The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-15
TAKE IT TO COURT
John Richie Threatens Wash
burn College Trustees.
They Cannot Sell Campus Prop
erty for City Lots.
ALUMNI ARE EXCITED.
Send in PrOtestsAgainst Trustee
Proposition.
Mayor Billiard, Class Of 20
Thinks It Is Wrong.

The board of trustees of Washburn
college stirred up hornets nest
when they made the announcement not
| long ago that they intended to sell a
part of the east end of the campus for
city lots. Now that the sentiment of
| the college alumni, faculty and stud
| ents has been so pronounced against
| the proposition it is doubtful il the sale
will be made.
| Following the news of the sale print
ed in the State Journal last week the
college alumni have poured in their
protests through the mail and over the
| telephone The Washburn alumni in
| Topeka have organized against the
trustee movement and friends OF the
| college have frowned upon the desc
Grafton of the campus.
John Ritcflie of Topeka, a son OF the
man who donated 100 acres of land to
Washburn college for college purposes.
/ has scored the heaviest hit. Mr.. R1tchie
| threatens to go to court as an heir,
claiming the entire $50 acres, in case
| the trustees sell any portion
Not Legal, Says Richie.
| According to the statements of Mr.
Ritchie the land was given to the col
| iege for college purposes and 1t is
not considered legitimate purpose for
| the college to sell part of it for main
| tenance expenses.
| Many lawyers in Topeka claim that
| the trustees would find it Impossible
\ to SELL They insist that the land was
| not given to the college for that pur-
pose
1t is conceded that the arguments
| against the sale are supported more or
less with sentiment and tradition. TAX
| ing the practical side of the sale-a
| smaller campus, less ground for build
| ing purposes and an intrusion of cos
mopoIitan surroundings-these theories
are considered sufficient to kill the pro-
posals of the trustees.
But the actual love of the old school,
/ the pure sentiment against any change
| in it's facial appearance and the trad1-
/ tional features of the old east campus
are considered strong enough to OFFSET
the cold business arguments of the.
| trustees.
The current issue of the Washburn
Review, the weekly college newspaper,
| contains interviews and expressions
from alumni members of the college
| from many different classes. Here are
a few of the expressions that show the
| opinions of the college men and wo-
men:
What Alumni Say.
Now, it seems to me that it will
| hurt the college more than it can pos
sibly gain from the sale of so valuable
part of the campus"
| "Washburn surely can not be in
such straits financially as to render
such course necessary. There is only
| one thing that could render such a
| sacrifice excusable that is that the
very existence of the college was in
peril and it was necessary to take such
steps to carry it over great financial
danger"
''It has been a matter of comment
for many years that the Washburn
campus has, in its beautiful location, a
| site that might we'll be coveted by
larger and older colleges
Some of these days, it has been
the hope of all Washburn students,
there will be more buildings on the
campus. Will they get the choice 1oca-
ton with plenty of space for artistic
arrangement or will they be showed
out of sight down in the present back
yard 2"
ST do not think the trustees intend
to cripple the beauty or worth of the
campus, but think they have tram
lpled on unseen toes, Internationally,
when they decide to sell part of the
old campus for city lots. F."
1 st certainly am against selling any
part of the campus and especially that
east of Rice hall. 1t seems like a short
sighted policy and in the long run will
do the college more harm than good.
I wish to condemn as strongly as pos
Sible the persons or persons reSpcn-
sible for this outrage"
when we think of the struggles of
McVicar, Rice, Richie Hannah and
the others who struggled to get this
campus and then think of selling a
slice of it, it seems almost like desc
Grafton
eff protest will save our beautiful
campus, / think it is the duty of every
student who has ever attended Wash
burn to register one. Our campus has
always been considered the finest in
;. ~414A 70 off q h1nnk from
the east side will ruin the prospect
from Rice hail.
Faculty Against 1t, Too.
1t is understood that the Washburn
faculty is approving the action of the
students, friends and alumni of the
college in condemning the action of
the board of trustees. Of course the
faculty is not leading the fight against
| the sale-their dignity and position
forbids it-but they are not backward
in giving their personal opinions on
the matter.
Professor Harshbarger-a Wash
burn man who takes more pride in
the campus and has done more for
the campus than any other member of
the faculty-has allowed himself to be
interviewed on the subject. Profess
sor Harshbarger says:
LAS I see the matter, the sale of
part of the campus is a move in the
wrong direction. 1t simply transfers
value without adding to our wealth.
beyond all question Injuries the
campus. I fear the thought of how
it will be regarded fifty years hence.
]. B. Billiard, mayor of Topeka, is
the third man to graduate from
Washburn college. Mayor Billiard is
a member of the class of 1870, Here
is what the mayor says:
81 haven't had time to look into the
matter fully. but 1 don't think it is
: / L. to II q nx1Tf1a ~
Washburn in the future by selling
; part of the campus. For the time
: being this sale may look practical but
; in the future the college will need this
land for many purposes. Every col
ilege should have ample room for it.