Year: 1871

The Annual Examination and com
mencement exercises of this lnstitu
tion has just closed.


This closes the seventeenth yeal
of instruction in the University, ane
We are assured by those who are bes,
informed that the institution is abou,
opening the new year under more
favorable auspices than ever before
The examination lasted during Mon


day, Tuesday and Wednesday of las,
week, and gavo complete satisfaction
to ali who were present. Allowing
that the students possessed knowl
edge of each subject, which is the re
ward of thorough training and con
slant application, and reflected
alike on teacher and student. The
attendance was small this year to
what is expected for the year to
come, owing to the fact that many Of


the most advanced students have had


to 20 elsewhere because the corps Of


Professors was too small to accom-.
modate them. This disadvantage
has been felt by the friends of the
school for years, and led to the in
auguration of the raising Of an en-
dowment at tho last meeting of the
Board. An effort was then begun,
a committee appointed and an agent
employed to raise an endowment Of
$4,000. The services of Rev. J. Ed
minister were secured in November
last, and through his efforts and that
OF the committee, the full sum of
$4,000 was raised, and some $3.50
over, in the space of about five
months. The most of this sum was
raised within the sound of the Col
lege bell, by the friends of the school
OF all denominations, and the balance
by the denomination in other parts
Of the State.


This has been raised with very
slight effort, only small portion of
the friends near here having their
names on the books, and simply be-
cause they were not asked; and only
few places outside were visited, but
every community to whom the
claims of the school were presented
responded promptly and literally,
thus demonstrating that the people
at home and the Baptist denomina-
ton throughout the State are ready
and willing to respond to the call
made by this popular institution, as
well now as they have been IN the
past.


The great mass of Baptists in the
State, when appealed to, recognized
the claims of this institution to. their
patronage, Notwithstanding the at
tempt on the part of some to destroy
it BY building up rival schools. Let
those who have croaked 30 long, and
continually said We were dead, and
nothing could be done for Pella,
notice what has been done the last
year, and let them realize that the
day Of lnaction and old fogyism is
over, that live men are now at the
helm and that the days of true pros
perity have just begun. With an
endowment Of $40, 900 now available,
for the next years school, the Board
will be able to increase the Faculty
and improve the school to consid-
cradle extent the coming year. An
agent will be continued in the field
to increase the endowment to at
least $40, 900 during the present year.
An attempt will be made also, to add
Theological chair by an endowment
of at least $4,000. Prom all the in
dications and signs of the times, we
congratulate ourselves upon the sue
cess that has thus far been achieved
and tho brilliant future that awaits
our school, which has SO long beer
in the darkness.


1t really seems to US that We are
about to have the school at last in
Pella that was pictured out in it's
early days. Much depends upon
judicious action by the Board, care
in the selection Of the Faculty, and
the proper management and disclp-
line of the school. Let no mistake
be made here, let progress and i'm
provement be the watchword, and
the future success Of the enterprise
is assured.-Pelkd Blade.