Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-12
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES OF 1879.
The Athens of West Virginia"-The
UniyersIty-0Id Feuds Fought Over
Again-Demand for Change
of FacuIty-Wheeling
Visitors 49, Prize
Contest.
Correspondence OF the Register.
MORGANTOwN, June 10.
"THE ATHENS"

the seat. You will remember that the
question was mooted in the Legislature
last winter as To whether the town
should wag the University or the Uni
versity wag the town. don't know
what influence the legislation had on
the settlement Of this point, and hence
in trying to recognize the proprietes Of
the situation, | might get the animal
wa.gIng at the wrong end.
But there is a manifest escape from
all discourtesies in the ancient and
honorable appellation Of The Athens
OF West Virginia "a term in which
both the town and the University share
alike. Ii strikes the visitor as a very
appropriate name by which 10 designate
this quiet, retired, vet intellectually ann
bilious old town, with It's University at
one end, looming up before the gaze OF
the visitor rs hc approaches from the
west side OF the river, and its Female
Seminary occupying prominent posi-
ton at the. other end, while they sand
wich the fine building and grounds of
the public school in the centre OF the
town.
While devoting itself To the care OF its
institutions of learning, and leaning to
large degree upon these distinctive en-
terpriSes, rs towns always will do where
such Institutions are located, Morgan
town has sacrificed its relative business
standing and lapScd into position Sec
ond 10 the group OF towns located within
a radius Oi thirty miles. 1t is the only
one Of the group left without railroad,
or that continues 10 depend upon the
antiuuatcd and intolcrable old stage
coach for its means al ingrcSs and
egreSS. The result is that it has almost
entirely lost its centripetence IN busl-
ness sense.
\ great part of the citizens recognize
the imperative necessity OF linking the
town with some other wOtld than
itself before the local business resources
are all exhausted. They are willing to
spend time and money always Tor bet
tering the business chances OF the town.
But what is true of many other West
Virginia towns is true also of thiS-a
large part OF the population become
alarmed at innovations, irritable over
any appeal for progress, and positively
bclligcrant at anything like a bust
ness commotion that would break in
upon the regularity of their
meals or hours for sleep. They
believe the world to be used
up. They have settled down into the
conclusion that it is nothing short OF
fool-hardiness to take the risk OF any
ordinary enterprise.
This IS outside the line or purpose oi
this letter, hut | find my thoughts run
ming into this channel whenever ! get
out into our State. ] always think To
how many cowardly doubts and diff
cultirS would not a new vigOr be an an
swer i'm the development of our noun
tain State.
But do not wish TO be understood as
drprrciatiug MOrguntOwn. | have only
spoken ui what il is not, instead Otwhat
it is. | will not enter upon the enum-
Grafton OiitS many attractive features lest
/ find myself trausgrcsSing the limits ol
an ordinary letter. | will, however not
omit Ia nm ntion two or three things Tor
which this people are descrvcdiy dis
tmguishrd. and the first is their
HOSPITALITY.
And when ! say hospitality, | mean
specially tu include something good To
eat. The ladies of VI. know now 10
cater 10 the wants oi the inner man in
more WAYS than one. Ii man can't
get a good square meal 10 ms taste here,
hc is hard 10 please. You Will find 1t
not only at private residences, but at
the hotels rs well. This Is only one
among many of the features oi
thcir home life that 20 to convince the
observer OF a more than usual degree OF
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
among the population. The general
dress and address of its citizens, the
toilette of the ladies, their air ot refine
mrut. the courtesy and polite cunsIdcra-
ton that meets one on all sides, furnish
abundant evidence To the high spirit oi
lis citizens. Its churches, its hotels, its
public buildings generally are indicative
of this prevailing intelligence and
culture. And ii there were nothing
else to prove it the character
and standing Ot its newspaper
furnish good index ct the kind OF
people ior whom they are published.
The P,st is aspiring to the position oi
the first weekly i'm the State. Ii Is
sprightlv, knowing and progressive.
The Nr Duu,uiuu has always been
ruterprisiug, and has lately entrusted
its editorial department to one whose
rrpufltiun as am editor is already Cstab-
lished throughout the State. And the
Journal of Education had a name before
il was hardly born, cocNtcnslye with
the State. Whatever The Athens
takes hold of with u will must neces-
sarvy boom.
THE UNIVERSITY.
found the old ieudS that have been
cxistiug between a class of citizens and
the management Of the University were
bv no means dead or discouraged. They
had marShalcd their forces and were IN
line ut battle ON the arrival Ot the Re
gents. The latter were quickly IN the
hands of the different divisions OF the
belligerrntS. The scene was very sug-
gestive of the style OimanipulatlOns that
usually preCede the meeting of point
iCal convention.
The Regents. however, deserve COM
menIation for standing above and be-
vOud the reach oI all personal or partl-
san influences. and maniirsting diSpo-
Sition 10 conhnc themselves strict
ly 10 the business demands of
the institution. The special effort oi
the mal-cuntentS this time was the re-
moval of the President and one or two
Of the Professors. who had rendered
Themselves Objectionable by their ac-
tive support Of the legislation last win
ter divorcing the institution from the
town. But al a meeting OF the Regents
last night, one OF the Objectionable pro-
fessors was elected TO the office
of Treasurer, which very clearly
indicates the an;mUs Of the
Board toward the demand for
change in the professors. In TACT We
learn quite directly that there Is not
only no disposition among the Regents
to make a change in the faculty, and
esneriaIlv in its head. but that they