The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-09-29
PENN COLLEGE,
UNION MEETING
Large and Enthusiastic Audience
Gathers at the Masonic.
EVERYBODY is oPToMlSTlc
Situation Of the Present Crisis in the
Life Of the institution Is Fully
Explained by Or. Edwards,
Major Lacey and Others.

Major Lacey and Others.
A union mass meeting was held
last evening at the Masonic opera
house for the purpose of discussing
Penn Day, Wednesday, September
2Sth. Most of the churches of the
city suspended services for the even
ing that their congregations might be
able to attend the meeting. The at
tendance was large. the opera house
being entirely filed. A very enthu-
siastic meeting over the coming of
Penn Day was had and all departed
optimistic over the prospects for the
coming event. =E
The endowment fund of Penn Col
lege must be Increased from 100000
to at least 100000, TO meet the re-
quirements of the State Board of
Education and the purpose of last
evenings meeting was to arouse en-
thusiasm among the citizens of oska-
loosa and Mahaska county for Penn
Day, Wednesday, Sept. %, when $780,
900 is to be raised by the people of
Oskaloosa and Mahaska county.
Major John F. Lacey was chairman
OF the meeting, introducing the var
ious speakers and giving a brief his
tory of the institution for which the
necessary funds must be raised. Rev.
McFarran gave the invocation. The
Penn College chorus sang very beau
tiful selection, following which Chair,
man Lacey gave a short talk on the
history of Penn College. Mr.. Lacey
told of the selection of Oskaloosa by
the Friends as central point for
their meetings. He spoke of the or
ganization and growth of the school
and pointed out the fact that finances
is one of the essentials which govern
the maintenance of the school.
President Edwards Talk.
President d. M. Edwards, of the
Penn College, was introduced by Mr.
Lacey and gave the address of the
evening. DR.. Edwards commenced
his address by congratulating the com
munity for coming to the defense OF
the institution, which means so much
for the community. The speaker gave
a brief history of the college and the
number Of students who have attend
ed since organization, also the mum
Der who have graduated. He spoke
of the value of higher education and
| gave examples of the difference in the
earning power Of an educated man IL
comparison with the uneducated man
He stated that the community cannot
afford to rob the young people of the
opportunity of receiving this higher
education. majority of the attend
ants of any college are from radius
Of few miles from the college. Seven
ty per cent of the students of the
State University of Iowa reside with
in a radius of fifty miles. By these
| examples DR.. Edwards brought out the
fact that college is for the benefit oi
! the community and should have the
support of the local people. Only
about per cent of the young men
and women of the country attend col
lege and if every person should at
tend the present facilities of our ed
ucational institution would not accom-
modate Is per cent. With but three
per cent of the young men and women
attending college it is obvious that
none of the institutions can be done
without. DIR. Edwards spoke of edu
cation and gave definition. Educa
ton is the highest cultivation OF
every possibility of life. 1t is also
soul culture. Following the discussion
of education the speaker commenced
! the discussion of the present crisis
! The college is well filled and every
possible facility for excellent work Is
provided. The state board of educa
ton has undertaken to standardize
| the various colleges of the state
These requirements are very hard to
meet. but Penn College lacks in but
one, that being the financial. The
college meets every requirement OF q
first class college, excepting the sus
! tanning fund. The board set the re
Quirement of financial standard al
| 100000, the income to equal this
sum at 5 per cent interest. The col
| le3e already has an. endowment fund
of $100, 900, but the income from this
amount is not sufficient to provide
! for the expense of maintaining the
college. During the past the college
has been continually going behind, the
earningst on the endowment fund not
covering the expenses. Recently the
Indebtedness amounting to $4,000
was paid off, but it is useless to at
tempt to maintain the college with
out. a larger endowment fund Nc
college is able to keep UP to the stand
ard when the income is considerably
below the actual expense. II costs
twice as much TO educate a student
as the college receives in tuition
Penn College does not complain o.
the number Of students the commun
| ity sends as the college receives hei
share of these. In the present crisis
the citizens must first help, then the
alumni and lastly the church. The
alumni of the school have been very
loyal, and SO far when asked fol
money have responded loyalty ant
are interested in the outcome of the
kd,resent campaign. The class OF 1905
/