The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-25
ARE CITIZENS TO
ABANDONCOLLEGE
FORNEWVENTURE?
Matters Getting Down To
Points In Campaign
For 100000
INSTITUTION HAS
LONG BEEN TRIED
Mass Meeting Called For
Thursday Evening At
Commercial Club

A frank statement to the citizens OF
Fargo as to whether they will direct
their financial support to an tnsti-
tuition already established and spend
ing thousands Of dollars annually,
or turn their attention and aid to
some prospective industry to be
brought into the state in which the
element of chance enters, will be
submitted at the meeting to be held
in the Commercial club rooms
Thursday evening, Sept. q, at 8
o'clock.
At meeting of the Fargo Com
mercial club Monday evening 1t was
decided unanimously to ask the
trustees of Fargo college to call a
mass meeting of citizens to consider
the situation regarding the 100000
campaign to keep the college rum
ming.
A Question of Wisdom.
The situation has developed
to a point where the citizens will be
asked outspokenly If their money in
vested in a tried and established in
stitution is not safer and pays them
better returns when the money is
spent at home by students and the
parents Of students who come to
Fargo, than on some untried propo-
sition.
At the meeting Monday evening
an itemized statement was presented
showing that approximately $4,000
must be raised annually for current
expenses, besides what comes from
the endowment fund. President John
w. Hansel stated concisely that ut
is your college and for you business
men of Fargo to say whether the
school shall be closed
This Is Registration Day.
This is registration day at Fargo
college and will continue until We'd
nesday afternoon, after which time
the students will be required to fur
nish a registration fee because Of
delinquency. While there is a feeling
Of optimism on the part of the in
structors at the college that the
campaign will carry, nevertheless
from the outside can be detected an
underground current which is work.
ing to the injury Of the college be-
cause of statements made that 1t
must close its doors if the 100000
is not raised. With the board of
trustees assured of the support of
the business men and the citizens
which it is believed will be voiced
at the meeting called for Thursday
night and the announcement given
publicity there will be a different
tone on outside affairs and che en-
rolIment is certain to profit.
Old Fargo College Spirit.
The old Fargo college spirit again
manifested today in the faith that
the students have that the college
will pull through its embarrassment.
This faith has been prevalent from
the time that the college started, and
has shown itself on the field and
track and is now cropping out at a
time when the college is in dire need
for funds to keep it alive and grow
ing.
Dean Guy r. Vowles of the college.
stated this afternoon that the en-
rollment today was only for the
academy and the freshman students
and that tomorrow would be for the
upper classes, but that figures at an
early hour he thought would equal
registration on the first day a year
ago. Every room in the dormitory
has been taken and the college is
looking for no falling off in attend
ance.
Former Governor L. B. Hanna of
North Dakota, in q statement made
Monday evening declared that ne
has lived in Fargo 20 years and in
that time Fargo has taken just one
backward step and that was when
the Northern Pacific was permitted
to remove it's shops to Dilworth. He
made it clear that Fargo will take a
second step backward in its educa-
tional growth if the citizens do not
rally to the support of the home in
situation and keep it from closing.
Hansel ls outspoker.
President John w. Hansel was
outspoken in his remarks and they
reached the marrow.
LAS far as / personally am con-
cerned," said the college president,
at does not matter whether or not
this institution is closed. / mean
as far as my material interests are
concerned.
ut does concern me very much to
see a Christian college closed. 1t does
concern me that Fargo should lose
this institution which has been so
many years in the building. But do
not get the idea that | am asking
this for myself or for the board OF
trustees. 1t is your problem"
Colonel Morton Page was present
and made the frank assertion that
he had been one OF the three division
leaders in the last campaign and
that he did not believe the present
cannpaign could succeed.