Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-13
PROUD Of SCHOOLS
People of Alberta Province
Building Great University.
POPULATION IS NOT LARGE
Only SOC, 900 Inhabitants. But They
Are Full of Ambition.
SITE Is NEAR EDMONTON
Government Has Purchased 256
Acres of Land, and on This
University Will Stand.
SITE Is NEAR EDMONTON

III was Mr.. Curtis habit to prepare his mat
sity. inasmuch he often travelling. some
times In far distant lands and with untrust-
tribute 10 his careful method that his copy
never failed. and now at the time Of his death
dates assigned for publication in accordance
these letters belong to its readers and that they
should he printed Just as though Mr: Curtis
Curtis letters" despite the fact that death Ia.
has few parallels for usefulness
BY WILLIAM E. CrRTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
EDMONTON.
Like the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba
and Saskatche wan. the province OF Al
berta has its university, although it is
not on so extensive scale as the others.
Every Canadian province must have a
university as the summit OF its educa-
tional system. and although Alberta has
only about 10000 inhabitants, less than
the District of Columbia, or Delaware. or
Porto Rico, she has an ambition and
pride that is not measured by population,
and when the call was issued to organize
q convocation 3S4 graduates OF British
and Canadian universities came forward.
The Alberta University is to be a half
million-dollar institution. The provincial
government has purchased 25S acres of
land in the town Of Strathcona, imme-
diately across the Saskatchewan river
from the state house in Edmonton. as a
campus, and paid $4,000 for it, 1t is
one of the finest sites that can be
ina gined. although twenty years hence
there viii be painful regret that three or
four times as much land was not acquired
while it vas cheap and unoccupied as 1t
il today.
The University of Saskatchewan has
more than Loo acres, which is evidence
VI the wisdom and sagacity of it's found
ers. and while money Is scarce in AL
berta II Is no scarcer in a comparative
sense than il ever will be, and according
10 the expectations of everybody land
VIII double in value every year for the
next ten years more. 1t would be an
act of wisdom if the legislature should
borrow money to buy a tract three times
as large as that which has already been
purchased. and upon which the university
buildings are now being erected
Created by Legislation.
The existence of the University of Al
berta began by legislative enactment in
1876. when the chancellor. vice chancellor
the senate and the conv6cation were
designated and authorized to undertake
the organization of the institution of
higher learning at Edmonton. the capital
Of the province Chief Justice Stuart of
the provincial supreme court at Calgary
was chosen chancellor. Henry Marshall
Tory OF 1N1cGin University was chosen
president, and senate composed of ff-
ten members was appointed. ten by the
government and five by the convocation,
which consists Of all the graduates of
Canadian and British universities in the
province.
The faculty of arts and sciences began in
Struction the 1stof September. 1865 with IS
students. The second year opened in Sep
TENDER. 1909. with 103 students: the third
year opened in September. 1910, with 129
students. and the fourth year is just about
10 begin, with about 10 students. There
are four courses. arts and sciences agri-
culture. law and medicine. and faculty
OF thirteen professors and instructors
from McGill. California. Harvard. Toron-
TO. Leipzig. Jena. Yale, Johns hopkins
and Paris universities.
Women and men are on equal footing
in every respect. and probably one-third
90 the students this year will be women.
Under the act of Incorporation the SEN
ate was authorized to bring affiliate ed col
l"ges into the scheme. and two sectarian
observation-disclosures College, a theologi-
al training school of the Methodist
church. and the Presbyterian Theological
college have taken advantage of the
privilege There will be no connection
the university. except that members of
the faculties may give instructions in
both and all graduates will receive their
diplomas from the president Of the uni
Nersity.
Methodists Have Building.
The Me.hodists have already erected
building for lecture rooms and dormi-
lories at a cost Of 100000 and the Pres
byterians are expected to make similar
provisions for their students next year
The faculty Of Alberta College has al
ready been elected by the Methodist con-
ference, and consists Of four divines Of
local reputation for biblical learning and
soundness of doctrine and forty or Nifty
for the fall term.
The provincial legislature last winter
appropriated $4,000 for the erection OF
dornitory for students of the unfver
sity, which VIII be used for the present
both for lodgings and lectures. 1t will
be completed in November The founda-
lions of second building for the Offices
or the administration. library, lecture
rooms and laboratories. have been laid,
and II Will be ready for use at the open-
ing OF the fifth year OF the institution. I'm
1917 This will. also be paid for from an
appropriation by the legislature Author
ny mas been granted for the issue of
$4,000 of per cent bonds maturing In
thirty years. for further buildings as they
A'oS nc H1cucu IN the future, and the in
stitution will be supported perpetualiy nv
tax OF 12i9 mills per acre upon all lands
which have been alenated from the gov
erhment and are In private ownership. %
per cent OF the proceeds OF all taxes on
lands In unorganized portions of the prov
NICE. ~ per cent of all taxes collected
from corporations and 20 per cent of Ali
present these revenues will amonr. q
about *"D.po year. which. i, ia believed
VIII DC sufhcient to maintain the INSTR.
.ion. WIZ me tuition fees. which viii
Concession in Location.
In order 10 allay local jeatousies ,ba