Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-24
STUDENTS RIGHTS.
They Are To Be Defined by a
Supreme Court.
AN AGNosTIo YOUNG MANS CASE.

He Refuses to Either Attend Religious
Services In the Chapel. or to Declare
Them Repugnant to His Religious Con-
victions, Because He Has None of the
Latter, and Doesn't Admit the Right
of The Faculty to Require Such At
tendance Anyhow.
CHICAGO, Oct 24-Foster North, stu
dent, has filed a petition for mandamus
In the supreme court of Illinois against
the trustees of the University of Illinois,
to compel them to restore him certain
rights. which he claims to have lost
through being suspended from the uni
versity for refusing to attend religious
services in the chapel. In September,
1879, North matriculated as a student at
the university and would have graduated
as bachelor of science in June. 1855, if he
had been permitted TO remain IN the uni.
versty. The regent and faculty never
charged North with any misconduct or
delinquency, and he complied with the
rules and regulations except in one case
Among the rules was one requiring stu
dents to attend chapel each morning.
Egress from the chapel during the exer-
cises was denied
Refused to Attend Service.
During February, 1885, and for the re-
mainder of his attendance at the uni
versity, North did not attend any of the
chapel exercises. On April /, 1885. North
received notice to call at the regents Of
flee and explain his absence from chapel.
He called and explained to the vice presi-
dent, who was acting as regent, that
compulsory attendance upon religious
services was prohibited by the constitu-
ton of the state of Illinois. On April
he received communication from the
secretary telling him that he would be
expected TO conform to the rules of the
university during his continuance as a
student.
Proposition of the Faculty.
He still absented himself, and on April
u the faculty voted that if. he claimed
conscientious scruples against attending
chapel he nigh: be excused; il not he
would be suspended. A petition was
drawn up for him to sign, stating that
Attendance upon and the listening to any
religious services are repugnant to my
religious convictions and in violation of
what conceive TO be my rights of con-
science; therefore. l. Foster North, a stu
dent of mature age. of said university, re
specially ask of the regent and faculty
thereof that may he excused from at
tending and listening to such religious
services"
His Reasons for Not Signing.
This North declined to sgn--tirst be-
cause he had no religious convictions,
and, secondly. by signing it he would be
ha hah ha
right to compel attendance upon chapel
service, which he denied, and would be
asking favor which was denied to 9TH
ers. On April 80 North was indefinitely
suspended from the university. He APP
pealed 10 the board of trustees for rein
statement and to the acting regent but
WIS refused. In answering the com
plaint the attorney general says that
when North applied for admission he
promised, in common with other stu
dents, to perform all duties with fidelity
and to yield loyal and instant obedience
to all lawful authority.
The Rule He Wouldn't Obey.
One OF the rules WAS to meet in the
chapel of the university each morning.
and as that was reasonable and proper
rule it was the duty of North and others
attending the university TO keep il. The
attorney general denies That the board OF
trustees at any time compelled North to
attend religious services, but they did in
sist on his complying with the rules
adopted for the government of the uni
versity.
Claim of the Plaintiff
Messrs. McDougall and Chapman, who
are attorneys for North, claim that the
reading of the New Testament, the sing
ing of hymns, and the repeating of the
Lords prayer constitute the chapel
place of worship for the time being, and
that the exercises constitute sectarian in
struction. The constitution forbids the
making of appropriations for sectsrisn
institutions, and yet the board of trustees
by the rule adopted made the university
sectarian school of learning. North had
promised obedience to ali lawful author
ity, but this order was unlawful and he
had no reason to obey il