The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-09-20
THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
SITE

Notwithstanding the general pre-
sumption that the question of the
selection of a site for the Southern
University has been definitely de-
cided and settled by the board OF
| trustees acceptance of a PROPOSE
ton for the donation of 300 acres
of the Landry plantation, near New
Iberia, it now appears the matter is
still far from being finality.
In contravention of the representa-
| ton made to the site committee, and
by the committee to the trustees,
that there was no hostility or op-
position among the people Of Iberia
| to the establishment of the uniVer-
sity in that parish, there is ex-
tant petition addressed to the
governor of the state and the board
ct trustees, strongly protesting
against the location of the institution
on the Landry plantation.
A majority of the signers are resi-
dents of the neighborhood of the
| Landry site, and they claim that
placing the school there will de-
preciate the value of their property,
besides creating the danger of racial
clashes, prejudicial to the peace and
welfare of the community.
A prominent citizen of Iberia has
written letter stating that il he
thought the $4,000 fund to purchase
300 acres Of the Landry place could
be raised, he would start right in
and make a strong fight against the
location of the school in his section,
but he feels confident the promised
bonus will not be forthcoming.
In view of the conditions which
these facts indicate it would be wise
for Governor Hall and his colleagues
Of the Southern University board
to ponder carefully the proposition
that it may be detrimental both to
the interests of the state and the
university to persist in the accept
ance of the Iberia site, even if the
| donation of land said to be worth
| $4,000 is assured.
When this matter was last dis
cussed editorially in the columns Of
The Chief, we were under the i'm
preston that the iberia offer in
| Guided a cash donation of 1000
\
! land, but this was a misapprehension.
The $4,000 represents the purchase
price of the land, and the 300-acre
site comprises the entire donation
to the university.
| Whether there is any material dis
parity between the st. Elmo and
Iberia offers from the standpoint of
monetary value is therefore open
to debate. The st. Elmo mansion,
which can be made immediately avail.
| able for the accommodation of the
school, is easily worth $4,000. It
I the lands of the Landry and St.
elmo sites are of equal value, the
so st. Elmo acres offered with the
| mansion as donation are worth
| $4,000 on the basis of the IBERIA es-
innate, while the 800 iberia acres
are worth only $4,000 on the
basis of the st. Elmo estimate If
300 acres should prove insufficient
for the needs of the university, S100
per acre will have to be paid for it
in iberia. AS much of 450 acres as
| may be needed may be added to
| the ST. Elmo site at $50 per acre,
| to be paid for in five or more yearly
installments, as the board may de-
sire, with only per cent interest
on the deferred payments
The st. Elmo site is ideal from every
angle at which the proposition may
be approached, and we put it plainly
/ to the governor and his colleagues
that they are likely to make a
grave and perhaps an irrepara bic
error of judgment if they insist
| upon locating the university in a
community where it is not wanted,
instead of choosing a site where all
elements of the population are ia
| vorable and friendly to the cause rep.
| resented by the educational institu-
| ton committed to their care.