Colorado College - Nugget Yearbook (Colorado Springs, CO)

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Dr D K Pearsons . D. K. PEARSONS, to whom this College is indebted more than to any other one man for its present splendid endowment, was born in Bradford, Vermont, in the year 1820, and is a descendant of General Israel Putnam, one of the heroes of the Revolution. After completing a common school education he taught school for several vears in order to raise funds for taking- a medical course in Woodstock, Ver- mont, after which he practiced medicine for several years in Chicopee, Massa- chusetts. Later, Dr. Pearsons came West and became a farmer in Illinois, but s ion quit this and entered the real estate business in Chicago. Being a shrewd business man he soon found his investments bringing him large return, and from that time on his wealth increased rapidly. After working hard for over seventy years and practicing the most rigid economy at the same time, he found that he had become a millionaire, and then it was that he began to ques- tion what he should do with his money which, to use his own words, he could not carry out of the world in his dead hands. We all know what his decision was. Prevented from getting a college education himself because of his poverty, it became his earnest desire that every poor boy and girl who desired to go to college should be given an oppor- tunity to do so. This could be accomplished best by founding colleges close by their own homes. Accordingly Dr. Pearsons traveled over the country to study the field. He founded no new colleges but helped those already started which were worthy of his aid. He distributed his wealth among the Christian colleges from the Pacific to the Atlantic, for Dr- Pearsons believed most pro- foundly in the mission of the Christian colleges. His gifts to our own College have amounted to $100,000; $50,000 for endowment and $50,000 for the Science building. His first endowment fund came at a most critical period of the College ' s existence and from that memor-

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Dr. D. K. Pearsons.

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able time the College has gone on to its larger life of increased endowment and influence. Dr. Pearsons takes a keen delight in giving. A few of his own words will best express the spirit which moves him in his noble work. Give away your money, he says; it ' s exhilarating and tends to longevity. And again — The past generation in the West has rolled up fortunes ; the time has now come to turn this property to the best account. Nobility has its obligations, so has wealth. What are the millionaires all about us going to do with their riches? That is the question to be asked seriouslv and to be answered care- fully. Such is the spirit of this true philanthropist. Though over eighty years old he is still hearty, cheerful, and energetic — a splendid example of a hearty old age attained by simple living and an active life. May he yet enjoy many years of health and usefulness, and may his noble example inspire others to spend their lives and fortunes in promoting the cause he loves — the advance- ment of higher Christian education in America.