The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-07-14
PARTHZA SsszRa, IN THE UNI.
vERSlTY.
Little History and che Reason
For the Present EusIInde.


feel an interest in the West Virginia
University, and take pride in foster
ing and building it up. The press
of West Virginia especially should
give the institution a cordial, hearty
and earnest support, for if this
mighty influence is turned against
the school it can never hope to- attain
to that eminence and degree of use
fulness intended by its founders.
This being the case it is matter of
surprise and regret to every friend of
the University that portion Of the
Republican press of the State, led by
the Wheeling Intelligencer, should
be so influenced by partisan motives
as to assail the school in a ruthless
manner for the pitiable purpose of
manufacturing little political cap
ital. The Intelligencer and those
that copy after il, offer no just or
reasonable excuse for the attack.
They make no specific charges Of
Encouragement in capacity or par
tisan influence; they furnish no facts
upon which to hang tale of dis
honor or build an argument for
change in the course that has been
pursued. These Republican papers
present nothing tangible against the
University, but simply howl "Bour-
bonw Bourbon" and cry that the
institution is being wrecked. In
their eagerness and haste to tear
down and destroy the chief seat Of
learning in the State, they do not
hesitate to declare what is untrue in
regard to it. AS an instance of this
the Intelligencer states that the
university closed with about sew
enty students, many of them in the
Preparatory Department." This is
not true, and the editor of the paper
being on the ground when the article
was written had the best opportunity
for knowing that it was not true.
Yet it is given out to the world as
an Indication Of the decline of the
school.
Now, what are the facts in the
case2 The catalogue for the year
1923 shows that the enrolment for
that year was 159 students-of this
number 45 were in the Preparatory
Department. This enrolment has
never been exceeded but four times
in the whole history of the Univer.
sity. The year 1S69-70 shows
total of 161; the year 1901 total
of l6o, the year 1901 a total of
1862; the year 1872 total of 1T.
These are the four years when the
totals exceeded the year that has
just closed.
During the year 1867 the school
was entirely under the control and
direction of the Republican party.
The President, Vice President, all
the professors and instructors, and
the entire Board Of Regents were
pronounced Republicans. In that
year, of the whole numberof students
enrolled, one hundred and forty
three we're in the Preparatory De-
partment. In the year 1871, of the
l66 students, one hundred and thir-
ty-four were in the Preparatory De-
partment. All Of this time the
school was thoroughly Republican =
in fact no student with Democratic
procliyities was allowed to feel COM
Portable or at home in the institu-
ton. 1t appears from this that the
University was nothing more at that
time than q high school kept up by
the State at an annual expense of
$4,000 for the benefit of the people
of Monongalia county. DR.. Martin
was then the President, and he COM
planned of the frequent changes in
the board of instruction" This is
very significant straw to show how
the wind set when the University
was run by the Republican party.
A well managed, prosperous school
does not have frequent changes in
the board of instruction"
Since the Democratic party came
into power there have been very few
changes in the board Of. instruction,
and they we've only such as were oc-
casioned by necessity, the professors
having resigned. For the greater
part of the past ten years the major
ity Of the faculty have been Republi-
cans, and to-day six Of the twelve
professors and Instructors vote the
Republican ticket. There has never
been but one Democrat at the head
of the school as President, and that