Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1915 — BILL TO CONSOLIDATE TWO UNIVERSITIES [ARTICLE]

BILL TO CONSOLIDATE TWO UNIVERSITIES

Senator Van Auken Proposes That Indiana and Pnrdue Be Made One—Both at Lafayette.

Senator Glen Van Auken, erf Au burn, Monday introduced in the state legislature a measure to consolidate Indiana and Purdue Universities and have both located at Purdue. The scheme has been talked for some time. It is an ex client prospect and we hope to see is accomplished. • The state of Indians splits about $1,000,000 each year between the two schools. Probably with both at one place a saving of $200,000 per year could be made. It would give •the state a great school, one that we could be proud of. Senator Van Auken said that at Auburn people who send their sons to college send them to Michigan or Pennsylvania Universities. This is the ase all over the state. Only, one young man from Rensselaer is attending the University of Indiana this year. It is Worth McCarthy. Many others who desired to go there for reasons of state pride, decided to go to other schools because by comparison they seemed to be larger and to afford better opportunities.' Then the water famine at Bloomington has kept hundreds away. Last fall Emil Hanley, Charley Mansfield and George Healey went to Illinois’ University; Will Babcock, Edson Murray and Faye Clarke went to Wisonsin University; Alfred Thompson and Ed Honan went to Michigan University; Floyd Meyers and Cope Hanley to Colorado University. It is not certain that all of these would have gone to Indiana?

but it is sune that many of them would have gone there if condition® had. been right. It is probable that during the past ten years many more have gone from this city to Wisconsin University than to our own state university. Purdue always has a splendid attendance from this place, because of its superiority as a technical school. If it were combined with the state university, it would make one of the greatest colleges in the United States and we believe the consolidation timely. Indiana" is spending a vast amount of money on the colleges, possibly more than would meet the approval of the taxpayers if they fully realized the amount, and as long as there are two college® to divide it between, with a constant rivalry between them, the taxpayers are going to get the worst of it. Consolidate these colleges at Lafayette and we will have a vastly better university, with less overhead expense and in time a marked economy. It is thought probable that the scheme of consolidation will meet much opposition in the southern part of the state. The bill would make the consolidation elective July 1. IPJB.