The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-12
IS MADE
/ MEInODISM
SCHOOL


= following statemen, author
~ committees representing
2s abingdon Community and Com
.rIol clubs, the First Methodist
-. the alumni association and
seulty Of Hedding college. has
- received by The Argus with
Y. ,eouest that it be published:
ABINGDON, ILL.,, Sept. T1.--Editor
! End. Hsdding college, by the ac-
tias a Il members Of the board Of
4 tfratees, was closed for one
-, = q Aus. s, last. This action
~ taksn after the attempt TO
~oys the college to Moline had
soilapsed. 1t was taken at mos.
,soeoortune time. The faculty had
~ elected for the year and it's
~smbers found at this late date
~ all desirable positions else
vhere we're already filled. Only a
~ secured positions. A very 10y
4 student body was left without
/ college home.
Although the city of Abingdon,
6yep at this late date. offered to
mise $l25,0o0, to lend $4,000 to
peet the deficit of the year, and to
lelp Knox county raise another
ii5Oo0 If the conference would do
n part, Abingdon's offer was re-
jseted and the school was closed
iW lack of funds"
Can Methodism afford to kill
fHsdding college? A college that
hss stood for 60 years for the
highest type of Christian educa-
ton; a college that has today IA
Missionaries active in foreign
fields; that furnishes in this day
d crying need of ministers, a 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
sducate our leaders Of Methodism
IL other UNCONVENTIONAL 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 for
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. Holdings
lebating teams have made records
hat stand among the best? The
spirit Of Hedding has alwas been
hr clean competition and such a
pirit as has never yet said die. :"
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. If He'd
ding college is lost blow is Civ
en- to Methodism from which it will
never recover.
It has been stated that Abingdon
Is too small a town to support tie
College. Hedding does not belong
% 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
non, population 1000; McKendree,
u Lebanon, population, 1000;
Simpson of Indiaapola, population
etween three and four thousand;
Aloion in Michigan, population s.
20 In fact, it has been the aim
q all denominations to locate their
schools in small towns.
II is not necessary that Hedding
0e. Abingdon has done her part
nd stands ready to meet the stu
atlon. II the Central Illinois con-
Terence will meet its obligation
mere will be no question of the
pefmanence Of Hedding college.