Omaha daily bee., 1911-09-17
OMAHA UNIVERSITY GROWING
Campaign is Organized TO Secure
Sl,OOO,000 Endowment Fund
WORK AMONG WAGE FARMERS
while PhiInnthropists VIII AIwayS
BE Confronted with welcome
sian, Small Contributor
VIII he sought.
WORK AMONG WAGE FARMERS

people purSulng hiGher euuCau'h'
Tuesday the university will begin It's thrd
year OF work with an attendance exceeding
100
The growth Of the University OF Omaha
when compared with that Of other institu'
tons Of learning Is one Of the most astouno-
ing that any school has experienced. This
is especially true when one compares
with other colleges not depending upon the
state or city for aid Harvards commence
ment furnishes a striking example Of TINS
fact In 1888 Rev John Harvard came "ne
day, among a company OF his friends.
Under his arm he carried few blocks
Placing these on a table he said Il will
give these toward the establishment OF
college Four years later Harvard mas
but nine students enrolled. For a number
Of years the president was the sole IN
structor and It was not until after fitty
years that its enrolment exceeded twenty,
The student body now numbers 5000 ana
the faculty is made up OF $40 teachers
Yale's foundation in 1901 was little more
propiuous. Its first endowment was
calf TO be given two years from the date II
was pledged During the first twenty years
Of its history its students numbered from
twenty TO thirty.
Two forces have been at work contribut-
ing 20 the splendid work which has been
done up to date-the faculty and the student
body. The faculty when first organized
consisted of a few men and women who
were capable instructors who were willing
to give their time and energy, with scarcely
any compensation except appreciation and
a realization that they were making thls
great enterprise a reality. The students
have been few young people who had the
desire for a higher education, but for whom
such a thing was not possible unless 1t
was near at hand. These are the pioneers
who have helped to hew the way for big
university within the corporation limits OF
Omaha Most Of those who were there at
the beginning have remained with the
school The original faculty is nearly In
tact and fifteen Of the nineteen students
who were at the first convocation exer-
cises will answer to roll can next Tuesday
morning.
Lack Distinctive Feature.
Cities. like men, reach stage in their
development when 1t is necessary to build
up their character as well as their CONNER
cial instincts. Des Moines with its $1,000
points with pride TO the fact that It has
eleven institutions OF higher learning. LIN
coin, aside from the state school has six
Omaha aside from it's public and parochial
schools has Brownell Hall and Creighton.
and in close proximity Bellevue college.
All OF these institutions have for a number
OF years past been doing q splendid work
and all bid fair to continue TO do so in the
future but all lack the distinctive feature
OF the so-called city university. that Is
Christian university reaching out TO the
city youth, and yet without the pale of
any church. The lack OF any such institu-
ton and the fact that so per cent OF ali
students came from radius Of forty miles
caused the board of trustees to found such
a;school in Omaha.
The first thing necessary for the school
Is to provide for the current expenses
for three years, then during this period
to raise an endowment fund OF $1,0OOOOo
That seems like lot Of money to raise
by popular subscription, but here the
trained mind shows itself ana makes this
amount seem close at hand. To provide
for the current expenses Mr.. Alden pro-
poses to get 100 men to pledge 800 each
for three years. This with the money Sc
cured from buttons cover all expenses
for that period and 25 per cent Of this
has already been raised. This out OF
the way, the board will Immediately start
to raise the endowment fund which IL
invested at per cent interest will cover
all expenses for maintaining a school with
an enrolment OF 1000.
To raise this money twenty divisions or
blocks are made, each for a sum OF
$4,000. As soon as all of the money on
the first lie subscribed work viii be started
on the second, and 50 on until the whole
amount has been pledged. Notes will be
drawn up which will not be binding until
the total $4,000 of that issue has been
promised. The notes will be for twenty
years and will bear interest at per cent
on deferred payments. In this way al
though the money is not paid in, the
school will have an annual income equiv
alent to that which will be derived from
the endowment fund.
Among Wage Farmers.
II is planned TO work mostly among
the wage earners OF Omaha, although the
wealthy will also be solicited, and II
any multi millionaire wishes TO contribute
the welcome sign win be hung out.
At first this appears to be an enormous
amount to expect from the middle classes,
but an inspection OF the bank deposits OF
Omaha reveals that in local banks there
are $50 10000. This mean that II each
person would give one-fifth Of one per
cent of his deposits for ten years, the
endowment fund would be secured, but
Mr.. Alden is seeking pledges which give
time limit OF twenty years, which would
cut the subscription to one-tenth Of one
per cent, which after all does not seem
TO be such a burden. In speaking Of IL
from a philanthropic view Mr.. Alden says
that there are two kinds Of philanthropy;
constructive and repair. This comes under
the category Of the former along with
churches and Young Mems Christian
association and Young Woman's Christian
associations while the latter includes,
homes hospitals asylums and refugees
To give TO this is a direct application
OF the old adage that An ounce OF pre-
vention is worth a pound Of cure"
Aside from the cultural side OF a great
university the commercial aspect OF the
trained mind has and will be a greater
factor in the growth OF colleges for It
has been the trained mind which has made
irrigation possible. the educated man 10
the one who has turned his attention 70
scientific farming, mas surpassed in all
branches of science. art and literature
and the great majority OF these settle
in and develop the country round about
their alma mater.
The presence OF such an institution in
the city Is in itself a great commercial
advantage 10 the city, for statistics show
that a school with an enrolment OF 1000
will mean that $4,000 will annually be
spent in the city as direct result OF its