The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-21
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Value of Educational Institution

To the Editor of The Age Herald I desire to express my personal appre- citation and that of many others whom repI esent for the timely and helpful edi- torial on Birmingham college that ap- peared in your issue of the 18th.
 The value of a great institution of learn ing to community, city, is, even in commercial way, very great; and along the higher lines, that of furnishing an in tellectual atmosphere. and, in developing and fitting strong men for the activities and struggles of life, it's benefits are incal- cula be. The strength and greatness of community Is not in it's material re- sources. but in it's strong men who are able to develop aright and properly use its material resources.
 Birmingham Is not only a suitable loea- ton for one or more great institutions of learning, but she needs them, needs them to furnish her citizens rapidly growing wealthy an opportunity to prop erly place an important portion of their benefactions at home, and to enable them to direct part of their thought and en- ergies to that which the college repre- sents What Harvard has been and is 10 Boston and Massachusetts; what Prince ton has been and Is to New Jersey and the nation, so i'll proportionate and like manner Birmingham can build an insti- tutlon that shall impress her own people and the state.
 It costs a great deal Of money to prop erlY build and equip, and adequately en- dow colleges; il requires large giving and often times much sacrifice; but there Is no human investment that brings larger returns. Who can compute the result Of I1lihu Yale's investment when he made the first benefaction to Yale university? Has Connecticut ever had another cor poration so productive of good, so far reaching in it's results as this has been and still is? Is there any place where the public spirited, patriotic, humanitarian cit izcns of Birmingham can invest their money so as to bring greater returns to the city and to the state at large than in a great educational institution? And re- turns here will continue through un- counted centuries.
 At Birmingham college we have all the Fundamental prerequisites for great in- stitution. We have nearly 70 acres of land In the very heart of and overlooking this great city, a campus which good real estate men say could not be duplicated for $250,000 and which will constantly in- crease in value. Our buildings at pres
 
 the character of the work that should be done, is really now being done by pr. Simpson and his excellent faculty.
 True, this institution Is under Methodist control, but it is being established along broad lines and will so continue. or course, no religious test Is made or re- ouired of any student The sons of all ministers and all students for the minis try are receive without any tuition charges, and as far as we are able as- sistance is constantly being given to all poor and worthy students. We are anx- four $o get into position 10 greatly in- crease this feature of our work for he who assists q worthy young man 10 se- cure an education that will fit him for high and useful citizenship performs noble service to his fellows his country and his God
 Your editorial emphasizes the fact that while we are undertaking a raise of $250,- O00. it should be twice that amount. In this I fully agree with You. With $2J0, ,000 invested in buildings and equipment we would indeed have a plant commensurate with the greatness of Birmingham. And with a like amount securely invested in endowment we could greatly increase the assistance the institution is now giving 10 everything that helps to make Birming- ham and Alabama boys greater, nobler and more useful as men and as citizens. We are at present making a canvass of the Methodist churches of the city, and if they continue to respond as they are now doing, we have good reason to be- lieve that with the assistance of many othe. friends who are greatly interested in the building of a great educational in stitUtion in Birmingham, the thing can and will be done.
 Again thanking The Age-Herad for it's interest in and the aid it is giving us in this enterprise, I am faithfully yours.
 l. B. CUMMING. Financial Agent
 Birmingham, December 20, 1912