The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-12

=. following statemen, author
= committees representing
Z. abingdon Community and CON-
.rtsal clubs, the First Methodist
sss,eh. the alumni association and
neuIty Of Hedding college, has
In received by The Argus with
4. ,eouest that it be published: :
ABINGDON, ILL.,, Sept. 11.-Editor
aA,rns: Holding college. by the ac-
,;cr a Il members of the board Of
~ = trnatees. was closed for one
,aar q Aug. 5. last. This action
~ taken after the attempt 10
.soye the college to Moline had
eellapyed. 1t was taken at mos!
isonnortune time. The faculty had
neen elected for the year and its
~snbers found at this late date
A. ali desirable positions else
vhere we're already filled. Only a
~ secured positions. A very 10y
II student body was left without
Z college home.
Although the city of Abingdon,
wen al this late date. offered to
mise $l25,00O, to lend $4,000 to
meet the deficit Of the year, and to
ielp Knox county raise another
iikoo0 if the conference would do
10 part, Abingdon's offer was re-
iected and the school was closed
iof slack of funds"
Can Methodism afford to kill
fHedding college? A college that
has stood for 60 years for the
hishest type of Christian educa-
ton; a college that has today IA
Missionaries active in foreign
fields; that furnishes in this day
Of crying need of ministers, large
body Of active pastors in, the
church?
The student body Of Hedding is
scattered among many different
schools. Not 10 per cent are en- :
rolled in Methodist institutions.
Can we afford to close the doors Of
. Methodist school and drive our
student body into institutions of
other churches? Can we afford to
EDUCATE our leaders Of Methodism
In other denominational schools
What will be the result to Metho-
dism? II Hedding closes. western
Illinois will be untouched by any
Methodist educational institutions. "
Standards Conserved.
Hedding has always followed
Methodist teachings and rulings.
Hedding has probably given a
higher return to the church TO!
every dollar invested than any
other Methodist institutions. He'd
ding has always conserved Metho-
dist standards. Hedding has al
ways stood for the highest ideals
physically, intellectual and moral
Hedding has always stood for
lean, voluntary athletics. For the
lumber Of students, no school has
better athletic record. Hedding' S
iebating teams have made records
hat stand among the best? The
spirit of Hedding has alwas been
Tor clean competition and such a
pirit as has never yet said die. 81
Shall we of this conference destroy
IN institution of the character AMI
with it much Of the good that it
HAS accomplished?
The laity Of the Central Illinois
conference will condemn such &C
ton. They are already condemning
what has been done. The press is
unit in its denunciation. II He'd
ding college is lost a blow is Civ
en- to Methodism from which it will
never recover.
It has been stated that Abingdon
% too small a town to support tie
college. Hedding does not belong
to Abingdon; it belongs to the Cen
tral Illinois conference. Many
strong colleges are in small towns.
Among Methodist schools, for ex-
imple, are Cornell, at Mount Yer
hon, population 1000; McKendree,
q Lebanon, population, 1000;
simpson Of Indiaapola, population
htween three and four thousand;
Nbion in Michigan, population s.
20. In fact, it has been the aim
o all denominations to locate their
Chools in small towns.
It Is not necessary that Hedding
ae Abingdon has done her part
nd stands ready to meet the stu
atlon. II the Central Illinois con-
ference will meet its obligation
lnere will be no question of the
pefmanence Of Hedding college.