Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-10
DIR, STOOEEY HAS RESIGNED
Resignation in Hands Of Executive
Committee Some Time Ago.
OPPOSED TO COLLEGE MERGER
Surprises Friends with Lengthy state
ment After Cooperating in the
Action Of synod Consolidate
ing Bellevue and Hastings.

The resignation Of DR.. Stephen w.
Stookey, president Of Bellevue college. is
IN the hands OF the executive committee
Of the board Of trustees and has been for
some time. The committee has not yet
acted on II.
This information has come to the sur
face through the discussion following tho
action Of the Presbyterian synod OF Ne
braska In voting TO merge Hastings and
Bellevue colleges. No mambA r Of the hoard
or executive COMMITTEES has been found.
however, who will discuss It.
DR.. Stookey attended the adjourned meet
ing Of the synod at Kearney and was in
vited TO speak on the plan Of the merger.
but waived the privilege, and co-operated
In the action Of the synod. He has since
made a published statement, with evident
elaboration, in which he betrays an un-
friendly attitude toward the consolidation
movement, causing his friends much sur
prise. He traces the history Of Bellevue
from it's founding to the present and re-
views the steps In the movement leading
up to the action of the synod. He con-
c.udes by commencing Hastings for its
aggressiveness and says:
VIII the great and rich city Of Omaha
let Hastings take this school so valuable
In every way TO the higher interests Of this
community
why will not some citizen or some civic
organization take up this matter. call a
mass meeting, or in some way, see that
enough money is provided to carry on the
work of the college this year and suf-
flcient encouragement given so that funds
for its future maintenance may be Sc
cured"
Waiting for Henry II. Clarke.
The return to the city Of Henry T. Clarke
is awaited with much interest. He, as the
founder Of Bellevue college, has a claim
on the fifty-acre campus and would, prob
ably, regain title to 1t were the college
plant abandoned. The farm, of larger pro-
portions, is clear of any reversible clause.
1T is certain Mr.. Clarke will oppose any
movement contemplating the emoval or
abandonment of Bellevue college" said a
member of the board Of trustees.
One Of the men who has given years Of
patient thought and effort to the work Of
Bellevue is DR.. Edwin H. jerks. pastor
of First Presbyterian church Of Omaha
and member Of the Bellevue board. OF
syhod's action he says:
1T is one step in a big, progressive edu-
cational movement. II is the wlsest thing
to do. There certainly could be no de-
sire to injure Bellevue"
Asked as to the finality of synod's ac-
ton or authority, DR.. jerks said:
We'll synod orders the two colleges
merged and the action is certainly Off
cial."
AS to dismantling Bellevue and abandon
ing the plant, that, DR.. jerks says, is a
matter for the Hastings people to decide.
1t is believed, however, that this will
necessarily be done. 1t is liable to provoke
some persistent opposition on the part Of
Henry 7. Clarke, for DR.. VIII. Betz, Of
Bellevue, one OF the trustees of the col
lege, is quoted as threatening court pro-
cedure to prevent 1t and says Mr.. Clarke
will view the situation as he does.