Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-28
MILITARY INSTITUTE.
IFS MANAGEMENT, CONDITION, AND
NEEDS 10 BIZ INVESTIGATED.
Report OF the President Of the Board Of
Visitors, to Which Exception is Taken
by the superintendent

committee shall visit the institution, in
spect its condition, and examine into all
matters that may be brought TO their
attention.
The following resolution has passed
both houses, and the committee pro-
vided for will probably be appointed to-
day:
RcsOlUcd Jy the House of Delegates
{the Senate concurring), That a com
mittee of three members of the Senate
Committee on Public Institutions and
five members of the House Committee
on Schools and Colleges he chosen by
said Senate and House committees re
spectvely, whose duty it shall be to visit
the Virginia Military Institute and
to investigate and ascertain the facts
and report upon ali matters which
may be brought TO their attention
IN reference to the management,
condition, and needs of that insti-
tuition, and to make such recommends
tions as they may deem proper and the
said committee may send for persons
and papers, and may cause thetestimony
Of any witnesses who may be produced
before them TO be taken down in writing
and the taking of any such testimony
may be taken before the whole commit
tee or q subcommittee thereof; and
they may employ a stenographer.
REPORT or THE PRESIDENT.
The following is the annual report,
which is known to be the basis of the In
vestigation, though it is not referred to
in the resolutions os the two houses
TO His Escellencv General Fgtshuqh Lee, GooernoI
Of the Commonwealth of Yroan:
Governor, r,-1hrce years ago the General As
semOly 81 Virginia, uuGcr provisions Of the act
Of November Il, lS4, vacated the Ofiice OF the
Board - Visitors Of tho Nirciuia Military Insii-
tute and appointed the present Board Of Visitors
Tor the three years ensuing. AdmOnished by
these facts. IL II my duty In closing my term Of
O1lce 20 follow the long-cstah custom with
o summary recital OF our Official acts, and In
woke your attention most respectfully 70 q few
suggestions vc have thought desirable In the
interest Of the State
Tho Virginia Military Institute is now upon an
upward grade Of prosperity. The state. by ia
fostering care. has made 1t what II il, and we be-
leve IL viii yet attain that exalted position its
founders anticipated Tor L. When we entered
upon our deiicate and uninytng duties we
found the institute an1 it's iugnces undergoing
the effects OF a revolution which had been in
augurated 10y our immediate predecessors. 10
was deemed unwise 10 undo what had 80 we'll
been done by them in reviewing the superln-
tendent from the burden Of the finances 10y
placing that whole subject in the hand, OF a
/ finance committee. This arrangement has
acted most SATISFACTORILY The hnan, cs wore not
in a shape for Us 20 know with accuracy the
condition OF the Indebtedness OF tne' iDstitute.
7 ne CrciN OF the institute was AZ low eDb, and
the Stae had 10 pay for such credR. Referring
90 the book, We asCertainod that the deDlts
Of the cadets amounted TO nearly 80, 0,000-run-
N.rt mi
oil credits, and, by peremDtOry order, instruct
cd the superintendent 10 issue no orders upon
the treasurer for the benefits Of tho cadets, IN
less Ncy had TO their credit money in hand. To-
day II there Is any loss 10 tho state from that
source the superintendent IL liable Tor those
debts. And under the active and able manage
mont OF Colonel A. ;. BufOrd and ;. Houston
| Letcher Committee on Finance, the credit OF the
institute l. all that We could wish. The quarter
master and military siOrekeeper ana treasurer
eau 20 iutO any market aud pcrcha-c All sup
plies without having 70 pay three prIcesIO IOF H"f
and risE,n and the professors and employees on
payday receive promptly their pay. while f'r-
merly they wero often compelled 70 purchase al
tho institute store to get supplies dtdH.
We have a trust TO execute.
Your attention IL most respectfully called "a
the fact that no thorough investigation has been
maio for years by eTDer'S as 10 the status OF the
various trusts funds connected with the virginia
/ Military Institute. Under the present system
| n q Board Of Visitor. are not compensated ioT
their time, aul even II they were, II Is TOO neaVy
| an undertaking u expect OF them. H. i Dest, AZ
| the state ia principally interested, uat mo
rough overhauliuc be- had, that our successors
may, at loas', have clear understanding oi
I tnesc matters 10 start with.
