Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-11
Wittenbors College.

| 70 the Editor Of the Gobe-Republic.
In your issue OF Thursday there was an
article referring to some action of the Board
! of Wittenberg College at its recent meeting
and containing statements which are not in
accordance with the facts. The errors, OF
| course, are due to your Informant Your
readers will please understand that Mr.. Fem
ner, whose name appears At the end Of the
article, is not responsible for it. He only
furnished copy Of the resolutions which
were quoted in the article. la your issue of
yesterday Prof. Davidson corrected the mis-
statements concerning himself. Nothing
could have been farther from the
truth than the statement that
Prof. D. was "cut-out' of his position at
college, for he had resigned his position there
and had accepted one in our city schools, az
he truthtully gays, month before the board
OF the college met. And this was no secret
| to the board or to any one else. The article
| says: "The..board OF Wittenberg College at
| its last meeting two weeks ago, decided on
| account of financial embarrassment to reduce
| the teaching force OF the preparatory depart
| ment to two teachers Prois. Young and Hos
kinson.' The resolutions contained in the
| article give seeming support to the above
statement, but they were passed near tie final
| adjournment without its being observed that
| the language did not conform to the actual
measures taken by the Board. 1t is not true
that the college is suffering any Financial
| embarrassment" Even the unguarded ian
| gusge Of the resolutions, which your in
| formant relies on, speaks only OF the "hnan-
| cal condition. and what that meant we shal
see directly. But there is no financial en-
barrassment." The delay in the completion
| OF the new building ia not on account of
| financial EN- Embarrassment. We have stopped
work precisely to avoid such result. There
is not an obligation Tor work done on the
| new building or material for it that is
| not more than covered by valid subscriptions :;
aud the amount still needed 10 finish it is
| now SO nearly obtained as to insure lis COM
| pletion very soon.
But this is a matter by itself and stands
| separate and distinct from the finances of the
| college proper. The invested funds and in
come from tuition in the Collegiate Depart
ment have tor years been more than sufficient
to meet the outlay; aud the permanent fund
OF endowment is annually increasing. There
is not al institution in the State on a healthier
| foundation.
The Preparatory school connected with
the college and known as the Preparatory
Department has for several years not been pre-
| ducng sufficient income to pay the salarie. Of
| its teachers; but even here there is no en-
barrassment for any deficits in that depart
ment have been avoided by applying the sur
plus Income OF the college and by an annual
guarantee fund. Nowhere in Wittenberg
College, or in the departments connected
| with it, is there any financial embarrassment.
But the same spirit which has so care
fully administered the financial affairs
OF the college is not satisfied with
the Financial condition" OF the Prepara-
tory Department because its income is
not equal to its expenses; and learing that
in the presen, hard times" there might be
less income next year, it was determined to
provide against such result by putting mat
tiers in that department into different shape.
The board therefore instructed the prudential
committee not to employ an assistant for the
coming year, as had been done for several
years past, and directed the faculty to pro-
vide the additional teaching that was neces-
sary. While, therefore, in this change Of
matters, the number OF teachers technically
belonging to that department has been re-
duced, the actual teaching force in the pre-
paratory department will be increased be-
yond it has been heretofore. 1t is the pur-
pose OF the board to make that department
worthy Of the best patronage by filling it
with the best teaching force possible. f.
liza N NJ nb,,o A