The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-14
The "standard" Once More.
, Wheeling Daily Register.

NIX. EDITOR:--lt the edltOr Oh IN
Standard thinks that any resdes of com
mon discernment can believe his explain
alton OF the I'd inst, for the suppression
of my letter, have no desire I" disturb
his deiusion. l call attention, however
to his change of base from correct t.
substantially correct" which, under thu
! circumstances is substantially" admit
ting the charge made. So crest" OF
that point.
The personal abuse which he Leap!
upon myself in the same article, is 81
coarse and malignant rs to be Its OWL
antidOte. To cast up age to any one as
reproach ard in a manner evidently IN
teL dcd To combine ridiculc with insult
greatly exaggeratiDg the case Tor effect
is simply brutal, and can rec$ive nc
sympathy among true men.
So that l might rest on this point
also.
| would like, however, to repcl the
Standards unjust and untruthful, and
therefore libellous attacks upon my pro-
tessionsl reputation as an educator. But
am not sure that even that Is ncces-
sary.
Who is this editor, that talks so Dip
PANTY about college presidents, and as
sumes to pronounce judgment upon them
with such an air of Importance? How
much of a college man is lie? VIVA!
college training and what experience as
an educator has he had? 1t may be that
he is a mere quack in such matters.
This idea Is confirmed by one of his
recent deliveranceS. from which 1t FOL
lows by fair inference, as it appeared to
me at the time, that the president OF
college is not II member OF the faculty -
a doctrine entirely new to me, at least
after all my "past services"
This quack idea is further confirmed
| By his beau ideal of rhe chief end of b
college president, which seems to be
drumming, drumming, drumming, while
his mind was SO intent upon theepotency
OF drumming Ms the very lite OF the uni
versity, and the want of it, death-the
only cause, in fact, Of its decay-it is =
wonder that he did not think o. the
potency of the "drum eccleslastlc,
which with the hard times has been call.
ing students away from the University
and, under the circumstances, would
have caused any university drum, how
ever well, and by whomsoever beaten
to seem las sounding brass or tinkling
cymbal."
That state of things is now happily
ended, and the drum educational viii
soon be- beaten with good results to the
University. Its chief officer, however
cannot long afford to be the drummer.
For there Is another idea of his propcI
work, which assigns to him far loitIe
and more important sphere OF action
1t is that which assigns 10 him the wori
OF chief educator in the college itself
| and of administering its government anC
discipline with an even and steady hand
The president mo cover, must do thi'
work himself. In the ordinary college
organization it is essential to his head
ship; for whoever does this work Is tn,
real head of the college-the Sdnddrc
and such like, to the contrary notwith
standing. Herein take occasion to say
is the crucial test of success IN the cast
of every untrIed man; and that neithe
praise nor blame is properly in place un
Ill The trial is made
need scarcely SAY that in all m.
past SERVICES here and elsewhere,
nave cndeavored to carry out the latte
ileal-even when "not drum Wa
beat believing it to- be the true one, n
will every man who understands tn
subject.
But it is astonishing how much some
editors, especially young editors, kno"
in these days, about things they. neve
learned, and in regard to which the.
have had no experience. The young ed
itor Of the Standard seems to be peculiar
" gifted IN that way. But l have bee
led away from the point in hand, VIZ
Is il really worth while TO spend time II
wording off the attacks OF the Sanddr
upon my professional standing, begu
two or more months ago without In
slightest provocalion on my part
Upon the whole, conclude that it
not. That editor Is evidently meddlIn
with "things too high for him, M
therefore his words cannot have niue
weight. think the young man came
do me much harm. My history
made, and cannot be unmad
by him. As to disaollItle
occs.ioned by age, he has drawn !arsel
unon his Imagination Tor his facts IN TIL
case. as even he himself would certslnl
be convinced 'on sight
am aware, moreover, that persons
disputes become wearisome to the pui
Inc. II seemed necessary, however, tt
this "ousrrer' to be fought out thus ia
There was serious Misrepresentation o
each side. He supposed that | was a
imbicile, and has so published; L SUI
posed him to be a gentleman and wrol
HIN a pol,te letter, and now 1t Is ioun'
| think, that we were mutually aud sool
equally mistaken.
am confirmed, in putting an end
this dispute, so far rs | am concerned D
tho odor of his article of the I'd inst
in connection with vivid recoise
ton of an incident in quite ear
boyhood, which gave me y lesson
much practical utility IN alter me- ~he'
ever properly attended to.
One day, in the bright spring TIM
6shin. down fine trout stream IN u
woods, all alone, unwittingiy got mi
q Quarrel with skunk. The combs
deepencd and in the end L gained
glorious victory, leaving the Zoe des
upon the field. But. ! ", we
there was some ''unplessantness;
short the victory did net pay either m.
self or the community at home. In 10
casa victory was worse than useless. !
! il might be in the present case, and Il
substantially the same reasons
Respectfully yours;