4/18/30 Virginian-Pilot, Va. Beach News article:
To Establish Large University Here; Work Now Started
New York, Chicago and Dayton Capitatists Are Backing
Institution Which Will Open Its Doors September 22; Permanent
Location to Be Selected Soon For Greater University; Dr.
Brown, President, Explains Psychic Division.
The establishment of a college here to be known as Atlantic
University was made known the past week by Dr. William
Mosely Brown, former psychology professor at Washington and
Lee University who has been selected as president of the
institution. It is expected that the buildings will be
ready for occupancy by September 22.
Two buildings are now being constructed between 105th
and 106th street on the water front. According to the
announcement these structures are temporary so far as the
college is concerned. A site is now being looked for on
which the greater university will be placed.
The financiers of the project became interested in this
section through their connections with the Cayce hospital.
Morton H. Blumenthal, of Blumenthal Brothers, New York,
bankers and brokers, is chairman of the board of the new
university. Franklin F. Bradley, president of the Bradley
Hurtz Corporation, paint and varnish manufactures, Chicago,
is vice-chairman. Thomas B. Brown, an engineer, of Dayton,
is secretary.
Other members of the board named thus far are: Edward D.
Blumenthal, the other member of Blumenthal Brothers; Edgar
Cayce, head of the Cayce Hospital; David E. Kahn, of the
Federal Furniture Factories, New York; Willard R. Ashburn,
Virginia Beach attorney, and Dr. Brown.
The full freshmen and sophomore courses preparatory to the
bachelor of Arts and bachelor of science degrees will be
offered.
The following departments will be instituted during the first
year: Ancient and Modern languages, English and English
literature, Social Sciences (Economics, Sociology and
Government), Philosophy and Psychology, history, mathematics
and astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology and physiology,
public speaking and dramatics. In addition to these, there
will be established a laboratory of psychic research.
Special arrangements are being made for day students. The
average charge for tuition for the session will be around
$150, with the registration, laboratory and breakage fees
additional.
In speaking of the reports that the University will offer
courses in mediumism, Dr. Brown said:
"We have no idea of having any course of department on
mediumism, spiritualism or anything of the sort.
"This report has obviously originated from uninformed
sources and entirely misrepresents the purpose of Atlantic
University. The institution will be incorporated under the
title "The Trustees of Atlantic University," and it is our
purpose to establish here a center of learning, culture and
research at which every department of human knowledge and
scientific endeavor will be represented which has anything to
offer looking toward increasing the worthwhileness of human
life and experience, both individually and socially."
The purpose of the laboratory for psychic research, Dr. Brown
explained, is the same as the American Society for Psychic
Research has been doing for 40 years and with which many
of the leading scientists of the country are identified,
one of whom is Prof. William MacDougal, who came from
Oxford University to Harvard and from there went to
Duke University at Durham, N.C.
"We shall try to discover the real facts about psychic
phenomena in our laboratory," Dr. Brown said. "The approach
will be entirely scientific and the same general methods will
be used as are utilized in all the other sciences. We are
most emphatically not interested in spiritualism, mediumism,
clairvoyance or any of the other commonly-known quackeries."