The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-12-24
Letter from Hon. T, S, Gathrigbt.
/ WHY He RESIGNED THE PRESIDENCY OBJ.
THE \. AND NJ. COLLEGE OF TEXAS.


To THE EprToRs or THE CLARloN-I wrote.
you letter from Palestine some dav- ar8
announcing my resignation of the Presidency
of the State A. NJ. College of Texas. Lut
said nothing of circumstances On reaching
here last night to join my family, found
number OF letters, several of them deureca-
ting the deep damnation of my taking off,
and expressing great sympathy. / am tlat-
tered and gratiied by these manifestations of
! good will, the part of my Mississippi friends.
and ask space in the CLARION to make a STATE
ment
Last summer, say in August, Tile Board Of
/ Directors Of the State College motat the Coll
+ lege. A cadet named Crisp preferred some
charges against one Of our faculty. The cadct
was the senior Captain of the battalion and
the Board Of Directors entertained hccLarecs
but said they would pass them until tbc aus
nual meeting in June, 1850. When the Col
+ lege opened ia October, the commaudaut of
cadets sent in his nominations for cadet
officers, and among others sent ia the name
of Crisp for Captain of a company These
nominations were submitted to the first faculty
meeting, and cadet Crisp was rejected, and.
by majority Of one, was reduced to ranks
+ This was reg rded by Crisp and his friends
as disgrace, and shared in the conviction
for he was reduced solely because he preferred
charges against the Professor. Crisp appeal
ed to the Board Of Directors, and / forwarded
the appeal to the Governor with an endorse
ment styling the action of the faculty an out
rage. Here the war began. There were ten
in the faculty, and had four OH my side and
six again me. Ordinations and recrimiuu-
tons were current, and discussions in the
faculty, became so patent that the students
felt them, and the College was injured. There
upon called for n meeting OF the Board to
investigate Crisp's charges, and charges tbut
officially preferred against two members Of
the faculty. The Board met and with open
doors. called on each member Of the faculty
to make statement of grievances After
hearing these statements the Board decreed
there were irreconcilable differences in the
faculty, and seeing their embarrassment
came forward and rendered my resignation.
did this because they gave it out that they
would reerganfze the faculty, without inves-
hgahng the charges that stood against mem
bers Of the faculty. 1 was thanked by the
Board for my action, and n resolution was
passed requesting the resignation Of evely
other member of the faculty. All RESIGNED
but two, and they were removed. Ninetvof
the citizens Of Bryan, men Of capital and in
huence endorsed me, and the students an x
body demanded that I be sustained Sucb de-
voton to College President was never shown
as the students of the A. and NJ. COLLEGE rv-
hlbIted for me, against faculty Board of Di-
rectors and every other 'jerson: and o,, INV
retiring all that had the means to 90 home
over eighty in number-left the College IN,
January LIST there will not be twenty five II
the class at roll call
retired with the respect Of the Board. and
Gov. Roberts declared publicly that ann
he
heard Of.
In less than ten days, l vas rendered the
Pres dency Of two Colleges and have accenteI
The Presidency Of Henderson College in
Rusk comfy. l was received in TvIer nc
location u the +. Texas UNIVERSITY In q
manner which amounted to an ovation. ac-
cepted the charge at Henderson until pcvt
for the future
-, The people Of Texas have treated me we'll.
The EOard Of Directors were sfTuuiv po1iti
clans, and did not exhibit the courage Reees-
sary 10 meet the emergency. The deVotifr -
the students was remarked by every one ami
was resented by the Board.
have done great work here I found fla.
pare walls OF College-building, and oroau-
lzed and established college equal in its a.
tendance to the great colleges Of Tho r..
had facu'ty-all stranoers ~ ,,a
thought each for himself that he sbonId bsTC
oeen chosen President. 1 had more tro,l1e
win my faculty than with my students.
nave the friendship and confidence of Son
ator Coke, who was President of tGe III
when | was elected. Of Gov Hubbard 49,
VINO wnOn - served served TWO years and of the Ieadiug
men OF Texas The denominational coile+e5
warred on me from the day landed here a15
olSssehtlng members Of the faculty assisted
nave zone nothing Of which NV Missis-
slPpl students will be ashamed or that / rs
gTet. regret losing my plaee-it Was a gooJ
integrity. SUI IeHNeI my
Prof L. L. McInnis, adjunct Prrofessor ,,.,
Tetalned In the new faculty at nv earne5t 40
| licItatlon. In all the trouble he anJesre1
= imsslf to me BY his bold, elevated. and do
nIne u bearing. lie was with me FIRST uidjfe
d a iast and has now a place near NV heart
as; As ssPecIal favor to reader of she 'CLARlof
since 1922, ask the publication of this letter
Sincerely yoITs,
THos. S. GArHHI0Hr.
p s.-The papers have il that 49,. -.
the lecture field Bv speciaI re,d i.'Ee lakeh
ed my lecture on ufving ;; ~ 49, 49, repeat
and Palestine. That is an an yer