Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-14
IOWA WESLEYAN
TELLS OF PLANS
METHODIST COLLEGES WANT TO
RAISE s25o,ooo, $4,000 IN
MT. PLEASANT.

Mt. Pleasant, Sept. 10.-At a spec
ial meeting of the executive commit
tee of Iowa Wesleyan college, called,
Friday, it was determined to call for
a meeting extraordinary Of the board
of trustees early in October, at which
tine plans will be laid before them to
inaugurate a whirlwind campaign to
raise $25O,000 for the support of the
college. or this amount 1t Is the pur-
pose to secure $100, 900 In Mt. Pleas
ant and the balance In the Iowa con-
ference. At the recent session of the
Iowa conference a proposal was made
by Parsons college at Fairfield to
unite Iowa Wesleyan, Simpson and
Parsons under the caption OF Iowa
Union college to be located "at the
place most advantageous to Christian
education The purpose Of raising
the additional quarter Of a million dol
lars is to answer In a most decisive
manner the question of the place
"most advantageous to Christian edu-
cation" provided Parsons cares to
continue the negotiations.
Iowa Wesleyan has the distinction
of being the oldest college west OF the
Mississippi. 1t has back of 1t the sup
port of the Iowa conference number
ing some Al, 900 Methodists as oppos-
ed to the 5000 Presbyterians behind
Parsons. Wesleyan has made ire
mendous strides in the past decade.
Last wear the annual income met the
annual budget, leaving a net balance
of some $4,000 to retire building
bonds. Ten years ago there was an
indebtedness of some 500, 900 and
little endowment. The annual income
from the Iowa conference was approx
tmately 1000. This indebtedness has
been wiped away and nearly 100000
OF endowment accumulated.
wear the Iowa conference contributed
$4,000 towards the annual budget
which was $4,000 more than was re-
ceived last year. The enrolment mas
practically doubled. With the school
making ends meet last year n an
increase OF $4,000 in the income Tor
next year it may be easily seen that
the school is rapidly securing a firm
financial basis.
New departments In agriculture and
domestic science have been installed
and completely equipped while Her
shey hall. the young women's dor
mitory. has been placed In most ex-
cellent shape. The Seeley memorial
gymnasium and mems dormitory. n
OF the best in the state, costing some
, s8O. 900, has been built. A new heat
ing plant representing an outlay OF
$4,000 and a $4,000 pipe organ de-
note some of the more recent improve
--u-A.. vTYl~Ahn- Y1o,c0ro "a voc "a nm.
tinue the negotiations after the rails
ing of the new quarter OF a million
dollars is a matter of conjecture. Yves
leyan's equipment is already worth
$200, 900. The present productive re-
sources approximate one-half a mil
lion. With the added endowment 1t
will be without the union the strong
est UNCONVENTIONAL college In the
state.
The proposal for union as submit
ted by Parsons is as follows:
Iowa conference and the trustees OF
Iowa Wesleyan college; Des Moines
conference and the trustees OF Simp-
son college.
Greetings:
Approaching the moral and educa-
tional earnestness of Iowa WESLEYAN
college. and Of Simpson college, n
it appearing that there Is a distinct
field in this section Of Iowa Tor n !
one college, and believing that a
hearty cooperation between Metho-
dists and Presbyterians will serve to
advance the common kingdom OF u
Lord. and further, in the words OF q
DISTINGUISHED Methodist educator, be-
ueving that an institution supported
by the Methodists and Presbyterians,
which represents the modern 'get-to-
pether movement of federation among
The church, and which reduces the
numbe OIL colleges and puts in south
eastern Iowa a very strong institu-
tion ia a movement In the right direc-
ton" the board Of trustees OF Par
sons college invites the Iowa Metho-
dist conference and the board OF trus-
tees of Iowa Wesleyan college. the
Des Moine conference and the board
of trustees of Simpson college, to ap-
noin+ a committee Of five members
from each conference to confer with
a like committee of five members, al
readv appointed, from Parsons college,
tn consider a union Of the institutions.
To facilitate the operations OF the
Joint committee. the following sugges-
tions are placed before you:
!. The united college shall pc
known as Iowa Union College CPar-
~undatio 70
be located as may be deemed most
advantageous.
Q. The board shall be self perpetu-
ating as to sixty per cent OF Its mem,
bership, and members of the 1nltlai
board shall be divided among the col
leges. giving twenty-five per c and t fiftv
no., cent to Parsons. The remaining
forty per cent shall be apportioned TO
the conference Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church and to the synod Of Iowa
If the Presbyterian church, as location
and general conditions seem to war
rant. ond
, - -, ~r% oo OnC ann All