The daily sentinel., 1909-01-30
Liuely Discussions Regarding Normal
School and Western University
at the Mass Meeting of
Citizens Here Last
Night

on Thursday morning at the in
stance of the trustees of the Western
University, the Chamber of Com
merce met and in response to the
request of the trustees of that insti-
tuition, called mass meeting TO be
neld at the court house last night.
The purpose of the mass meeting
was to discuss the proposition wheth-
er all the work that had heretofore
been done TO secure for Grand juno
tion normal school should be aban-
doned and action taken to endorse
the proposition 10 secure for the
university the Teller Indian school
property and buildings.
For several weeks past Rev. James
a. Becker and Prof Young of the
school have been working assiddous-
! ly to turn sentiment in behalf of the
proposed change from normal
school supported by state funds, to a
university on the lines and plans of
the Western University in this city.
| Yesterday they marshaled their
forces by personal appeal to citizens
to be present at the meeting to dis
cuss the proposed change and as
result about forty people were pres
ent at the purported mass meeting to
discuss the subject.
! 1t win not be denied that the
greater majority of those present
We're favorable to the proposal made
| by Rev Becker and those who con-
tended that the work for a normal
should not be abandoned were very
! largely in the minority. But that ii
was a meeting at all representative
i of the interests of the whole people
of this city and county no one will
| presume to contend.
The meeting was to have been a
very cut and dried affair. from the
manner of its conduct, but very spir-
| tied and determined opposition aOrse
from those who argued that it was
extremely foolish TO abandon the pro
| posai for Il state normal school, which
we came so near getting two years
ago and which has had the endorse
ment of the boards of the Chamber
Of Commerce and the city council
under two administrations and the
city very generally for a proposition
that seemed at least problematical.
To make it more plain the univers-
ity is asking that congress cede the
Indian reservation and the buildings
thereon to them direct If this is
not done they desire that the state
should be induced to grant them the
same favor through legislative enact
mcnt.
S. b. Hutchinson was made chair
man by ncclamation and list Of
sneakers. all favorable 10 the plan
Of Rev Becker. whom he called upon
first to state the grounds of their
proposal. While this was somewhat /
out of the ordinary for mass meet I
ing procedure, no one objected that
the university should present their /
side first This was done by Prof .
-. efs.-.
of the scope of the work OF the uui- |
versity j. d. Rankin. Frank Dean (
N. a. Glasco, Rev. Munro. e. MI
Slocomh.
For the gentlemen contendiur t,ot
il was farcical to have worked for
years for state normal institution.
having the endorsement of civic and
trade bodies of this city, and then to
abandon same for something which
it was hard 10 believe could be Sc
cured, the state refusing at all times
to become PARTNER with private
in the conduct Of any
thing. even schools or universities.
save under state control. Mr.. |. y.
Bunting opened the discussion. He
gave i'm detail the history of all the
work that bad been undertaken to
provide western Colorado with
school under the normal school plan. 4
the tremendous fight that had been
AGAINST this city and .
county bv Garfield and Delta conn
ties in the state legislature and that
we had come within two votes of Sc
curing same.
TIE entire history of the work that
had been done for the normal was .
-eviewed nv Mr.. Bunting and he aave I
il as his opinion that the meeting last