The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-23
The state Female College.

ing chair be filled by Prof w. W. Leg
are.
FoR THE CLARIoN.l
/ The State Female College.
| In few days the Trustees will be called
on to locate the State Female College
Much has been said and written on the
subject; number of towns and cities are
bidding for it, as though it could be bought
with money, each and all the petitioners
giving what they suppose to be good and
sufficient reasons to establish their claims,
and, indeed, many of the offers and argu-
nlents possess great merit.
The diagnosis of the case is the first
duty Of the physician. Ii he is successful,
his duty is half performed, and he may
have great hope even in bad case.
Health, convenience and accessibility.
Accessibility to the poor as we'll as the
rich, are the main objects to be attained
/ take it for granted that aid to the poor
girls inspired the Mississippi Women who
inaugurated the building of the College.
Jackson has been more numerously men
toned than any other place, and yet it is
implicitly prohibited by the terms OF the
charter. The terms of the charter require
that the College must be located at place
free from annual epidemics. There have
been three or four yellow fever epidemies
in Jackson, but they were not annual in
any sense of the term; they did not come
every gear, nor did they last all the year.
jackson is most certainly excluded BY the
terms of the charter as a suitable site for
the building of the College; if it is not
excluded, that section Of the law is. with
out meaning. yellow fever epidemics are
certainly the epidemics that the law has
reference to, for there are no other epidemics
but what all the towns in the State are
equally subject to. Some other towns are
offering large amounts of money and old
buildings. Kosciusko is offering as an in
ducement that it is a good place for gar
dens, fruits, flowers, whey ards, diaries and
stock raising. / cannot see what variety
of crops has to do with a female college.
jackson brags high on her good society.
When we send girls to College we'want
them excluded from society; and the more
exclusive College is the better is it for all
concerned. Jackson ought to get the char
ter amended by adding society bureau or
department and then claim for it.
The great object of the College is to edu-
cate the poor girls; the rich can and will
take care OF themselves. Then the Col
lege should be accessible to the poor as
well as the rich-accessible and convenient
to as many of the poor girls as possible.
Wesson is 464 feet above the level of the
sea, in the piney woods, good water and
good health and free from all epidemies.
One mile south of Wesson, right on the
railroad, is a beautiful plateau. The fac
tory girls can walk from home to this place,
a,.A 70 l-ao1, II
at College all the time, and she could do
much of the homework. With flag sta
ton at the College, and the College built
near the road and enclosed to the depot,
a girl arriving alone at night could go TO
thedormitory, without cost or danger.
ACCESSIBLE AND FREE FROM EPIDEMrcs.
If all the railroads in the State conyerged |
at one point at the center of the State, and |
the College built one-half mile from the |
depot it would not be eonUeniently located, it |
would cost long walk, or a half dollar, |
and in bad weather the half dollar would |
have to 60. If the College is situated |
right on the railroad, and enclosed to the
depot, it would be convenient" to every |
part of the State, whether at Jackson or /
fifty miles north or south, getting as near
the center of the State as possible, every
thing else considered. Wesson will give
the land for the location, and that is all |
the Trustees are authorized by law to re-
ceive. The Trustees cannot entertain q
monied consideration. There is no law for
it. There is nothing contained in the char
ter that can be fairly construed to mean
1t.
There is much stress placed by some on
Sunday schools-and churches-and coed
society We all claim all these par eEcet
Leaee, and moreover, all Colleges have
their own chaplains and Sunday schools,
and the pupils are not allowed to make
society. All towns and cities have their
poor and uneducated, and they are not
always governed By the strictest rules of
morality or Law. The discipline Of
town has great influence
on that class of society, and they soon be-
come law-abiding and law-enforcing, good
citizens, and no city or town IN the State
can surpass Wesson IN the morality Of its
citizens, and, besides, there are no drinking
saloons In the town. When had the town /
incorporated twenty years ago, the sale Of /
all kinds of spirits was strictly prohibited;
and the same law is still strictly en-
forced.
In conclusion, the law is 80 lame and
bungling that it is very hard to understand. |
Section 10 says, Provided, the location
shah Be 1t : place known to be healthy /
and free from annual epidemies. ANNUAL
means yearly, or, by the year. There is no
place in this State, nor the United States,
where epidemics continue all the year, or /
where they come every year. Vicksburg
and jackson have had several yellow fever /
epiaemios. Canton and Yazo0 City, and /
probably some other little towns have had /
I few. Nov, Il this section has any mean /
ing at all 1t must refer to Vicksburg and |
jackson or some of these little towns |
Same section: The Trustees shall look to |
the conFenienee and facility. IN going to |
and from every section Of the State, and |
shall locate the same ct the place where /
most advantages are offered. Most adj |
vanfages are ofIered, refers alone to con-
yenience and facilities and not to d0na-
tons Of money or houses.
The TRusteez, therefore, have no authori-
" granted them IN the charter to receive
money or anything else but the site for the
location.
The county restriction and division IN the
A. and II. College has been repealed, and
/ suppose those will Be that are in this
charter b. the next Ieaialatnre
There are some other arguments aud
claims that do not think Il necessary to
answer IN detail. ] think my position IS
unan6werable aud wiz control the Trus-
tees IN making the location.