The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-08-15
EAST TENNEssEE UNIVERSITY


EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY.
Never was a foot ball more ener-
getically toed on the play grounds
of a school than has been the
East Tennessee University by the
daily papers of the metropolis of
this section. The editors of the
Tribune and Chronicle have, it ap-
pears. thrown up the .'wet or dry"
chip and chosen sides and each de-
termined never to give up the play
until the ball has been booted to the
fence. If notoriety was the chief
element in good advertising, then
could IL truthfully be said that this
institution has been well and widely
advertised. Fortunately, or unfor-
tunately however. this advertising
by newspaper correspondents and
interviewers has been chiefly confn-
ed to, and made prominent in that
section of our country where it will
serve only to excite that old war
prejudice that flashes up and burns
afresh wherever very little fuel is
laid on the partially smoidering en-
bers, which should have long ere
this been entirely extinguished, and
from which section the University
has never drawn any support by way
of students there never having been
in attendance during any year of the
history Of this institution more than
two or three students whose resi-
dence was north of "Mason-Dixon's
line" and these we're purely acct
dental exceptions, such as where
relatives residing here would offer
the advantage of cheap board, &c.
Never since the foundation Of the
University was a session taught
when the North was not represented
in the faculty, and almost all the
time the professors were exclusively
from that section of the country.
Any objection, therefore, to the ac-
ton of the Trustees in their recent
labors of rehabilitating with q facul-
ty the East Tennessee University
and Agricultural College, at Knox
vile. on the grounds of their having
left out Northern professors and
substituted, go far as they went, men
who are indigenous to the soil, APP
pears to one at this distance from
the scene to stand in rags =
stamped squallid want of grace. Be
fore objection was urged time should
have been given in which to test the
wisdom of the board of trustees in
their change Of professors. 1t is a
matter of interest to Knoxville, in
Volving to some extent her material
prosperity, that this school should
flourish. Why, therefore. should it
be matter of surprise that her citi-
zens who are members of the board
of trustees should have an eye to
the selection Of men to teach in the
College who would, from their social
or it may be political standing, at
tract numbers of students to the in
stitution who have been kept away?
1t will be the duty, as no doubt it is
the pleasure of the board to see that
nothing of party politics be taught
in the University. 1t is gratifying ~
to know, however, that while the
Democrats were in a large majority
in the board enough of them acted
with the Republicans to give them
their choice in the election of Pres
ident. 1t is row too late, even if so
disposed, for one TO make objection
to that which the trustees have ac-
cepted as legal action Of their ho.
dy.
1t is too plain to need statement
at our hands that without patronage
from the section that objected to the
gentlemen displaced. the school must
die Of no very lingering illness.
The whole matter might be stated
in few words: The legislative COM
mittee had pronounced an important
branch of the University a failure.
r Reorganization was necessary. The
trustees have elected a faculty COM
posed for the most part of men of
decided merit as educators and IN all
respects worthy citizens. Let it not
be asked, from what section do they
hail? This should be a matter of
Indifference to every one. With the
new crew on deck, let us hope for
sea and a prosperous voyage
and may there never be found Jo-
nah on the boat.
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"a The New York World very |
remarks that if one TWEEN
ieth part of the uproar and lawless-