The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-24
Recent Changes In Furmnn University.
GREENYILLE. July Is.

An important meeting Of the trustees
Of Furman University has just been held
in Columbia, the decisions of which will
be of especiol interest to many of your
re1deEs;
1t is known throug ghout the State that
owing to the great difficulty of collecting
the endowment subscribed within the last
five or six years, or even the interest Oh
the bonds given for current expenses, the
Faculty of the University resigned their
several chairs at the close of the last ses-
sicn to enable the trustees to effect, If
possible, more substantial organization.
At the annual meeting of the trustees in
Grcenville, during the recent Commence
ment week, the situation was thorough
ly discussed, but only initiative steps could
be taken. The board, after holding many
anxious sessions, adjourned to meet again
in Columbia, Oh the Eth instant. The
members in attendance were Messrs. &.
R. Wells, ]. C. Smith, w. G. Lin1say,
J. A: W. Thomas; ]. Stout, VIM. Thayer,
T. P. Smith and j, 4. Cbambliss: Other
gentlemen who could not be present gaze
very important counsel in writing. 1t is
gratifying to be able to state that the
measures approved were adopted with
entire unanimity, and afford prospect
of continued, perhaps of enlarged, USE
fulness for this venerable institution.
The next session will open Mt the usual
time, the 18th of September. The facul-
ty vii! concist of three professors and two
tutors. The Rev. DR.. j. e. Furran 'Sas
elected to the chair of English, including
metaphysics and belle lettres; Prof. Q.
H. Judson to the chair of Mathematics
and general physics, and Prof. d. Town
send Smith to the chair of Ancient Lam
guages. The tutors are to be nominated
by the faculty and appointed by the Elk.
ecutive board of the trustees. There will
not lie preparatory department; bnt in
connection with each school of the Uni
versity course of study will be provided
adapted to the wants of those students
who may not be sufficiently advanced to
take up strictly collegiate studies. Thus
the studies of the school of mathematics
may begin with higher arithmetic and
elementary algebra the schrol of Eng.
lish with English grammar, history, ETC.;
the school of languagues with the Latin
or Greek grammar. Each professor will
have exclusive control of his own school,
and conduct its studies with the assist
ance of one or both of the tutors. The
completion of the course in any school
will be rewarded with q diploma and the
degree Of graduate in that school; =,
Free tuition will still be offered to ali
who come, not in the manner or sense OF
n charity, but simply as return for the
endowment given to the University by
the friends of higher education in the
State. This endowment has been giusn,
although so little of it has yet been actu-
ally delivered. 1t was thought by the
trustees hot long ago that it would be
necessary to ask Of the obligators the r.
linguishment of the obligation on NE
part of the University to furnish free tut
tion, because the collection of interest
and principal on the bonds was too slow
to meet current expenses But it WIS
finally decided to go on without a change
in this respect, in the hope that all who
have given bonds and who are yet in ar
rears will now more than ever feel the
Importance of paying up as rapidly as
possible.
Surely no man who can by any honor
able means obtain the money to pay even
a small part of his indebtedness to the
University will neglect longer to do SO,
when he sees the determination of the
trustees of the noble faculty to fulfil at
Whatever sacrifice the contract by which
free tuition was pledged. This contract
on the part of each obligator was certain
ly not less binding than on the part of
the University trustees. What then?
Will any obligator say that the trustees
were deceived when they accepted his
bond as good and reliable2 Or will he
not rather prove that they did well to
trust him, by immediate payment OF some
portion of his debt?
The number of students next session
will doubtless be increased by the new or
ganization of schools in the University,
and especially by the opportunity now
afforded for those to enter who are not
prepared to begin the regular collegiate
course. Also, it is expected that an ar
rangement will be made to furnish any
number of students with excellent board
at cost not exceeding ten dollars a month.
With an able, experienced faculty a com
plete course of study, board at ten dol
lars, and tuition free, what young man in
the State cannot obtain an education that
will fit him to make the most of himself
in life? Let the halls of this grand old
seat of learning be crowded next fall !;
but, oh, for sweet PHYS sake, let the
bonds be paid that the devoted teachers
may not sufIer.-Cor. Of the Charleston