The Russellville Democrat., 1885-02-19
Fayetteville University.

eSterQay morning In Tue Senate,
at Senator Embry's request, the let
ter from Gen. d. n. Hill, relative to
unfortunate differences in the facul-
ty Of the state university. which was
published in yesterdays issue OF the
Gazette, was read, and the joint COM
mittee OF the legislature now at Fay
attevle directed To investigate the
charges.-Gazette.
The following is the letter refer
red to Of Gen. Hills:
MACON, GA, Feb. Z, 1885.
To the Editor Of the Gazette:
The last message of Gov. Berry
contains the following words:
THE University of Fayetteville,
during the past.two years, has not
been entirely free from dissensions.
The faculty was, at one time, not
harmonious, and the attendance has
not been so great as we could wish:
nevertheless, it is now in reasona-
bly, prosperous condition"
These extraordinary statements of
Gov. Berry constrain me to break
the silence, which | was most desIr-
Gus to preserve. 1t is an error that
the numbers were reduced by dissen.
sions in the faculty prior to the pres
eut session. The false and malig-
nant publications in the summer Of
1888, when / was 1000 miles away,
may have had a slight effect to in
jure the numbers, though the regent
was Of different opinion. The
numbers are now, as I learn, smaller
than at any time for the last seven
years, except for while after the
small pox stampede. The reason OF
the present feebleness in numbers Is
known to large portion of the state.
On the 11th day of January, 1884,
nine collegians In a drunken frolic
tazed member Of the senior class
for his fidelity to duty as monitor.
Two Of the rioters we're especial pets
of portion of the faculty, and on a
trial which ensued, these friends of
the rioters managed by foul methods
to make it mockery OF justice and
got them all acquitted. After the
mock trial, the young man who had
been hazed was for four months sub
jectcd to indignitles Of character
too indecent to be mentioned. His
father appealed to the board for re.
dress of grivances, but the appeal
was thrown out on legal technical
Ity. The whole school knew OF the
and rioting, the town
of Fayetteville knew it, and through
letters of students the whole state
knew Of 1t. The rioters themselves
admitted their drunkenness to many
persons and among others to two
lawyers of Fayetteville. Now IS it
wonderful that law abiding students
did not care 10 return to an institu-
tion where the faculty protected the
lawless in an outrage upon pure
and worthy young man? Notwlth-
standing the intimation of Gov. Ber
ry in regard to the present harmony
in the faculty, it cannot be that the
honorable members thereof de not
continue still to regard with abhor-
renee the disreputable devices by
which the guilty were screened and
the upright punished.
Professors Leverett, Welch and
Drake, Mrs. Sutton, Misses Bedin-
ger and Carnall stated to commit
tee OF the board that some members
of the faculty took partisan attitudes
IN favor OF the rioters. If put upon
oath by committee Of The legisla-
ture, though reluctant to testify
against their comrades, they will
swear that the trial was mockery
and sham. Four Of the witnesses
for the prosecution will swear that
they were laughed at and insulted
by the partisans in the faculty.
l have been connected as teach
err or trustee for thirty-six years
with colleges, and have kept up with
their history in all parts of the land.
| give it as my deliberate opinion
that this is the solitary instance in
an American college, where .por-
tion of the faculty took sides with
and where a board OF trust
ees refused the appeal Of parent
for Justice. We cannot be surprised
that the college classes are almost
extinct, and that about one. half Of
all present are from Washington
county. The president now in
charge is good man, and With a
faculty in whose honesty and Gem
potency the people have confidence.
and with q board of trustees ready
to punish wrong and to sustain right.
there is no reason why he cannot re-
store that prosperity which the uni
versity had before demagoguery be-
gan its work OF ruin.
The press convention, which met
at Fayetteville in the spring of 1884,
asked an investigation into the af-
fairs of the university Oh the part Of
the trustees. Why none was made
is for them to explain.
Yours truly