The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-06-05
TIE wREcKING pEGu y.

frt.7 TIE wRECKIN0 BEGUN. 4aF'
! In 1878 the political complexion Of the
State changed and then hot.house poll.
ticianS who wria scarcely known outside Of
their own town came forward and claimed
q share in the management Of the lnstitu-
ton, thus prcstituting what should have
been tho pride Ct the Stale, to the base
level Of a political machine. Soon the IKE
Of the Board oil Regents fell, carrying to
the basket tho heads OF such men % DR..
T. Ii. Logan, CT Wheeling; men whose
i4ul. was not tina. they loved Cesar lesa,
but they loved Rome MORE, that they
thought their iirs. duty was 10 The cause Of
education instead Of 10 party.
!: Well do ! remember the pitiable sight
which this new Bcp,d Of Regents p o. ted
at it's first meeting. Thoy were h,sieyed
by local politicians, who were better quail.
lsd 10 kill time on the. boxes In front OF
Town shop, 10 play poker, or to discuss
local option, than TO manage the sGairs Of
an educational institution clsmoriug for
places on the Executive Committee. They
had been Of great service 10 their party 10
spite OF tho fac, that The other party In.
variably carried tho county, and they
wanted their reward. They tQuabbled
over positions the talaries Of which would
not pay for the cloth they wasted In riding
store counters and legal chairs.
THE DAMAGING srRcKr. i.
But the damaging eiroke was in June,
1875, wtea The Wholesale onslaught was
made on tbs FIcul.y. This bourbon
Board Of Regents had not the courage to
dismiss The worthy President, but pre-
ieried TO seek theller under a failure 10
re.eleCs. This piece Of cowardice and in.
Justice WAS promptly met and lie force
broken by his prompt call to one oiths lead.
Ing ias,i;u ions In tho West as lis President,
8, that today Alexander Marlin Ia at the
head Of m institution fnr shove the one
Tor which ho fought 30 hard. Thanks 10
Tho ingratiIudo Ct thste politicians, Il
proved lpcky turning point in Rev. Mar.
tin's ne; and he can to-day laugh at this
iecapj,aed Institution, whcse downfall
began with his departure. Other ohangea
Of doubtful beneil. followed. 5 At this time
the teuusa Of cliee WIS made one year. :,
4 be session Of Y 5 and re opeued without
President. During the two succeeding
yeals many changer took place, q The
school decreased IN number and genera
disorder prevailed. Z Finally the Regent
elected Rev. ]. Z. Thomson frcsden
Bat instesd= Of letting him fulfil the dulie,
OF the .cffice they imposed the additions
tax Of an educational drummer, requiring
him TO travel about the State the hoet o
the year hunting Tor students. They hat
found competent man who was iamilia
with boys and knew whRt they want
ed. He was not 60, strict disciplinarial
as hia predecessor, rather prelerring 4
govern by love than by severe punishmenli
lie was almost worshipped by the student
and the school proapered. But alas b
had the misfortune to be 4 young mar
which to the eapient committee was
crime for which hc was Denounced In 6p;.
OF hia successiul adm nis,raIion. Ere Ion
this ill.ieoling became unbearable and tn
genial and cultivated Thonpaon gas force
10 resign rather than submit 10 the yitupe
atoms Of gamblers, horse jockeys an
ahysters. yi :. 81
Again the school was hendiess. Comp,
tent men were unwilling to accept an oiic
without come guarantee Of 4 reasonabl
permanent tenure. a man was ut han,
though young, who could have manage
The school In becoming manner, 81
through isalousies be WIS decorated vii
the empty honor Of Acting President. &
D. B. Pnrinton had been ipu. In pow
when Thompson resigned llventure
assert, without fear OF contradiction, Ii
there would have been no ueceeiiy 4