Evening star., 1923-06-03
Cite City's Great Advantage
.As Real Center of Education
Laymen of Methodist Church Present
Well Based argument for Randolph
Macon-American University Union.

! ing an adequate educational institu-
tion in this world center. All Meth
should join hands in making the Ameri-
can University what it was intended
to become. the first world Protestant
university"
Best Qualified.
Whoever builds the first world Prot
estant university must accept the
solemn responsibility of developing a
time maintaining it for all time to
come religiousy free. Who are best
qualified to work religiously without
religious bigotry? Methodism is prob
ably best qualified, being liberal and at
the same time being the largest of all
the Protestant bodies in America.
The patronage of such an institution
would be limitfess. There are in the
District of Columbia alone S,612 stu
| dents In the white high schools. with
1,o10 in the senior class. About 50 per
cent of these graduates go to college.
But owing to the meager non-Catholic
facilities for college work here, it is
estimated that at least IS per cent
of these high-school candidates for COL
lege go elsewhere. If there were ade-
quate Protestant colleges in Washing
ton there would be at least go more
students entering college here annually
than now. Such an institution would
attract students from every state. For
eign students especially would be in
terested in attending college in Wash
ington. What greater missionary task
could possibly be achieved? Many mill
lions of dollars are being poured into
Protestant schools in foreign fields
every year. 1t appears to be a wise
policy as a part of the world mission
airy program to establish the strongest
educational-m missionary institution OF
Methodism in the capital of the United
States-an institution so powerful that
1t would be as great educational mag
net drawing to itself the best minds of
all the world. 1t is therefore for
Methodists to take the lead in building
the world university in Washington
the biggest educa tional task and the
greatest missionary opportunity of to-
/ day.
Union First Step.
The first step is for the two great
, branches of Methodism to cooperate in
this undertaking. Fortunately the
Methodist Episcopal Church is already
on the ground. having established the
American University. Fortunately also
/ the Methodist Episcopal Church South
has Randolph Macon College. which can
profit in every way by moving from
Ashland. Va, to Washington Both
| churches have an interest in Randolph
Macon, for il was esta ablished in 1880
before Methodism was divided and is
the oldest Methodist college in the
an interest in the American University.
for in it's founding leaders of both de-
nominations participated and a former
president of Randolph Macon College
was especially active.
Is it not therefore desirable for these
j two institutions to join in a great CO.
| operative program? The campus of the
American University is located on the
highest plateau in the District of CO.
lumbia. 1t consists of ninety-two acres
with two marble buildings, one con-
crete brick building and several frame
buildings The property is worth at
cash value two millions of dollars. This
could be turned over to Randolph
Macon College as the college of liberal
arts of the American University.
The college need sacrifice nothing and
will gain immeasurably by this move.
The name remains the same. with the
| faculty and board of trustees as at
| present There would be no break wRh
the past. but the college would be set
! free from her present limitations and
set forth upon a truly national and
world service. With her splendid his
tory and high standard of scholarship
and character. Randolph Macon would
| be able to step to the front rank in
the educational field where she may
actually have the opportunity to help
make the standard and character OF
the world Protestant university. II
Randolph Macon will accept this chal-
lenge and if the two great Methodist
denominations will unite in their loyalty
to the American University and Ran
dolph- Macon College. then it is certain
that the premier educational institution
Of Professionalism for the future will be
intellectually honest. scientifically free,
morally clean and religiously genuine.
IF Methodists ever had anything worth
working for and sacrificing for, this en-
terpriss of practical cooperation for
world service has a twofold claim upon
their sunnorf