Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-16
COMMITTEES
RAISE 0NL Y
half 1RE sum
THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE NEW
ACADEMY RESULTS IN sEcUR-
ING BUT A PORTION OF $4,000
NEEDED FOR THE SCHOOL.

ceed in the face of difficulties that take
courage to surmount, has characterized
the uphill struggle for the raising OF
the $25,000 fund necessary to bring TO
Ottumwa the 100000 academy and
seminary that the Sisters Of Humility
Of Mary propose erecting north OF the
city. At present, after two days thor
ough combing OF the business districts
and scattering canvass made within
the past two weeks previous to the
organized campaign of the present
committee, there has been raised but
half of the amount needed, and the
struggle is waxing harder each day.
Committees Work Hard.
A visit to the rooms Of the CONNER
cial association in the morning when
the various voluntary committees as
semble to begin their arduous task OF
begging, for such is the correct name
for the work, one is impressed with
the unselfishness OF a handful of men
who, regardless Of business pursuits
and varying beliefs, religious and 9th.
erwise, take up this thankless task and
pursue it with vigor that Is not ex-
ceeded in the pursuit Of their tndivid-
ual business affairs. 1t Is made appar-
ent to anyone who will but consider
the matter fairly, that these men are
entitled to more favorable considera-
tion, not that they seek 1t personally,
but it is essential If the city will &C.
uuire the things that the people say
they want and acknowledge an interest
In. The committees ask that the citi-
zens take the matter more fully into
their consideration and weigh the Inn
portance of this project as CONNER
cial proposition that to Ottumwa
means from $4,000 to 100000 an
1nually.
Do Not Realize lnPortance.
From the results thus far attained
by the working committees through
the city, 1t would seem that the people
are too readily inclined to let the other
frAIow do the work in which all must
be sharers when the goal is reached.
Too few seem to realize the impor-
tance of such an institution as Is pro-
posed by the sisters, who will erect q
building, the original cost OF which
represents 100000, and added to this
is the site with It's improvements that
has already cost $4,000. People seem
to overlook, or fail to realize, just how
and to what extent this institution IL
to affect Ottumwa, both commerc cially
and educationally, say the workers.
All readily assent to the desirability
of securing so large an educational. in
stitution, and the pride that 1t must be
to Ottumwans to have their city the
home Of an enterprise that must go far
to spread the name of Ottumwa and
make the city the envy of all other
Iowa cities.
Supply Employment.
The commercial side Of the matter
is even more easy Of comprehension
If the matter.of-fact Ottumwan who
has learned to gauge things BY dollars
and cents will only consider the pro-
iect from this angle Already there has
been $4,000 expended for site and it's
improvement, and by this means n
tract Of 120 acres has been secured in
most desirable locality on the out
skirts of the city that must add mater
tally to the dignity Of the city because
Of the purpose of such acquisition.
Then. coupled with this, is the fact that
the plans adopted by the Sisters for
their new academy and mother house
for their rapidly growing order, will
The construction will be the means Of
supplying an immense amount OF en-
ployment to Ottumwans in various
ways-both to the skilled and the un-
skilled Workmen.
There is still another view from q
commercial standpoint that eclipses all
ether views and this In the knowledge
that the institution;is to be permanent
and that each year 1t can look forward
to greater and bigger financial results
to the city. These results come in the
matter OF students who will attend the
academy from out Of the city and for
whom the city has now no incentive
to bring here for educational purposes.
The cost of educating such pupils in
similar institutions away from their
homes will average about $400 per
year. AS there is planned in the new
structure the accommodation OF 200
pupils and the school being what ts
known as a boarding school, those who
will attend must Of necessity find their
sustenance in Ottumwa and from the
business interests of the city both as
to food and clothing. Then, too, fac
tor that is not small and should be
weighed by those who are asked to
contribute to the academy fund, is the
we'll established fact that at times dur
ing the year relatives Of such pupils
come to the place where the school is
located to visit the pupils, to attend
commencement exercises, etc, and
these visits always mean the expendi-
ture Of some money. In this way 1t
can be reasoned out that practically
every business is made to benefit to
some degree by the acquisition of such
an institution by Ottumwa and the big
ger the institution, the greater the re-
suits. Also the greater the reason for
bending every effort to make the Sc
curing Of it possible.