Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-08-31
State Agricultural College.
Patrons Helper


The boaad Of trustees was In SEES
sion last week, the pRincipas busi
ness being the auditing OF bills, ap,,
rropriatiOn Of moneys to the severai
departments, and other routine ous'
ness. -
ters was the resignation OF Proi.
McAfee. OF the department. OF Hor-
ticlIlture and Forestry. The resigna-
ton is based on alleged unwarranted
and hurtful interference with ms
department by the president of the
college. and the Professors letter TO
the board contains very sharp NJ
raignment, one might call It an In
dictment. Of the president. The
board accepted the resignation WITH
apparent regret, and continues the
Professor Ia charge till March next,
with enlarged appropriations for the
prosecution OF his work. Perhaps
no greater calamity could occur 70
the college than thus to lose one OF its
most able, efficient and practical
officers. It is rum0red that Prof..
Morrow, Of the department. OF Ag-
riculture, has also resigned. -'Staft
Leader.
II these two officers have resigned,
1t Is very unfortunate. Prof. McAfee
has been in the college now nearly
three years; he has been an indefati-
gable worker, and the results Of his
labOrs have been generally approved
| by the horticulturists OF the State.
Indeed, he has earned, and holds, a
| leading position in his chosen field
of labor, and is al accepted author
ity everywhere. He IL man, too,
of Independence OF character and
strength Of purpose, 10 quite re-.
freshing contrast with most Of his
associates, and he is emphatically q
man of tho people. At our last visit
TO the college we found him with
coat of and shirt sleeves rolled up,
hard at work In the orchards, and
actually deriving revenue to the
college by selling surplus fruit.
Though lost TO the college, we hope
he may not be lost to Iowa.
Prof. Morrow IL fresh hand at
the pillow, and what he might be able
10 accomplish IL yet to be seen; but
no was sanguine Of success, saying
most earnestly that he would do his
very best to give thorough and prac-
| teal instruction in the arts Of hus-
bandry, and asked that judgment be
suspended until he had time to try.
This Ia fair, and we certainly shan't
condemn him till he has had his op-
portunity. and we don't want him to
run away till he has tried. Most
certainly the programme he has laid
out for himself is good one.
But far the most serious matter in
this connection Is the indictment OF
the president Of the college as q
| meddler, the solemn statement by
an officer OF the intelligence and
courage OF Prof. McAfee, that he can
no longer live with him, and the
resignation Of his position, 50 desirA-
BILE In itself, and otherwise so agree
able TO the professor. because Of the
impossibility Of longer working un-
der tho presidents CALLING tyranny.
II Is a matter for tho board to look
into, and 10 might be we'll for them
to remember that 1t Ia not the first
case Of like character. for az we count
them. there is just a round dozen OF
gentlemen and ladies, who have
either been frozen out or bounced,
since the college oponcd, many Of
whom now hold honored places in
other institutions of higher standing,
and ofall Of whom II may BIO said tina
they were good and Efficient work
ers. Which has been at fault, Tire
one man or the twelve? Meanwhile
the college dwindles in numbers,
retrogades In character, and drifts
rapidly away from the objects il was
founded to promote.