The Winchester home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-12-05


founding, was Baptist school, 10 be
under the direction of Baptss, assisted
by those who were the friends Of Bap.
list school in Winchester; and all can see
that the school looked solely to the Bap'
lists for patronage, and to those its in
trinsc merits might attract TO its halls.
The original Board uas composed SOLE
W Of Baptists and those IN tacor Of a
Baptist School IN Winchester!
When the Charter was obtained from
the County Court, the Board was but
partially filled up, and yet ten out Of sew
enteen Of these were members of Baptist
Churches, and the remaining seven either
Baptists in sentiment or the understood
friends Of Baptist institute in this
place.
have before me the first published
Catalogue of the Mary Sharpe, printed
in 1923, and from it can be seen that
fifteen out Of twenty-five Trustees were
Baptists, and the remaining seven were
the avowed and understood friends Of the
Institution as a Baptist School, to be UNI
der the control of Boptists. In addition
to this fact, the Catalogue for 1861
shows that tue2Ue out Of fifteen OF the
Trustees were Baptists, and the remaining
three the ovowcd friends Of this Baptist
Institution. The Catalogue of 1915
also shows that twelve out Of nineteen
We're Baptists, or Baptists in principle
Thus can be seen that as the school was
at first, it is now, under the controlling
direction of BaptistS, and the roll of its
students will show that the Baptist charac-
teristic has attracted the ma ority of the
patronage by which it has been sustained.
Another fact of conclusive import: Mrs.
Mary Sharpe, in the year 1850, gave TO
the institute the sum of $4,000, and sub.
sequently some 9400 more, in consldera'
ton of which the Institute received her
name. Let this fact be borne in mind.
Mrs. S. gave this sum to the Institute as
a Baptist College, and with the express
understanding that it would be a Baptist
College to the end Of time, and of course
secured to the control Of Baptsts. And
morc--cvery dollar subscribed by BaP
lists in this county, has been subscribed
, upon this express understanding.
We now have cur data from which t.
place the recent action Of the Board in it.
proper light before this community.
The Charter obtained for it from The
Court of Franklin County has been de
cdcd unconslitutional, and the Trustees
resolved to procure an act Of ncorpola
ton from the present Legislature, :
Charter was prepared and submitted tt
{ the Board for its adoption. One article
. in order to guard the Baptist feature o
{ the school, and to secure the perpetuatlol
I of the schoo! As n NOW Is, q BaptiS
. School, and under baptist control. in
. serted a clause providing that two.thlfd
. Of the Trustees shall always be Baptists
. as they have always been substantially
. aud a large potion Of the time lor8el
. more than taco- thirds, and no man thougt
F.. of finding fault, for it was understood
! both by the Board and this community
= that it was Baptist institute on, and
C the Trustees should ever make it othe
S wise, they would shameIully betray
;. solemn trust reposed in them, ana be r
n creant to duty and to honor.
a If am rightly informed, those thr,
or four Trustees who have resigned ha,
It done so simply and solely because Il
!e Board, true to their trust, passed Il
a proviso, securing and perpetuating Il
IS past and present character Of the scho
y to all future tme-a Baptist ColIeg
st and under the control of Baptists.
II Now one of two supPositions is We
|. founded Either those gentlemen ((or
n have hitherto regarded them as hig
4. toned gentlemen AMI men Of honor al
S. integrity have Inexperienced the who
X history and character Of the Mary SHARP
ie and therefore do not regard ii as Ba
1e tist institutions, or that it should in
s. future time remain, as it now is, und
| Baptist control; or, they have sinis
to design in their opposition to the passa
ID of the Charter which the Trustees ha
C. submitted TO the present Legislature.
O. saw they must be looking forward to t