Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-20


expected that such statement would
bo called for Col. Boyd, when asked to
furnish IL by tho Board, was unprepared
to do 80, and the Supervisors reluctant
ly compelled to give him time to pro-
pare it after adjournment" This when
the professors were unpaid for two
months, and by his own rough estimate
some eight thousand dollars additional
were due on account of the main tena,Ice
fund.
In view Of such uncertainty ~ TO The
resources Of the Institution, was IL not
wise to declare all offices and the Chairs
Of tho Faculty vacant, in order TO pro-
coed intelligently in tho future to tho
reorganization Of tho Institution on 4
safe basis, leaving rough estimates of
salaries subject to amendment accord.
Ing TO dovelopments'
Why were the funds specially SGT
apart for tho payment u the salaries
of Professors exhausted I
W. find tho reason IN the allegation,
that Col. Boyd, without having receiy-
cd the authorization Of tho Board 30 TO
do, had drawn against tho Endowment
Fuud, tho sum of$3,73a, for alterations,
consisting IN the construction Of cellar
dining rooms and Sundry repairs; also tho
sum Of $l338, for the library; and also
tho sum of $500, for furniture; in all
$57l2, an amount amply sufficient to
pay tho Faculty till near tho end Of va
cation. All this had boen drawn from
a fund which tho Inv specially forbidS
to be used for such purposes. These
alterations and repairs too wero made,
while stops were being taken TO obtain
tho use Of tho government property NJ
Baton Rouge, whereat TO remove the
school, which in tho event Of success,
would have rendered this expenditure
u total loss.
II was further shown that the old
| Board Of Supervisors at their meeting of
October 1879, had directed Col. Boyd to
employ clerk to keep the accounts Of
tho college: For reasons, which were
| found unsatisfactory by tho present Su-
porvisors, ho failed to comply with tho
order.
It was also shown that at tho same
meeting Col. Boyd, WAS instructed 70
require the payment In advance, by
Cadets, for maintenance, uniforms, OK
penses, etc, or to send those homo who
failed to comply. Col. Boyd, disregard
od these instructions and brought in
response q statement showing all in.
dcbtedness by Cadets Of over $4,000 for
tho session of l579-so; that too, when
tho fact appears that over two.thirds Of
those who have entered the College
during tho year, have loft IL.
Wasn't II bost not to credit the parents
of Cadets than contract debts to tho ag-
gregate Of $4,000 with the merchants and
trsdesmen of Baton Rouge?
While somo of the cadets expressed
satisfaction, others were outspoken the
other way. Cadet Gilmore, Of Shrevc-
port, for instance, straightforward,
soldierly.looking young gentleman, n
Captain in the corps, stated In the
presence of Col. Boyd and tho superviS.
ors, that he had no objection to mill
tary discipline, no matter how rigid 1t
was, provided it was uniform, which
was not tho case, for, said he, "What
may be punished severely to-day is on.
tirely overlooked next week. Cadets
had been expelled for absence without
leave, an infraction understood to be
punishable at times by demerits only.
Some professors for whom tho cadets
entertained the highest regard, had, for
some reason, abandoned tho insttu-
tion.'
All tho cadets complained Of tho fare
that WAS furnished them. Several Of
them thought tho powers and their OK
orciso In tho lands of Col. Boyd too ar
bitrary. The departure OF Professors
McCulloch and Haislip, rs also the re-
call of Lieutenant lamar, the instructor
in military tactics, were greatly re-
gretted. 1t was shown that, by direc
tion of Col. Boyd, several professors
had gone to New Orleans, leaving theil
chairs temporarily vacant, to work in
preventing the passage of the Leak'
Bill. Col. Boyd called the faculty to-
gether only when it suited his pleasure,
then even, their advice was either acted
upon by him or not. In word, IL wal
clearly shown to the supervisors that III
was the ruler Of everything.
The sum and substance of the iuvesti