Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-04
GbIo Statesman,
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY
The Ohio Statesman Company
THURSDAY MORNING, - AUGUST
GFor The Ohio Statesman.l
The Ohio University.

w naUeVeT duecUS IntcuuChIiOndii illOclcsIo
of the State is matter of great Importance,
and deserves the critical attention of each
individual of community; but especially
is it the duty of the press, which itself wields
so large an influence as an educator, to
watch with Argus eyes the many fountains
to which the youth of our land resort to
slake their thirst for knowledge: to know
that they are pure, or, If some have become
corrupted, to warn the public, lest they
drink and be poisoned. 1t is the province
of the public journal to applaud and sustain
whatever is right, and to criticise and con-
denim whatever is likely to work an evil to
the public. The subject of this article is
one of the "fountains," to which the young
men of this and some of the neighboring
States are invited to come and drink. 1t
behooves them, and those interested in their
welfare, to know its condition. The Ohio
University, under the administration of DR..
Wilson, early attained an enviable position
as an institution of learning. 1t stood by
the side of the Miami University, at the
head of the list of Western Colleges. Under
Dr. McGuffey it advanced to position
which rivaled the more favored and older
institutions of the East. But pecuniary
embarrassment made it necessary to close
faculty who occupied the several chairs in
the University at that time, were called to
other institutions. During the interreg-
NUN, there were some deaths and several
designations among the Board of Trus-
tees. From the fact that the College
was suspended, it failed to occupy the at
tention of the public, thus affording an op-
portunity for some designing men to pro-
cure for themselves and their friends posi-
tions as members of the Board of Trustees.
This they did, and men, who can not write
a single grammatical sentence in the En-
glish language, or even spell the words
correctly, which they might attempt to
write, have for several years past annually
occupied their seats with the Board of Trus-
tees on commencement days; and have act
ed prominent part as members of the EX-
amining committee, holding a copy of Xen-
ophon, or Horace, or, may be, Euclid, dur
ing the recitation, looking wise, and voting
on the merit of the examination. OhpudOE
There are still some good and worthy men
i'm the Board. But with this mixture of
good and bad in the Board of Trustees, we
NAV expect to find corresponding reilec-
tion in the Faculty; and in this we shall not
be disappointed, for both branches of the
Board are represented in that body, in kind.
Hence, the recent rupture, and resignation
of two of the most competent Professors in
the COllege-Dr. Blair, from the chair of
Natural Sciences, and Professor Arthur,
from the chair of Mathematics. And as
this is public matter and has already been
commented uporfiargely by the journals of
the State, allow me, as briefly as l can, in
Justice, to give you the facts connected with
this trouble in the Faculty:
In the fall of 1862, member of the Ohio
Conference came to Athens as Pastor of the
M. Il. Church, ignorant of nearly every
branch of school learning, even common
Arithmetic. He was .frdterRdlly encouraged
by all the Professors alike, to study in Col
lege, they little suspecting his capacity for
mischief. Prof. Arthur heard him in pri-
vate recitations in the elements of Algebra.
He also began the languages during the
year. He was invited to the societies of the
Students, and cordially, it seems, entertain
ed, and even became member of secret
society. Thus passed the last part of the
first year of this Pastors sojourn at Athens.
During the next year it was found that,
green as he was in learning, the President
of the College had, without consulting the
Faculty, made him tutor to class in Col
lege. OF this Prof. Guthrie, who was i'm
mediately in charge of the languages, COM
planned; and all the Professors thought it
arbitrary on the part of DR.. H., and injuri-
GUS to the College. 1t was soon apparent,
however, that he was the confidential ad-
wiser of Dr. II. on College affairs. This
was extraordinary for the Pastor of vii
lage church in State University. DIR. III.
was charged with habitually employing
irresponsible parties TO teach classes. All the
Faculty looked upon this policy as fraud
upon the Students, and suicidal to the in
terests and honor of the College, and the
Of ito ctrua 10 a,,1
seemed to be, to multiply the dependents Of the
President To correct this growing evil,
DIR. Blair drew up the following resolution,
which can but meet the approval of every
judicious College officer, to wit:
"Resolred By the Faculty Of the Ohio Uni
veisitn That 1t Is adverse to the interests of
the Students and honor of this College, and
the reputation of its Professors, to allow
any class or classes in this institution, to
recite to, or be graded upon the merit roll,
by any person other than a teacher regu-
larly appointed by the Trustees"
This resolution was to be offered by
Professor b. and seconded by another
Professor. But il seems that DIR. B.
retained the resolution some four weeks
before presenting it. Mr.. S. had be-
come the brother-ip-law of the Pastor, and,
in the meantime, Prof. Guthrie had died,
and S. had been made, by some strategy, a
teacher in the College. Prof. Arthur's con-
ference had held its session in Parkersburg
Va. After coming back from his conference,
Prof A. informed DIR. B. that certain parties
from Athens had been at his conference,
seeking to remove him from the COllege:
and that this Pastor-the heir apparent of
DIR. T., of Columbus, O.--had reported in
Athens, that DR.. B. and Prof. A. were to be
retired from the College. How he was en-
abled thus truthfully to foretell events
which have taken place, l will not under
take to say, but leave it to those engaged in
the plot to explain. The promotion of S.,
the brother-in-law of the Pastor, to Prof.
Arthur's chair was, it seems, privately dis
cussed; and the President asked one of the
Profs., allow he would do for the post?"
About the same time, a man from Columbus,
a local preacher, and teacher of private
school for little boys and girls, made re-
connoissance to Athens, In view, as was
supposed, of capturing the chair Of thedis-
tinguished Professor of Natural Sciences.
DIR. Blair. Thus the thread of this revolu-
tionary scheme on the part OF the faction in
Athens, and certain clerical revolutionist
In the city Of Columbus, was unwinding
charmingly. DR.: Blair, although at the
time not certain that the Pastor was teach
ing class in College, ESQ secretly was the
President planning to draw this man into
the College, the coming year. as tutor,) felt.
compelled to offer the resolution to shut off
incompetent teachers, and did SO. The
scene that followed beggars description.
The President poured out upon DR.. B. the
most sctrTilous abuse, and billingsgatei that
would have disgraced an ordinary street
blackguard. DIR. b. remarked that II. teach
aro nffho orado nf tho Pn ctov xvora o., IA, a,.,