The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-17


10 the Editor Of ne AicRiGencp,
sIR:-In the Wheeling Ereamg News
OF recent date appeared the following
editorial:
INTERESTING FACTS"
The Nous has received an interesting series OF
figures relative 10 the discipline and control OF
the State University, which must make interest
ing reading 20 every West Yirginan who con
templates sending son 10 that Institution while
under the present management Mr. Il. NJ, Tur-
ner has been president OF tho university now
some olght years During this time he had en-
tire and absolute control OF the institution, In
10 single case has his authority been disputed
or questioned. In the eight years at President
Turner's dlctati9n over one hundred boys aud
young men have been expelled from the uni
yerslty for some real Or fRnced ohense During
the same time ut Washington and Jefferson Col
lege, a school OF larger attendance, the expul.
slOns have not numbered twenty. At the Fair
mont normal school, an institution whose at
tendance Is nearly double that OF the university
the explosions have not numbered ten; IT other
educational institutions In this state the per-
cenlage ofexpulsions has not been Ono.twenteth
OF what II has been at the university,
While these facts are Interesting II Is equally
interesting TO examine into the character Of the
young men who were thus forced out OF the
State University and compelled TO seek IN educ1'
ton elsewhere, Two OF them aTe now promi-
DGtit nitd fiNiflH hWNbfa III TINS oWtO, bhc Mho
was expelled Tor refusing 10 answer a question
designed TO criminate friend, when within
three month"; OF graduation finished his educa
ton ut Adrian, Mich, and Is now the trusted
aud hOnored head OF one OF the leading normal
schools OF West Virginia Another is now u
federal oicG.holdeE A fourth has served capa'
bly, US the principal OF 4 well know public
school In the Eastern Paul Handle, while sill Gn'
other Is u successful and rising young artist. A
dozen others arc active and useful CltiZens in
every branch OF business
These young men have brains aud character
sufficient to serve their state aud their fellow
men In important capacities. The man whose
nRrrow-minded tyranny was responsible for
driving these men ont from the leading educ0'
tlonal Institution OF the state with brand upon
them, assumed fearful responsibility. respon.
sibility which no conscientious aud high minded
man could have dared 10 assume unnecessarily
The public Is asked To judge between these young
men who have made and are daily making
names for themselves, aud II man who has been
failure in both professional and business life,
and who was placed at tho head OF tho State
University through influence, without regard to
the needs OF that institution. The NcwS conf.
IDENTIFY anticipates what that decision will be.
have inserted this article entire that
your readers may know exactly what 1t
contains and may the more correctly
decide-not between these young men"
and myself, but between the editor OF
the Ncvs and the truth.
For nearly two years the editor oil tho
AelUS, Mr.. HersChel Coombs Ogden, has
been publishing in the editorial col.
umns OF his paper articles intended to
defame mo and throw dacredit on my
official conduct as the president OF the
State University. He has sought by
general statements, by innuendo, by
stating part OF fact and suppressing
the rest. ana sometimes by downright
falsehoods, to discredit me in tho pub.
lie mind. AS an instance OF the last
mentioned character Of assault, he pub
lished in the NewS, last July, III edi.
torial charging me with being ut the
state convention at Parkersburg and ac-
lively engaged in pulling the wires" for
one OF the candidates for governor. He
knew when he wrote that article that
it was Il falsehood, because he was him
self present at the convention and knew
was not there. He knew, also, alter
wards that his statement was contra
dicted in the Kingwood journal (Which
had copied the article) and the contra
diction republished in the Nep Dominion
at Morgantown This contradiction
was written by gentleman, not n resi-
dent OF this state, who met me on the
streets OF Morgantown while the Par
kersburg convention was in session,
and knew | was not there. Yet the
NeUs editor had not enough regard
either for the truth or for the good name
OF one whom he had wronged in his
paper to make even so much as a mem
ton OF the fact. 1t did not suit his pur-
pose.
He has again, in the article quoted
above, descended into the ditch and
comes forth with another batch OF false.
hoods by which he seeks further to
prejudice the public mind agans me
in the editorial above quoted. In order
that the public may see the animus OF
this man. / give below the facts, as
shown by the records OF the university
in regard to the matter OF discipline
complained OF.
/. There has never been student ex.
PEELED from the university since l be.
came president.
9. Twostudents have been dismissed
from the university since | became
president; one for drunkenness, and
the other for cheating in examinations
and lying about 1t. Both OF these dis.
missals were private.
g. There have been fifteen students
suspended for longer or shorter periods,
for cheating in examinations, for drunk
enness, or for absolute defiance of au-
thority aud refusal to obey tho rogula-
tons.
4. Other than these above mentioned,
no student has been expelled, dismissed
or suspended for any cause whatever.
Students who fail to study or arc unable
to maintain their standing are dropped
from time to time upon the reports OF
their teachers.
3. No student has been dismissed,
suspended or dropped without tho afr.
native action OF majority OF the men,
bers OF the faculty who wero present
when the action was taken.
Does tho editor OF the NetUS expect
sensible people to believe that faculty
oil twelve to seventeen men, personally
composed OF gentlemen OF intelligence
and character, has so little force as to
become mere wooden men, nero tools,
and would allow "tyrannical presi.
dent" to exercise an irresponsible power
and dismiss students right and loft with
cause or without cause, and sanction
his acts by their votes, as he alleges has
been done here2 Such an imputation
Is gross insult and outrage upon every
man in tho faculty.
O. Here follows the detailed statement
OF tho facts in these matters since June,
1885, when became president omit
tho names Of students, for, unlike tho
editor OF tho NciVS, / am unwilling to
drag before tho public tho young men
who were so unfortunate as to require
such action on the part Of the faculty.