The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-23
THE TROUBLE AT PURDUE.

The resignation of President White, of
Purdue University, because of the action OF
the Legislature in placing a rider upon
tract somewhat general attention to the en-
tire question of higher and technical educa-
ton by the State. There is already a deep
undercurrent of feeling among the people
upon the subject, which has already more or
less manifested itself pending the discussion
of the proposed permanent endowment of
the State University. The Journal purposely
avoided any consideration of the merits of
the proposition while it was before the Leg
i~slature; but there is occasion to repeat now
what we have before said, and in which we
know we represent the earnest feeling of the
best friends of the University and those most
closely connected with it. that the State
should either abandon the field OF higher
education altogether, cut entirely loose from
connection with the State University, or else
should place the institution upon such a
foundation that it could become a matter OF
pride to the State as Ann Arbor is to Mich
igan, as well as to equip it for work which
would be satisfactory to its faculty and its
students. One of these alternatives must be
chosen sooner or later.
Purdue University has a peculiar field. It's
work is its own. 1t is endowed by the gen.
eral government and also by the late John
Purdue. The State is only a trustee in its
relation to the institution, except the joint
control given to it by virtue of the annual
appropriation, which sum, however,
is merely a part of the college
funds. We nave nothing to dc
with the merits of the controversy touching
the restrictive rule adopted by the faculty
against the Greek fraternities. As to it's
wisdom or unwisdom there is and will
continue to be a difference of opinion.
But it seems to US there can be no possible
room for variance of judgment upon the I'M
wisdom of the State Legislature constituting
itself a board of revision of the rules adopted
by the faculty for the internal government
of the institution. If the precedent is to be
bAHub tAC ttAOi CA' appear
the faculty to the legislature body of men
elected upon political issues every two years,
and under no possible responsibility to ex-
anime the questions pertaining to the work
of the college-there is an end to all disci-
pine, and the sooner the doors of the insti-
tuition are closed the better it will be for all
concerned.
AS we have said already, we do not at
tempt to defend the regulation of the fac
ulty against the Greek d. fraternities; but the
attitude the whole controversy had assumed
passed entirely beyond hat question into
one of sustaining the faculty in the assertion
of any disciplinary regulations whatever
which might not happen to suit a portion of
the students. This should have been the
central and only question to be considered
by the Legislature if the future good of the
institution was to have been conserved. To
have a gross personal attack made upon the
president, and then to rave that fol-
indorse it, could but be destructive to
the University and harmful beyond
computation. What should have been lone
was to have rejected the 'rider," passed
the appropriation upon its own merits, If
Purdue is to continue to receive State aid
at all, and then, in the face of expressed
public sentiment, the faculty and trustees
should have rescinded the Objectionable rule.
The resignation of President White opens the
way now for such a settlementof the contro-
versy. 1t will never do to allow the matter
to stand as it does. 1t will be al end to al
possible usefulness if the Legislature of the
State is to be made an appellate court from
the faculty and trustees of any State institu-
ton whatever.