Ohio Wesleyan University - Le Bijou Yearbook (Delaware, OH)

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6 PRESIDENTS RESIDENCE HARTUPEE HALL

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I908 CLASS MEMORIAL l909 CLASS MEMORIAL

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The Forward Movement PROGRESSIVE campaigns are being constantly inaugurated in the educational world, but few have been of more moment than the F or- ward Movement of Ohio Wesleyan. Of recent years the University has outgrown her limited facilities and has been handicapped by the lack of funds necessary to expansion in accordance with the improvement of other educational institutions. The need of a heavier endowment has been re- alized for several years. The opportunity for making a great financial stride was afforded last year thru the grant of Sl25,000 by the Board of Education of New York on condition that the College secure an additional 5375.000 by the first of April, l9l I. This was the welcome shot which moved the Administration to declare financial warfare upon the alumni and all others willing to contribute toward a movement to advance the interests of Ohio Wesleyan University, and thru her further the cause of education. A detailed resume' of the progress of this campaign is unnecessary, for the steps, halts, hopes and discouragements which attended it are more or less known to our readers. Upon our large body of alumni and upon Ohio Methodists the energies of President Welch and his cohorts were principally focused. This necessitated a vast deal of correspondence. public speaking and personal solicitation. in which the administrative officers, the faculty, Dr. Hancher and some students loyally and thoroughly participated. . The greatest local interest in the march of the almighty dollar --as some styled it-was aroused during the last lap. Frequent announce- ments were made at this time from the chapel platform and in the college and city papers regarding the progress of the campaign. The last lap was graphically represented by footprints around a colored' track on the bulletin-board in University Hall. As the infiowing subscriptions reduced the balance of the last hundred thousand dollars to be pledged, the good tidings were there indicated. But the most intense interest was manifested during the last ten days of April-those days in which it was imperative that the last 325,000 be subscribed. Previous to that time, the men and women of the University had, in enthusiastic mass meetings, pledged over S3,500, but during the Spring vacation fwhich had been moved forward two weeks in the interest of the Forward Movementl the classes entered into competition to secure the largest amount of subscriptions. The result of the contest was a good addition to the sum total pledged by the University. The successful culmination on March 31 of the efforts of our noble President and those co-operating with him was marked by a joint musical concert given in Cray Chapel, the proceeds of which further swelled the 5500,000 fund. Those taking part in the entertainment were the Dela- ware Glee Club, the Delaware Choral Society, and the Ohio Wesleyan Orchestra of hfty pieces. With the further educational facilities made possible by this success- ful campaign, the greater usefulness of Ohio Wesleyan in the future is assured. '5