Millions Of dollars have been Appropriated ana
disbursed; many thousands haze been given py
philanthropic admirerso Of this great state school
| The history OF the school demands that ali sIci
| recorIs should be published. that the friends
| may see exactly how these matters stand and Dc
| encouraged 10 lend helping hand 10 IT, rms
VIII AZ least make our Successors responsluie II
they are afforded q clear stat The institute
has risen from the ashes. and the veneraDie su-
perinteudcnt has overcome obstacles Incident u
his Office but few men would have attempted. IL
A. believed mat the records will chow for them
selves: nevertheless the public interest IN the
school demands that all publlc trusts DO guArde1
scrupulously. ] would fau in my duly Il ull
not ask that the acts Oi the present DoaIu pe
Thoroughly investigated by the committee VINO
NAV be sent there TO look into aud report TO tho
Legislature exactly the status OF the hnances
and trusts Of the Virginia Military institute
most respectfully ask your attention 70 lhe ac-
companSing reports, which should be most
bapt,y 20 endorse ~ fofO, but feel constrained
10 demur from q poriOu OF mo report Oh
the venerable Superintendent. me fSPe"u'-
lures he refers TO Will be accounted toT
Inv 1he Tommiftee on Finance The apprOpria-
tons ordered by the Board OF Visitors nave Deeh
transcended in Que or two instances Wheu the
amount was specified by them. under me lmihe,
diate supervision OF the superintendent huu
entirely overlooked in his estlm mates of eXpendl-
lures This Is quite an item. Tho board nave
felt The importance Of this crPen9.thTe from the
fact that the law requires tho cadets 70 acl as .
,,uard 10 the public bulding5 But for some
Years mast the cncampment during the summer
season has been abandoned, ana moet OF tne t
cadets allowed to go home. Al tne tlme We III
surod the buildings we felt that there were ho'
cadets enough at tho institute 10 perform
the duties required By law aud directed
the superintendent 20 order some OF mem
hack. IL is the sense OF the pOard tha'
the encampment should 10 resumed curing
,Se months of July and August, deeming the
duties OF camp-fe as essential 10 me soldier u.
Inc battalion drill and the manual Of arms. bu.
as the tents belonging 10 the institute Nere sen
~ Charle.ton :. c., by The superintendent
ui,hont authority from the Board OF visitors
l under the present circumstances we Iato hol
seen whore we could obtain tho tents 10 carr
ont our views Ii has been said that bad hault'
and haziHg are incident 10 camp-ul., al ani u 'nas -
conseaueuce encampments nad Dot.eI Oe aoan' @
/ doned IL IL believed by tAe boafu OF NlsltOi'
I mai - bazino IL a. much IN the power OF tnt
o0icials Of tue Virginia Military institute a. tit m
secret societies are, ana thal II euey vo ai.eo
dntv ADD carry out tho regulations ~ Is hDsoN
y,tclv in their control. THIS Is State military
school: the State cadets are INC "arus ol 'll-
ginia. ths pay cadets are mere by suuerance.
ne who does not obey orders vannVs o, ~.
ibem. no who does not execute them Is not wor-
3 Nv of htsplaee. This maxim ~ hppiectaleu u!
he lowest corporal Ga rsuks at thls schooi' anu
DOCS not admit Of discussion. ..
- On, bsnr,y 70 be able 10 report that the pres
-, .orrs haye set their ia:Ss against "hdziaJ
s ~ ,,ost manly and commend liable spirit. ana
~ 80 ,rirers have secured the prompt dismissal
Z ~ every case when cadets have boel detected IL
,h,s nnsoldierly and uugenllemaniy practice.
sgcRET SOCIETIES..
,r,ts ,nc,,b,,s. which has bafed the best efforts
81, ,,.anv ~ me colleges throughout This whole
o,,as,.v has pcen eliminated from the virgins
SSuitsr,, Institute The Board OF visitors passed
,'o,Ier u1ohibi;ing their meetings undor pair
a. a. tSnisl,i qhey ordered tina. no cadet should
"a % aii,tyed N ma REGULATE who would not ptedg
1sslr not a. ioln any secret Organization. ant
nodat ,lcef Is Appointed or alowei 10 wear
I "a tl, X,ho participates in such Orgahlzatlon
/ Tnts oraer was promul gated inc year we a.
,,n,.d our respOnsihle duties, ana py hinltauVi
s, o,,iV ,oeIn0ers Of these osganlzatioils IN th'
r,'e o., ont tn July next An ehort vas 500
/ t,,,1v made by tnese 80 ieues 70 overcome tll'
n.',at Lnttbe BOARD determned 70 crush Il II
49,. 'ncces.ary d dismiss every member wh'
aoset A. To-day there are 20 Orgsnzel Sc
w, socta,ia, al tue Virgins Military lnsutn'e
s eios ,,rs serer can bsdJeiR II tho fegulauon
are en- Orcoo' ,.,,n a.
r,,s .pbisct deserves special notice Tor sew
/ oeai rrasous-frst, bocau-e. oy reieIonoo !" w w
e,@arai reports 4 ths approximations on th.' M
s,,,t..,tt will DO seen he has opposed II M secenu
| ,,acsnss IL is placed entiroiy ~ au l'npt Vpo ~
( ii,ht nv him IN the accompanying tcpo.s, an. as
i,sns sy ~ -olntjon we can sugee't ~ that the laV
~ .e,c, road. "that the sapeuntendent may en-
W. nL.o ,sicaps.D DO changed 10 read Tue boafI .
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