The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-08
HOME CORRESPONDENCE.
sCENTING SCANDAL CLOSE BY.
THE A

IN QUEER EHlNDTH
CURTAIN OF A DIVERSITY PRErTY
PLAIN AND SQUARE ToED STATEMENT
REAL CAUSE OF PROF. GAYS RESIGNATION.
Occasional Correspondence of the Sentinel
BLooMINGroN, IND, Nov. 29.-Some OF
the statements contained in the article
headed :'Scenting far off scandal" in the
issue of the Sentinel" of the 18th inst.
might be considered as a joke were it not
the fact that the action ofthe board of trus-
tees of the State University in regard to the
Rev. J.. L. Gay might thereby be placed in
An unfavorable and untruthful light. Your
correspondent, after careful inquiry, is pre-
pared to say that the "manly stand" 90 and
course of the
REV. j. L. GAY
on the occasion of Theodore Tilton's lecture
before the students of the university in the
spring of 1872, did not cost him his position
as professor of English literature, nor was
there any connection between the two cir
cumstances. His resignation was accepted
because of his notorious incompe-
tency, and for the "good of the service"
AS soon as he ascertained that Professor G..
w. Hoss, LII. D., had resigned in August
1871 the professorship of English literature
in the Indiana University. the Rev. j. l..
Gay, then pastor OF a Protestant Episcopal
church In Vincennes, began m~aneuvering
and working for the vacant chair. The
trustees and faculty knew little of Professor
Gay. An incidental acquaintance with him
while on e visit to Bloomington during the
commencement week of 1871 furnished all
the they had of the man and
his character. In the casual intercourse
which then took place between him and the
professors the impression he made
yuyo mot nIfnnnfhnn IL
afterwards wrote a communication very
complimentary in tone to the
university, its president and faculty, which
was published in the Vincennes papers.
Soon after the resignation of Prof. Hoss, the
Rev. j. l.. Gay wrote to DIR. Mutt, president
of the university, asking his aid in obtain
ing the vacant chair of English litera-
ture, and what it would be necessary for
him to do TO this end The president, in an
swering his letter, stated that it would be
necessary for him to present his name and
testimonials to the president of the trustees.
He immediately commenced the most active
exertions, traversing the state in order to
obtain recommendations. He succeeded, by
persistent efforts, in securing recommended
from many good men in different Sec
of the state, and among others, from
several of the judges of the Supreme
Court: These men were entirely unac-
quainted with his want of scholarship
and peculiarities, which render him unfit for
professors chair; they knew him only as a
minister, and recognized him as a
man of some ability in the pulpit. When
The board met, in November, 1871, his name
the most prominent of the candidates
Tor the vacant chair, in consequence of his
extraordinary exertions in obtaining recon-
mendations. He thus literally
IMPOSED HIMSELF
upon the trustees and faculty OF the
university, who accepted him up
On his testimonials, without any
knowledge of his character and
qualifications for the position. Hence for his
to the chair of English literature.
the consequences a~ccruing to himself
and the university, he alone is responsible.
For u was owing to his own urgency, and
that of his friends, that he, in
. measure, forced himself into
3 position Ior which he was so utterly un-
luallted. No censure can be awarded the
trustees for their action in the case. Had he
possessed ordinary discretion he would
never have presented himself as a candidate
tor a professorship, for he would have been
of his entire want of qualifications.
Alter his election and acceptance of his
chair, instead of coming to Bloomington and
witnessing the Rotations In his department.
which were then conducted by other mem
bers OF the faculty, and making himself ac-
with the methods of instruction.
and the nature of the work he was expected
TO perform, he never came near the recita-
lion rooms until the second day of the term
on which he was to enter on
his duties. He spent the intervening time,
six weeks, from the date of his cleo
ton in traversing the state, %lecturing and
taking up collections and soliciting donations
Tor an Episcopal church in Bloomington. In
his lecture at Terre Haute he declared to
ha nnnrnnan Af1nT NEn.1 - g. 1
Students In Bloomington destitute of the |
thus making the impression so far
as his influence extended, thai there were !
churches, no gospel ministry i'm Bloom.
When, in reality, there were six
churches with regular pastors and
twice on each Sabbath in five OF
tbem, and once in the sixth. In all Of these
churches, also, there were prosperous sun
lay schools. These statements OF the Rev.
J. l.. Gay wore calculated to create a very
damaging impression abroad in regard
10 the moral and religious character of the
citizens residing az the seat OF the univer-
THE REV. ]. L. GAYS WANT OF QUALTFIcA-
TON FOR THE PRoFEssoRsHIP OF ENGLIsH
LITERATURE.
The Rev. j. l.. Gay arrived in Blooming
'on on the evening of the first day OF the
second term of the college year of 1871 and
1872, aud was present at chapel exercises
he following morning, when he began his
Rotations. In his department there were
regular classes; one in rhetoric and one
n logic. The circumstances were favorable
his success, and the students were all
Sindly disposed toward him, and prepared
10 appreciate his instructions at their full
value. His mode of hearing a recitation
was to direct some member of the class to
read from the textbook the lesson for the
day, and then to question the class
upon b had been read. There may have
been some variations in his method, but all
bore the same general type. For weeks the
students bore this patiently, knowing that
he was in a new position, and likely a little
rusty in the subjects taught. But at length
heir patience was exhausted; numbers of
hem complained that their Rotations in
That department were a farce, and to attend
hem was only wasting time. Several of the
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