The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-06-16
WEST VA UNIVERSITY
oEcsADrNcE OF THE INSTITUTION
And the Conszlbuslns Caaus-sons Of ths Eslla
That Prevail In the sehoat-rhe Charges
AxAlnst Prof. Lstham-soms . Il laeonsisttreiss
BfitaI Nsssd-Hsroic Action Demanded.
soeeia. Correspondence Of he Iu..ltoa.eer.

opecios correspondence OF ne IhtQt1eneer. lg4.F
MoRoANrowS, W. Va, June l4.-During
my, briel stay in this pleasant town l have
taken pains to look into the troubles con.
necled with the University. I have done
so from no mere motives OF simple curl.
osity but have been actussed by the sole
desire 10 get at the bottom facts and do
justice to all. There Is no concealing the
fact that there Is something decidedly de-
cayed in Denmark. In palmer Language,
the crisis in this inatitution has been
reached, and it will have to be met by the
Regents at their adjourned meeting in
Morgantown in July. II the present evils
that are Weighing down the school are not
corrected then, or, at least. an earnest at.
tempt made to eradicate them and some
action taken by the Board that will show
to the people who are cognizans OF them,
that the members OF that body recognize
that they do exist, they might as well, as q
prominent citizen expressed Il, put g g
notice "For Rent" on the door.
THE Lesser EVILS.
One great drawback to the healthfulness
Of tho University is lack Of united &C.
ton in the faculty, sympathy OF views
that would go far to promote the usefulness
and success OF the school. A house divided
against itself must fall, and II there Ia no.
change in this respect the alternative will
be sure to follow. l do not pretend to as
sert that there is any open or unseemly an
tsgonlHm between the members Of the fac.
u!sy, but they are not unit in regard TO |
the conduct OF the school and consequently |
there is no corps despri.. This has resulted |
from the radical changes that have been
effected in the matte. OF government, dis. |
cipene and the abolition Of the curricu.
lum. These innovations naturally worked |
confusion, and while time has in meas.
ure strai i2htened out matters, the -wisdom !
OF the changes is doubted BY msuy and !
championed by few. These facts, to. |
gether with a lack Of entente corGiaie be.
tween the members Of the faculty, are no |
mean factors in the decline of the institu-
lion, though they must be cla1ssd among
the lesser evils.
GREATER EVILS.
1t an instructor Of youth is not by e1.
ample as we'll as precept to be model for |
the student in the matter Of conduct his
usefulness and influence are impaired, and |
the evil that he works is incalculable. Not
only in the class room, but on the street, |
in public places the rec,ilude Of his con.
duct should not be qusstioned, but the |
good in his character ough. to be stamped |
on the mind OF the youth by every act,
These requirements, am Rorry TO SAY, are |
lacking in some members Of the faculty.,
At the recent meeting Of the Board of |
Regents CHARGES were preferred against |
Professor Latham, which if proven will |
forever dalken the life Of that professor.
The most serious charge is that OF drunk
enness. What other institution on the |
face Of this earth would tolerate thia |
Even If this charge should not ba proven,
it is unfortunate for the Professor, and |
equally unfortunate for ths schosl that his
character should rest even under the chad.
ow OF eusplcion. As to the assertion tina,
the movement TO purge the University Of
all that is holding it back Is Of
a political nature l will state that
the charges are preferred by two Demo-
crats and one Republican, and that Mr. !
Hoffman, one Of the editors Of the Nor.
gantown Post, paper OF unqueationed
Rspublicanism, expressed himself to me
as friendly to Professor Latham, and tha.
he did no. believe the charges were trus.
This ought to take the wind out of the sails
of thoss sailing in the craft ut whose
masthead is the banner political Pelse-
cntionn 49, :. "a, "A f1z,5l-,fl |