The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-21
The University Matter.



In your issue Of the Goth inst. your
leading article does injustice to the NJ. E.
Church in this State in connection with
the State University. Any action what
ever in relation to the mistreatment the
church incurred at the hands OF the Board
Of Regents OF the West Virginia Univer-
sity, was carefully avoided by the Confer
ence now in session. The ministers and
laymen all felt that the church had been
badly treated by the Board Of Public
Works, in the first instance by removing
all Of the Methodists from the Board OF
Regents, and secondly by the Board OF
Regents turning out all Methodists from
the faculty Of the University, without
giving any reason therefor except the
TACT that they were "Methodists and Rad
icals." These things were discussed
privately among the ministers and laymen
composing the Conference, and also the
further fact that the Methodist Episco-
pal Church has in the West Virginia
Conference $4,000 members, and in the
State over 10000 members, being nearly
double that Of any other denomination,
and yet they declined TO bring anything
before the Conference bearing upon the
subject. The Committee on Education,
to whom the matter was referred, did
not desire 10 endorse the University after
the treatment their church had received
at the hands Of the Board Of Regents, nor
did they want TO say anything against the
University, and hence nothing was said
for or against it in the report.
DR.. J. G. Blair coming in late in the
session, and not knowing anything about
what had been done, in his enthusiasm
for the cause OF education, offered n re-
solution endorsing the West Virginia
University, and requiring the ministers
to labor for It's future success. The re.
solution was under all the circumstances
properly and promptly voted down.
This is all there is about the Conference
action on the University question, and ]
claim that it is not censurable for the
course il took in relation to the same.
The Methodist Church, az church, has
done nothing against the University.
Since, however, it has no representative
either in the Board Of Regents, or in the
faculty, u number OF Methodist citizens OF
the State have simply withheld their pat
ronage from the University, which, as
citizens, they had an unquesdoned right
TO do, and to-day instead OF 100 students
being in attendance upon the University,
as in former days,l am informed that there
are now less than half that number.
This falling of is attributable to the mis-
management Of the University by IN un-
wise, partisan Regency. II is 10 be regret
ted by all good citizens that such u state
Of affairs now exists, and it is to be hoped
that new Board Of Regents will be short.
" appointed, and thereby save the Uni
versity from total ruin.
When the University was first started
Governor Boreman appointed the Board
Of Regents wholly out Of the Republican
party. The Board as then constituted
was self perpetuating-iuSt as it is now.
The Regents, deprecating the idea Of
having the University made political
machine, recommended the repeal of the
self.perpetuRting clause and the substitu.
ton Of appointments by the Governor,
which was done. ts
When Governor Stevenson was in the
Executive Chair he appointed several
Democrats on the Board Of Regents, who
co-operated with,the Republicans in push.
ing the interests OF the University forward.
In fact, it was never considered that pol.
itics had anything to do with the manage
ment Of the college. AL worked together
with but one object in view-the eleya.
ton Of the University, which they hoped
to make the pride Of the State.
II il fact Of history that Republican