The Washington herald., 1914-03-29

lishment of a national university such a
university probably would have been
established shortly after his death for
the James River Company was profta-
BILE and greatly aided the school to which
its stock was left. The school now is
Washington and Lee University.
In the same year that Washington
wrote to Gov. Brooke concerning the
national university. Samuel Blodgett,
who was author of the first American
work on political economy. was actively
engaged in work for establishment Of
such an institution The people grew
enthusiastic about the idea and sub
scribed literally to a fund collected by
Blodgett.
He reported to Congress that 1900 per-
sons had subscribed to the fund and
that he had collected 5000 An historian
who has investigated with a view of
what happened in 1875. wrote:
What became of that 200. no one
seems TO know. II may have been turned
over into the Federal Treasury, or it may
have been used in administering the fund.
This often happens. But the fact re-
mates that II that $50 900 had been man
aged as a trust fund at per cent COM
pound interest, without cost of admins
tration, it would today amount to the
munificent sum of more than 100000.
One of the indications that there was
dissatisfaction with the work at that time
is the fact that in the succeeding year
Congress refused. but by a majority of
only one, to authorize the association to
receive and hold funds"
Congress Gets Plan.
There is a blank on the pages of his
tory as to what happened concerning the
national university between 1875 and 1903,
but in the latter year Congress referred
to a select committee an outline of the
national university so earnestly desired
by George Washington. The proposition
was for a free college. adopting and
combining the interests of the existing
seminaries throughout the Union"
The memorial was accompanied by
plan of an equestrian statue of George
Washington surrounded by halls and col
leges regularly arranged, the whole to be
styled the Monument to Washington.
This plan was destroyed when the city
OF Washington was captured and the
Capitol burned by the British in 1914
Later Congress did erect a memorial TO
the Father of His Country. the Washing
ton Monument, a shaft OF white stone
rising 500 feet from the greensward Of
the Mall and visible from every part of
the city of Washington. The idea OF
national university as memorial to
Washington seems to have been aban-
doned.
For about three-quarters OF a century
after Congress plans for a national uni
versity were burned. the project was dor
mant.
Real Start In 1858.
But in 1883 the Methodist Church sent
Bishop John F. Hurst to Washington. He
soon made It known that he was the man
IN mako the national university
reality. Bishop Hurst gathered about
him the strong and influential men Of the
church and said:
That there should be national uni
versity in Washington is certainty.
Why not make 1t a religious university.
born of the Methodist Church" Later
it was decided that the university should
not be strictly Methodist. but that 1t
should be supported by all OF the denom-
nations interested in a national seat of
education in the Nations Capital. Still
later the university wos designated as a
Protestant educational institution. sup
ported by all believers in Professionalism
and designed to fill the ideas of what a
national university should be, as first pic
tured in the mind OF George Washington.
Bishop Hurst FIRST made certain that the
Protestant churches were behind him and
then he purchased ninety acres Of land
the OE h0SSdCnuSalIS and
Nebraska avenues at cost of about
$4,000 He held title to this land for
years end later additions were made TO
the original purchase so that the tract
now includes nearly 100 acres.
Free Access to Students.
The site overlooks the valley Of the
Potomac and from 1t may be seen Arling-
ton Heights, the top of the Washington
Monument and the dome OF the Capitol.
1t is estimated that the land purchased
for 10000 will within a few years be
worth 100000 900.
When II became known that Protestant
churches intended to establish in WASH
ington a national university modelled after
the conception of George Washington,
Congress took official cognizance of the |
fact and on March 5, 1901, granted Ito |
scientific investigators and individual
students and the graduates of Institutes !
of learning" free facilities for study and |
RESEARCH" In the government departments.