The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-19
The State Normal School at Holly
Springs.

was q communication in your valuable
paper, over the signature OF three of the
former Trustees of the State Normal School
at Holly Springs attacking the report Of
the Legislative Committee sent to investi-
gate said Institution, at the last session of
said body, and charging them with par
TALLY, ignorance and presumption, in the
matter of their investigation. AT first,
thought that | would take no notice of
their attack, knowing that men in public
position are always used as targets by an
manipulating public, but upon rehec-
ton. | know that there are facts connected
with this matter that many persons are I'M
acquainted with who would be likely to
be m-led by reading the communication
above referred to; and | being one of the
committee, want the facts to be known in
the matter. and then il | am convinced
that we harmed any one by our report, then,
like little man, | will own up and ask
pardon The Governor, in his biennial
message, after referring to the condition of
the Normal School at Holly Springs, uses
the following:
Il therefore suggest that Legislative
Committee be appointed to visit said school
and thoroughly investigate its workings,
and report the results of its labors to your
body with such suggestions and recon-
mendations as they deem just"
At an early day there was introduced in
aud passed the Senate a resolution for an
investigating committee to be composed of
two from the Senate and three from the
House, giving fall direction as to what
points to investigate, one of which was, to
see if the Normal School could be CONSOLE
dated with the Rush University at the
same place and upon what terms, etc. |
will here add that this resolution was in
troduced by the Senator from Marshall
county, and was supported in the House by
the Representative from the same county,
one OF whom remarked to me latter | was
appointed on said committed to make a
full investigation as there was great dis
satisfaction growing out of said school,
Notwithstanding this these three gentle
men would have the people believe that
everything was quiet and serene until that
triumvirate committee as they call them,
came up and troubled the waters. This
Institution had been costing the State
annually $1,000 it belonged TO the State,
was under her supervision and she had a
perfect right to see that her people were
getting value received for the sums ex-
pended. We were not sent to wage war
upon the Trustees or any one else, but as
sworn officers, to discharge our duties by
| looking after the States interest And |
can truthfully say for myself, and l think
the same for my associates, that we never
thought of charging or even insinuating
| that the Trustees had abused their posi-
| ton as such. We did then, and do now,
regard them as perfect gentlemen, but will
confess that we are at loss to account for
| the attack of these three gentlemen against
the committee personally, when it does
I Il.
was no incentive or motive whatever of
personal nature to actuate us, but we
were simply trying to do our duty,
never thinking that our three complaining
| friends would take it as meddling, when
we were discharging, as honestly and fair
| lv as we knew how, our duties to the State.
| 1t is not my intention to notice all of their
criticisms They labor hard to make it ap-
| pear that we made in our report general
misrepresentation. They quote our report
as follows "The school house is an old
brick building, but now sadly out of re-
pair, situated on a bald hill, surrounded
| by deep gullies The fences are dilapi
dated, and everything connected with the
property presents the appearance of ruin
and decay" which they answer by say
ing: "rhe building is not very old, been
built about Is years not as fine as the
/ NUNEfuOE ) mouse. Which Is no great LDing
considering the money that has been spent
on it. tSee they are even picking at all the
! Legislatures that have met since we had
an Executive Mansion Then they go on
and say, whose fault il it that this house
is not in apple-pie order? There has been
but little if any appropriations for repairs
on this house. Had the Trustees had a
ffth OF $4,000 for repairs in the last two
years, we guarantee this place would not
have been so offensive to these asthetic
gentlemen"
Now. assert that there is not an init
nation In our report, that we held these
gentlemen or any other person on earth,
responsible or chargable, for the condition
of said building; neither had we any
| thing on earth to do with former appro-
priations our mission was to re ort the
condition, and not the reasons or causes.
OF the condition, as far as it being offensive
to us, ! know that our three friends are
guessing at that, for they were not with us
when We visited the school. l wish they
had been, and | think that they would
have seen some Of the dilapidation that we
speak of the brick steps into the building,
that were crumbling off they could have
gone with Us 10 some of those gullies THAT
we speak of that Prof.. Highgale insisted
on our seeing. saying that the fence had
caved In, and If something was not done.
it would eventually ruin the yard and
building. They would also have seen
those trees they speak of, all mutilated and
torn by the stock invading the premises,
ON account of bad fences, all Of which
| they could have seen If they had been with
u, and then they would not have thought
| that we had painted aay, but had made an
honest report, at least this part of it
They go on to criticise our manner of
taking testimony, and where taken. Our
instructions were to investigate. The
mode was left for US to select. 1t is suffi-
Gent to say that we went in broad open
daylight, to the courthouse, in the center
OF the square 10 the city of Holly Springs,
and there with open doors proceeded with
our investigation, refusing 10 hear no one
that wished to testify and further, that the
three complaining gentlemen were there all
the time or nearly so were requested to,
and did interrogate all the witnesses
while being examined. that they wished
to; so Il there was any thing erparts or
biased about the taking OF the testimony.
knew nothing OF 1t, and will leave the
! reader TO judge. As to the nature of the
q testimony, il was of course varied
and in some instances conflicting. but after
obtaining what they did, the COMMITTEES
was satisfied OF the following facts: lat.
That the school was not doing the work
| for which a. originators intended il.