Press enter after choosing selection

How Ann Arbor Looks To An Old Alumnus

How Ann Arbor Looks To An Old Alumnus image
Parent Issue
Day
3
Month
June
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The following descriptlon o! a visit tu i'.iis city and the Dnlversity, by Mr. Aldrich. written to nis paper, the Coldwater Republican, gives one some idea ol the progresa made here, and of the feellnga tha1 come to a former student as he treada the old grounds and wanders through the old (and new) halls: By invitation of au old acqualntance and triend, we spi-nt last Saturday n the educational center of Michigan. The occasion that prompted the Invitation and our desire to present, was the i'elieaticm ol a new hall en the grounds ol the Tappan Presbyterian Assoclation erected by ü. S. Senator, James McMiilan for special use of University studentswho mighi have come thlther trom Presbyterian humes. This building, when eompleted and furniehed. will oost between $15,000 and $20,000, .-'.11 ol which has been met by the liberal hand ol Michigan'a worthy Senator. Dr. Radcliffe, President ol the Association, stated that Mr. McMillan suggested to hlm when he generously i.f[ red to ereci and complete the building "not to make it too pions tor the bciys.'" Sufllce i; ti say that the Association does not propose to make it so cold, sanctimonious and dreary that it will repel rather than at nart the voung men and womeu win may go to Ann Arbor to acquire an educa t icm. Rather they hope to make a home where warm hearta will welcome the young with a smile, give them recreation amid pleasant .social relinementa and all the Improvementa that youth can acquire in an intelligent cultiva ted christian home. The building will be equipped with a gymnasium; tliere are reading rooms to furni&hed with periodicals, papers and books; there are rooms for social gatherings; there are training cl&sa rooms for all who may wiah to gather to study the Bible or alaeuss mattere of religous import, ineludinji the dedevelopment and progresa of churches, especially after the Preabyterlan order. Already the Association has a llbrary of 5000 volumes and two good buildings in whlch to carry on its work. The value of property is now about .?35,000. Endowmcnts are now needed for a lectureship, for the lilirary to keep up wlth the growth of thought, and provisión for a training course, any one of whlch would be a lasting monument to the memory of the individual ivho shall eontribute a neeessary amount. It is not neceesary that this small gift shall comprise very many thousands. Au endowment of $10,000, we have reason to bellere; would secure au honor to the contributor. At the dedieation of McMillan bulldwhich occurred Saturday afternoon, about 700 delegates from the General Assembly, now meeting at Detroit, were present. At the head was that eminent Prlnceton Hebrew acholar- Rev. W. II. Green, D. D.-ivho although learned is a very modest and simple man. There was also Dr. Roberts of Lake Torest University, near Cliieago. Both these divines spoke congratulating the Presbyterian church of Michigan upon the succesful inauguratlon of the tacilities to prosecute a most lnteresttng work among the studente of their own falth. Dr. Angelí, President of the state Dniverslty, was Introduced and as he aroee the whole audlence stood up in honor to the distinguished gentleman who stands at tiie head of education in Michigan. It awakened considerable emotion in hls breast, as hls trembling voice indicated as he opened liis lips to speak. In golden speech he revealed to the vlsitlng assemblymen the vast work the Unlversity of Michigan is doing is is revealed by the presence ol over 2,400 Btudenta gathered in her halls tor study. The vast figures opened the eyea ol delegatea froni the east and the west and the soutii and caused them to realize the appalling taak confronting those employed in glving Ingtruction. They went away trom Ann Arbor wlth their eyea opened on gome Important pointe whereln the church has been persietently looking askance at state educar tional institutions. The rnivci-sity is growing beyond precedent. lts development has been marvelous. While it has not tho prestige of over two centuries Ilke Harvard or over a century ïike Yale it has In lts 55 years surpassed them in the number of its studente. The next 50 years wil] probably bring to it the renown wliich the scholarsnip ol some ol her graduates shall acquire. It is thé learning, the refinemeñt, the reputation ol the alumni that givea prestige to a college or universlty and these are the produci ol the decades and the centuries. The cominfï year wiU sec the addition of Beveral new buildings and the enlargement ol others on the campus. Dnleas unforeseen circumstancea shall prevent the attendance next year will be greater th.-in the past. The Studente' ('hristian Associatlon building which will be eompleted this summer is the finest building ol those tii.it are erected for the Btudents. It will cost finlshed $40.000. The christian people ol Michigan should all j?ive something to torward this work. Aboul ss, (Kio are vet needed and thia w( lila be a Bmall amount ii all sectiona ol the state would give it a thought and a few dollars. This is a wcirk the clmrthes must do as the stal e cannot undertake it. The Eepublican has oMered to receive and forward any contributions that may le made irom this section. Will not the christian people of Coldwater come forward with Bomething to aid this work and eheer up the hearta of christian teachers and young men in the riiivn-siiy. We ïniKht teil of other thlngs which we saw and heard. We mlghi speak ol our visit with oíd [rienda sume ol wiKim are quite well known tö Coldwater people; lm; we should make a long story mach longer should we particularlze. We passed over the ■8 ol 26 to 80 yeara ago and the lile of ilic iast came floodlng on us. riaere Is nol an Instructor in the University now thai was here then. Mos1 of them are dead. The last to go ieag Dr. Winehell the eminent scientlst, and the one who preceded him was Dr. Friese, the well known Latln acholar and lover of art. Dr. Iïoise. the Greek acholar, still lives at a ripe oíd age, in Chicago. To think that all was so different brought a teeling of loneliness as we walked beneatn the shade of wlde-branching trees whlch were mere sapllnga when we first knrw them.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier