New Presbyterian Seminary Building
Pictures from Photographs
Made In a Hcc Staff Artist
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KXTKUIOK VIEW NEW BUILDING OF THE OMAHA PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY.
CORNER OF THE RECEPTION ROOM.
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DR. A. G. WILSON IN HIS STUDY.
STUDENT'S ROOM IN DORMITORY.
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ONE OP THE CLASS ROOMS.
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY.
HI,. L'TllkV iif lhi tll-W
r I " I l.uil liiiK (nr ll)i Oinahu m'liiiiuiry
m I .. at... If.. ..rinll t'hliri'h M hii'h
Ul ii . .
wan ll"' ItirmHt umliTlukliiK from
a flnitmiul mil lit of vlow ill n-
llglou tlrcW's durluu tho ur I'.Hii, .uarka
long bI'P lu lulvanct' for ihi l'ri'itliy
terlau in thin vicinity, un.l. In fad, for
the niemlxT of that denomination through
out the fiitlre transmUnoui I couniry. In
fifty years the church has uot foumlcl u
new theoloKlcal seminary, excepting the
Omaha chool. A circle drawn aliout 1'lttf
burg with a rudluii of five hundred mil. .
would cover H the eastern inutlluttonii nf
learning conducted ly tho dcuomlnatinn.
Then there is the McCoimack seiuluary in
Chicago, too miles to the east of us. the
Louisville college and the seminary for the
Pacific slope, located at San Francisco.
Fifty years ago these schools were umplc,
but now, with the development of the great
northwest and of the states which Imme
diately surround Nebraska, a great need
has arisen for a school, which the older in
stitutions are too distant to supply. It
can be seen what a great territory is
tributary to tho Omaha school. In the neit
few years, with the natural Increase of
population in this region, a correponding
advance can be looked for on the part of
the seminary, both In tho direction of use
fulness and of material improvement. It
is asserted that during the twelve years
which the seminary has been in existence,
it has grown more rapidly than any ono
of the older Institutions did during a like
formative period. At auy rate, starting
under the worst of conditions, It has been
kept out of debt, has sent out seventy
five graduates and has acquired property
to the value of about $100,000. Students
are now In attendance from South Dakota,
North Dakota. Minnesota, Colorado. Iowa.
Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
In lX'.tl the seminary had its beginning
A cerference of eighteen minuter and lay
ineii met and decided that the time had
come to bt glu the work of education In this
city. For fifty years no new seminaries
had been founded, and during that tlmo
the membership of the church doubled.
During the first period the struggling
seminary had its existence In the study of
the pastor of the First rresbyterlan church
At first there was but oue class, then a
second was added and finally the senior
class. The first professors were pastors
of churches who taught without compensa
tion In addition to their pastoral duties.
This was the only way In wrich the semi
nary could have been s'arted. Dr. W. W.
Harsba, a pastor of Tecumsch, was the
first president, and came here weekly to
teach, returning to his church on Sundays.
Dr. Stephen I'hclps of the Council Uluffs
church was another professor. Dr. M. It.
Ixiwrle, now president of the seminary, was
one of the first five Instructors, coming
lu re once a mouth from the Colorado church
between Sundays for over two years. In
1893 he gave up his pastorate and came
here 10 give his entire time to the semi
nary. He has now been Bervlng for ten
years continuously. Dr. John Gordon, pas
tor of Westminster church, and Charles G.
Sterling of the Lowe Avenue congregation,
were the local men on the origins! staff.
lu lS'Jj Dr. A. G. Wilson of the Tckatnah
church Joined the staff and the place of
meeting was changed from the First to th
basi'ment of the Second Presbyterian church,
where it continued for two years. It was
during this time that the third class was
added.
These quarters being too cramped for
the growing semirary, the use of the build
ing at Ninth and Farnam streets, now tin
Andrew hotel, was given by President S. II
H. Clark of the Union Pacific. During th
spring of isy5 the old Cozzena hotel at Ninth
and Harney streets was purchased for the
use of the seminary by eastern friends with
out cost to the school. In lVJ'J Thomas Mi -Dougal
of Cincinnati died BDd left the
seminary his share lu the bui'.ding, and the
others Interested have since given their
holdings to the inbtitutiun.
In the fall of 1W0. through the good
offices of J. C. Wharton, at: option was
secured on a six-acre piece of ground in
Kountze place, lying Vtwecu Twentieth
and Twent, -first street urt the east and
west and Spencer and Emmet streets on
the south and lurlh. As Uuhrop street
was not cut through, this made an uudi
vided two city blocks, and nn excellent
location for the seminary buil lings. largely
through the energy and skill of Mr. Whar
ton this property, werth easily $;:ti,iti o, was
secured for the institution at the low figure
of $20,iMi(i. This iUiicuut was ubuut half
contributed by Omaha citizens, a consider
able part of this being given in Kountze
place.
"Ihe great need now," said President
l.owrie, "is for endowment. We have a
faculty well qualified for their departments
and a student can get as thorough, com
plete and practical an education here as in
any of the seminaries of the church. Our
gradual tb are eagerly sought for churches
and we cannot supply the demand. In th'
past we have had to carry a double load
getting money for building and also for the
living exp?nses and endowment of the in
stitution. It will not be so bard in the
future. We have aln ady made a start.
iCoiitinued on Fifth Page.)