New-York tribune., 1910-06-04
". {. PROCTER MAY
RENEW HIS BIG GIFT
Report That His Offer of $780,
600 to Princeton Will Be
Reopened.
FOLLOWS WYMAN REQUEST
The Non-Acceptanoe of First
Present for Graduate School
Caused a Long, Bitter
Controversy.

Following the announcement that nv
the will of Isaac g. Wyman. of Salem.
Mass. practically his entire estate. esti-
mated at from S2.Go0,O00 to S6OOO. .OOp
was left to Princeton University for it's
Graduate Scnool, il was reported yes
terday that William Cooper Proctor. of
Cincinnati, would renew his offer of
S50o0o0 for the same purpose, which
would mean an addition of 81 100000 to
the university's endowment
Mr.. Procter's original offer, was made
4 little more than year ago He laid
down two conditions: First that a sim
liar amount of money should be raised
before May l of this year. and second,
that site satisfactory to him should
be chosen instead of the one which had
already been decided upon.
He withdrew his offer early in February
after a marked divergence of opinion
over the proposed school had been shown
and the whole university policy had be
come involved in the acceptance. At
that time the university authorities
Mr.. Proctor gave the reasons which
prompted him to withdraw his gift.
Graduate School Plan.
Moses Taylor Pyne. chairman OF the
graduate school committee of the board
of trustees. issued a statement in behalf
of the university Seven years ago. he
said a plan for a graduate school had
been proposed and approved by his COM
,nittee and published under the authority
of President Wilson. Later this state
ment Of the plan was repeatedly reaf-
firmed by the president and never ques-
toned until Mr.. Procter's gift had been
accepted, in October, 1909. There never
had been any other plan for a graduate
School at Princeton, Mr.. Pyne said, and
Mr. Proctor. who was graduated from
Princeton in 1888, became interested in
the project and entirely unsolicited made
his offer of half a million dollars to as
sist in carrying out the scheme. What
followed Mr.. Pyne summed up in these
words:
From the start his generosity has met
with such an extraordinary reception, his
motives have been so misconstrued, his
patience has been SO soreiy tried that
self-respect has at last demanded the
withdrawal of his princely gift"
Mr., Proctor wrote TO Thomas d. Jones,
chairman Of the trustees committee ap-
pointed to report to the board what Mr..
Procter's wishes in the matter we're, part
" as follows:
The reception of my offer by the pres
ident and his associates has not been
such as to promise the usefulness which
had hoped to secure by my proposed
gift and I therefore beg leave to with
draw it,
The BIG Wyman Gift.
Less than four months later came the
news that Princeton had become prac-
tically the sole legatee of Isaac c.
Wyrnan who had been graduated from
the university in 1S4S. The will set
forth that the gift was made as
memorial OF Lasting affection" for his
alma. mater He gave almost absolute
power to the trustees, one of whom is
Dean Andrew F. West of Princeton, to
dispose of the estate for the benefit of
the Princeton Graduate School.
The will contains the proviso that the
estate he devoted in whole or in part.
"as the trustees may decide. TO the
Princeton Graduate School to maintain.
increase its power and usefulness.