Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-11
Two [ Interesting
Letters and the
Lesson Which
They Teach
BY BishopW. A.Cand1er
TN a recent issue of the Wesleyan

By BISHOP w. A.Ca0dNer
TN a recent issue of the Wesleyan
Christian Advocate there ap-
- peared two letters which empha-
sized the Importance of speedily
building up our educational institu-
tions. Neither writer of these letters
knew that the other was writing.
One of the letters was written by
Mr.. F. Nakamura, of Toxic, Japan,
who was graduated from. Emory col
lege some ten years ago. Speaking
with reference to the recent estab-
lishment of two universities by the
Methodist Episcopal church, South,
Emory university here in Atlanta,
and the Southern Methodist univer-
sity in Dallas, Tex, Mr.. Nakamura
says:
Il am so glad that you are making
commendable progress in completing
the two new universities in equip
ment.- You are quite right in taking
your stand. The world must look to
America for education, the education
that not only cultivates and develops
our mental power, but also the
spiritual nature of man."
In another column the editor of the
Wesleyan, Advocate refers to a letter
which he received recently from Mr..
Hatton Towson, graduate of En-
DRY College, who is now on a Rhodes
Scholarship in Oxford University.
The Editor says:
Mr.. Hatton Towson, who is
now student at Oxford Univer-
sity, writes that the attendance
there is greatly reduced by the
war. The attendance is usually
about $500, but now it is down
to about 600. Merton College,
which he is attending, the old
est college of the university,
usually has about 125 in at
tendance; now it has only nine
teen. So much is the war doing
for the nations that need the
young men for battle. All of
which accentuates with great
stress of emphasis the oppor-
tunity the young men of this
nation have and the great OPP
portunity that is before the peo-
pie of this country to make
their institutions of learning
strong-ready for the day that
is to come to them when the war
is over. The schools of Europe
will not be rebuiIded for years
to come, and the young men will
come to this country for that
which they cannot get in their
own nation. We should get
ready for their coming. And cur
people reaping great fortunes
out of the war should see to it
that our educational institu-
tions are made ready for the
coming day and the great OPP
.portunity that will be ours"
From these two letters we see how
PROSTATE are the educational insti-
tuition in Europe, and how the eyes
of the students in distant lands are
looking to America for the higher
education.
During the last week the Pan
American Congress was held in
Washington City, and the proceed
ings of that body emphasizes the
same fact. The financial center of
the world has shifted to the United
States, and the educational center
shifted even before the financial CEN
ter. Our country is now a creditor
udllOug l.
ing nation.
But unfortunately the institutions
of the south are too far behind in the
matter of their financial strength to
do their just part of this great work.
Our section is better suited to it
than any other part of the Union.
The milder climate of the south is
more inviting to foreign students OF
the lands which are looking to
America for education than is the
more rigorous climate of the North.
If our institutions were as we'll
equipped as those of the North, more
students from these lands would
come to Southern institutions than
to any other; and we can equip our
educational institutions as we'll as the
best are furnished, if we will. We
have the resources of both men and
money to do this work, if only we
have a mind to do it.
AS the case now stands, however,
many of our best men have been
drawn into Northern institutions by
the ability of these institutions to
give them adequate salaries for their
labors. It would not be proper, per
haps, to call names; but 1t is fact
that there is not one OF the Weather
universities of the North which does
not have in its faculty one or more
Southern men. This is true of Har-
ward, Columbia, Yale, the University
of Pennsylvania, the University of
Chicago, the University of Wisconsin,
and doubtless it is true of others not
enumerated in this list.
Our Southern institutions ought to
be able to retain our strongest men,
and, if necessary, to draw strong men
from other sections. And this can be
done, if our people will learn to give
good gifts to our institutions of high
er learning. Our men of wealth must
give large gifts; they must learn to