Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-08-28
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY DISCIPLINE.
Written and Uuwrittsn Law.
No. J..

cfumcub vi 1HSlllullOuS bI tle nlSueT
learning should be conducted upon or
according to written code of laws, or
by system Of Common law, wholly
unwritten. This question can be de-
cided intelligently and wisely only after
the results Of closely observed exper-
fence have been duly estimated. There
was time when 1t would have been
regarded, and even in the present day
it will be regarded as proposition
wholly absurd, and unreasonable to
adopt any plan, forthe controloi ami
verslty save that which contemplated o
carefully prepared written code Of laws
as among the first and most essential
requisites. But not by any means uni
versally does this opinion now prevail
among the teaching fraternity. On the
contrary the principle has been recog
nized by some educators Of long exper-
fence, and successful record, that the
fewer written laws you enact, the greater
will be the probability OF securing
rational and satisfactory order. Too
much government is almost as objec-
tionable as too little, and / would pre-
fer. in this connection, the word infu-
ence, to the word gosernmsr,t. Let it be
distinctly understood by all that author
ity is, and ought TO be lodged somewhere
in the hands q some legitimate party
or parties, and that this authority must
be fully and ungrudgingly recognized
by the students. This presupposes a
ruling party capable by his influence Z
of commanding respect, and by his wise
sway, of retaining that respect. AS the
result OF a persistence in'this scheme Of
government, the student'b body willingly
fall into the prevalent methods, and are
far more ready to yield prompt COM
pliance with good order, and preserve
the reputation of good morals, than II
they had constantly obtruded upon their
notice long list OF detailed rules OF
discipline" and formidable array OF
severe penalties annexed to their viola
ton. There are certain fundamental
principles that underlie all government,
and constitute the basis of all admins
tration. These are familiar 70 the minds
Of our young men in this land OF Chris
tian civilization, and where case occurs
OF one totally ignorsnt--a rare case-it
requires no great effort, or long train
ing, to have these principles inculcated.
But the wise application of these prin-
ciples must necessarily be modified by
vast variety of circumstances in each
case, among which are difference OF
temperament, on the part of the student,
and difference of knowledge OF the inn
portance of these principles, and of the
consequences of their attractions or
violations in extent and aggravation.
In this state of things, we must recog-
nize the advantage of unwritten, over
written law, in this respect that the
former leaves room for the wise exercise
ofpatience, and cool deliberation, which
refuses to be hurried into extreme in.
discretions, while by the stereotyped
wording of the law and its penalty the
executive is without the power Of choice,
and must conform to the written re.
quirements and provisions Of the code
Granted, that the excellence and saccess
of such system is mainly dependent
upon the wisdom and capacity of adap
tatlon OF the ruling power, to the cir
cumstances of each case. He must be
unequal to the situation. But without
conceding anything, I hold that the
power of control, the ability to command
wisely and firmly, is just as clearly Q
native talent as is the gift of the poet
This is gift, and unless it be in the
party, by nature. he can never learr
the art, but will be evermore falling
into blunders. Hence the proverb
"Some are born to command" There
is a college Of high repute among thu
schools Of the higher grade, and still M
less eminent, presided over many year
ago by one of the most distinguished
educators OF this, or of other times
The specially of this president was tn,
success that attended his efforts in tn,
control of the student body, and par
ticularly in subduing and reforming
such cases rebellious students as ha,
successfully defed the authorities @
other institutions, and who were sen
to this institution as a last resort, an,
ga forlorn hope" On one occasion, al
apparently incorrigible student, who
for some misdemeanor, had been dis
charged from his college, arrived in tn
town where this reformatory college wa
located. Not msnifesting any report
he was sent for by the president, VIII
had learned that he designed enterin
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