The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-02-28
HOBOKENS NEWS BUDGET.
A RU0TT0N AHONs THE STEVENS IN
STTTyTE STUDENTS.

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Rebellion Against Prof. Webb's Fussy.
and Annoying ExactlOns--Hon
'sTerry, Mcdonald Confcrs with His
Constituents, and Other Matters.
A breeze which threatened to become a
bowling Worcester has rufled the wonted
placidity at Stevens Institute, at Hoboken.
When Prof. Robert Il. ThVrston vacated
the chair of Mechanical Engineering, last
Summer, to accept the dictatorship of
Sibley College Cornell University, the Pro-
lessor of Mathematics, De Volsen Wood,
was transferred to the chair of Mechanical
Engineering, and Prof j. Burkitt Webb, OF
Cornell, was called to the chair Of Mathe-
mates at Stevens. He at once began to
lnaugurate complete revolution in class
methods, and laid down set of rules gov
ernlHg class discipline that CALLED the stu
dents of the junior and senior classes.
They had before been treated as men in
other colleges are treated. Prof. Webb
treated them like schoolboys- He has,
since the holidays, suspended five stu
ents for trivial offences. As an
instance of his ideas of discipline,
he marked with chalk on the
floor of his classroom the position he
thought each chair should occupy. One
OF the students was suspended for NOV
ing his chair outside of the prescribed
limits, and in marking for recitations the
moving of one of the chairs viii coun
against the student who occupies it. Blu
more serious cause for complaint on the
part of the students is In his methods OF
teaching. During the present term the
senior class has heretofore been occupied
IN the study of the more important
branches of mechanical engineering. De-
parting from this custom, Professor Webb
has occupied their time in working out
tedious problems in graphical states, which
must be done on his own copyrighted
"section-paper, in certain colored inks,
and particular care is required in printing
the explanations and the names of the
students on the paper. He has refused to
accept perfectly worked problems because
the name OF the worker was not printed in
certain way. One of the lessons last week
for the senior class which will graduate in
June with the degree of Mechanical Engi-
neer, was the copying of some neat pen
printing of Prof. Webb's own, design. The
students of the two upper classes have sent
several petitions to the Faculty for relief,
but without apparent effect. During the
past week class meetings were held, which
grew into college meeting on Thursday.
There the grievances were discussed and
plans for relief were considered 1t was
finally decided that committee should
wait upon President Morton and lay the
case before him. This was done Thursday
afternoon. The President received the
Committee courteously and promised to
speak to Prof. Webb, stating at the same
time that he had no doubt that the Profess
scr would do what was right in the prem
ises. Several of the students who were
active in inaugursting the meeting were
interviewed by the TATTLER. They all de-
clared that they were convinced that Prof.
Webb intended to do what was right for
the students, but that he didn't understand
them. Several times when objections were
made to him he expressed regret that they
were offended, and then for day or two
things would be better. But the improve
ment didn't last. He soon relapsed INTO
his old ways, and treated the upper class
men as though they we're in a kindergar-
ten. The outcome of this appeal tc Presi-
dent Morton is anxiously awaited by the
students