Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-02
George Washington's University.

President Stockton's appeal at the
recent alumni dinner for the FUNDS
necessary to purchase the property
now occupied by Columbian College
and some other branches of the George
Washington University is meeting. 1T
is announced, quick and gratifying
response. This fact is not surprising.
The amount desired is small. 1t is to
be devoted TO the purchase of a speclhc'
convenient useful and economical
home for the college. and is not in any
part to be used to meet the annual
difference. now happily small. between
the income and outgo in the univer-
sity's current expenses
After many tribulations the university
is on bedrock, and ready to build on solid
foundation. 1t has those vital essentials
of true university, fine, strong BODY
of teachers capable, public-spirited. self
sacrificing. and a student body numbering
over 1.22O. intelligent, ambitious and
serious-m minded, far above the American
university average. 1t lacks that other
university essential, an adequate endoW-
ment. 1t is compelled to pay and does
pay 81 per cent of it's annual expenses
out of its fees for tuition, an extraord1-
nary record. a convincing proof of the
demand for it, of its right to live and OF
an appeal that should be irresistible for
university endowment and maintenance.
The movement now is not for endow-
ment. but for $4,000 to pay for home
for the college. This amount should be
readily raised, for the university repre-
sents not only an obvious local need, but
a national opportunity.
oh Mill he
view saia to be taken by those now adj
ministering the Rockefeller and Carnegie
educational trusts that the Capital is un-
suitable as the seat of higher education,
and that its needs in this respect are met
by Johns Hopkins and the University of
Virginia. On the contrary. the city OF
Washington believes with George Wash
ington, and with James Monroe, John
Quincy Adams, John C. Calhoun and
Ulysses S. Grant. that the National Capt.
tel rs unequaled as an educational CEN
ter. and is the natural seat of the true
national university that is to be.
Some day a man of wealth. wiser and
clearer-sighted than present educa-
tional benefactors, will perceive this
great truth. and will link his name for
ever with that of George Washington
and the other great men of record by
endowing and developing George Wash
ington's national university at the seat
OF government, an institution already
indirectly endowed by the government
with an educational plant. appliances
and facilities in libraries. museums. hos
pitfalls. ETC., that could not be duplicated
for $1,000, 600.
The national university at Washington
which George Washington foresaw and
which he sought to endow is to be nation
al not necessarily in the sense OF being
endowed and controlled by the national
government, but national in the area from
which it draws its students: national in
the indirect endowment Of the wealth Of
educational material and appliances col
lected by the nation at the capital and
available for its use. national in the
breadth of its university scope, national
in the reputation of its instructors, and
national as Columbian University was
originally created Gin locality, considers
ton and benefit
The appeal of the capital as national
educational center, the imperative local
need of such a non-sectarian local In
stitution, and the impulse of fair play SO
bring TO Washington not only the pri-
Vate money endowment essential to uni
versity development, but the educational
bounty by the national government I'M
der the Morrill, act like that extended to
all other American communities, even to
Hawaii and Porto Rico.