
come, supplemented by a few friends,
has taken care of our current expenses.
A special gift of $4,000 from Mr. John
H. Converse of Philadelphia has laid
the foundation for our splendid science
equipment, and now we must have a
science hall to take care of the ap-
paratus and laboratories which at pres
ent are scattered over parts of four
buildings
"The most important fact for the
public to grasp is that the general sue