The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-03-09
THE COLLEGE ROW.
LIT MAY CAUSE THE DOWNFALL OF
HE INSTITUTION

'ION
A Number OF Prominent .CItizeDs Go In a
BODY and Appeal for tho Bnys, but the
Faculty Stands to its Decision.
COLUMBIA, S. c., March 1.-The
trouble at the South Carolina College
over the recent demonstration by some
Of the students is assuming serious
aspect, and some Of the friends of the
College are fearful that 1T will injure
the institution. 1t will be remember.
ed that eleven students were suspended
and nine others admonished by the
faculty through the president for burn
ing some mattresses and other articles
on the campas some time ago, causing
the fire department to come out and to
be laughed at by the students. The stu.
dents claim that the fire alarm was
rung by some outsider and Chat by
building the bonfire they we're follow
Ing harmless inherited custom. The
three ringleaderS were suspended for
the rest Of the year. OF the senior
class two are suspended and two were
admonished. All the classes except
the freshman lose men. Only four
men are left in the junior class.
There has been a good deal of excite
inant among some of the students who
declare that they will resign, alleging
that the faculty was partial in it's ac.
ton and was toading to the State ad-
ministratlon. 1t Is stated that the fac
ulty were requested by the police au-
thorities to take action. There Is,
however, much sympathy for the sta ;
dents and a petition asking that the
sentence be revoked was signed by sew
eral hundred persons and presented to
the faculty asking that their action ia
the matter be reconsidered and the
students excused. The matter was
taken under advisement by the faculty
FOR some days and yesterday it an
nounced its decision, the strong petl.
tion Of the citizens in the following
note to Capt. r. S. DesPortes which
explains itself:
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT,
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE
CoMUMRIA. s. c., Feb. 81. 1893.
Messrs. r. s. DesPortes, w. A. Clark.
Geo. A. Shields, V. Myers, and
others: Gentlemen-Thefa faculty If
the South Carolina College have re-
ceived your petition, requesting them
to reconsider their decision, in the case
of certain students, and have given it
the most careful and respectful consid.
Grafton. They would have been ex-
tremely glad to have acted in accord.
ahce with the wishes of their fellow.
citizens, could they have seen their way
clear to do 80. But am sorry to say
that they could not.
After fully reviewing all the facts
and circumstances of the case they have
adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, Tha:s the faculty of the
South Carolina college, in reply to the
zens of Columbia and students of this
college. regret TO say that they can find
no reason nfcrFeconsidering their action
In the suspension and admonition of
certain students of the college.
am yours very respectfully,
JAMES WOODROW,
President.
The president also sent this note ad-
dressed to Messrs. ID. S. Black, l.. J.
White, j. S. McLucas and other stu
dents of the college:
"GENTLEMEN: The faculty have re-
ceiVed your petition in behalf of your
fellow students. and have given it care
ful and respectful consideration. If
they could have seen their way clear to
act In accordance with your request,
they would most gladly have done 80.
But am sorry to have to say that they
could not"
The State says the members of the
FACULTY refuse to say how they stood on
the matter, but 1t Is ascertained that
there werc seven votes for maintaining
Inc position taken and four for grant
ing the petition Of the citizens. The four
were Drs. Patton, JOynes and Finn.
Prof. Pope. The opposition consisted
or PRESIDENT Woodrow and PrOfs. Bur
ney, r. Means Davis, E. w. Davis,
Sloan, Woodward and Bagley.
A great deal Of Indignation was ex-
pressed at the refusal of the faculty to
withdraw from It's position, and the
out the city. The boys had arranged
to hold mass meeting at g D. m. but
postponed 1t owing to the efforts of
others. The ladies Of the city were
talking OF getting up petition to the
Governor, asking him to call an extra
meeting Of the trustees Of the college
to take action In regard to the matter.
One aged graduate of the college said
that II the report were true that the
faculty had ordered the suspended stu
dents to leave the campus, he woald fit
up the second story of his residence and
invite the yourg men to be his guests
till their time Is up. The boys are very
gloomy and very much hurt at the fac.
ulty's action. They say that they had
no intention of committing any serious
breach OF discipline and they had never
been warned that bonfires would be
consirered such an offense.
Col. John T. sloan, Sr, the oldest liv.
ing graduate of the college, was seen
yesterday and asked for his opinion
about the present trouble. lie said:
III have no objection to expressing
my opinion on the recent trouble AZ
The college. / am, indeed, one of the
oldest living graduates of the college
having graduated in the class of 1871
have no doubt that the faculty of the
college acted conscientiously and to
the best Of their judgment in this case,
but the faculty Is not infallible. I be-.
heve that the punishment of the stud
ents on account of the bonfire In the
campus too severe, unusual, unprece.
dented, and unnecessary, to maintain
strict discipline Of the students. | be.
heye II any one of the faculty whose
residences surrounded the bon fire had
appeared and ordered or requested the
n nENA En- o. "a u N