The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-19
SEVERE PUNISHMENT.
which Has Not Many of the Parental
Features i'm Ii The Young Lady
Not as Much Injured as the Insti-
tuition which Intended 10 Stigma
fs1a

t1Ze her.
We have been asked IL we had any refer
ence to the Due West Female College when
we spoke last week OF the trouble in Geor.
gia Female College. We reply that we had
not then heard of the perplexing incident at
Due West.
red to 1t. and If anything was said of 1t In the
Associate Reformed Presbyterian we failed to
see IL.
West in reference TO young lady was
on a line with the trouble In Georgia. A
young lady had been in the College until the
time for her graduation had come: Because
the young lady received some assistance IN
her examination, she WAS charged with cheat.
ing-the alleged cheating not being TO ure
or set back any fellow-student, but only to aid
In passing her own examination.
4 regularly organized court, we are told,
was held for a week, enquiring Into the
charges, during portion OF which time some
of the young ladies were treated as felons in
that they were locked In their rooms and
dents. The result was. that in considera
tion of spirited reply to an exceedingly
offensive question by the president as TO al
incident not here detailed, and which does
not appear OH the surface, a young lady
on the eve of graduation was sentenced To
suffer the most severe penalty that could be
inflicted by the Faculty, Expulsion from the
College). And thus II was that the hopes oil
the young lady in the supreme moment oil
her life was crushed, and the father In the
hour to which he had for years looked for
ward with so much pleasure was borne down
by the indignity which had been inflicted up
on his daughter. 1t was thus that instead oil
receiving the kindly and heartfelt sympathy
and goodwill of the Faculty whom she loved,
that the young lady was met by the stern
look OF those who no relenling felt, but sent
the steel deep into her very soul. Better
"hide the fault | see" than TO magnify a
fOible into q crime.
II may be that College Faculties too nearly
assume the role OF detectives and prosecutors,
and treat the young ladies and young gentle
men under their charge as something less
than ladies and gentlemen.
All the tenderest Sympathies OF this news
paper go out to the young lady who-instead
OF receiving the benediction OF her alma ma
ter-has been the subject Of extreme punish
ment, for an alleged offense, which does not,
and has not, as far as we have heard, eXclted
the slightest consideration, while the punish
ment has not In our hearing met the ndorse.
ment of single person. The thought Is not
TO be entertained that any young lady could
remain In a college for term OF one or more
years and then at the last, on mere quibble.
be denied her diploma. Even though the
young lady may have been indiscreet, and
may have thoughtleSsly violated some OF the
rules, yet the public Will not endorse cruel
Sonal insult. The punishment inflicted on
the lady in question was out of all proportion
to the alleged ofenSe, and may furnish one
more evidence that our schools and colleges
and Self-respect Of the student may not be
always properly regarded by the Faculty.
We deeply sympathize with all the parties
to this sad affair. Our sympathes are ex-
sense OF duty, committed an offense against
the young lady which Is moro grievous than
anything with which the young LADY has been
charged We presume that an absolutely fair
school examination. in which the students
did no cheating, and In which the proper
awards of merits or "demerits" were given
with eXactness by the teachers, Is an unheard
of event. Teachers should some times be
deaf and some times blind, even If they are
never partial. There are few instances where
young ladies commit an offense which needs
Investigation.
The Press and Banner knows that the Fac.
uty OF The Due West Female College would
do nothing that the members did not be lieve
was right. They are conscientious CHRISTIANS,
who have only the good or the College ana
their pupils at heart. We blame them for
nothing, except for Il mistaken zeal-a zeal,
however, which had for It's purpose the great.
est good.
But no thoughtless act of lady could
justify. before an impartial public. Inc unde,
served punishment which has been In flicted
in the Georgia Institution and at the Due
West Female College.
Such extreme punishment and such harsh
measures reflect more on the institution than
on the young lady upon whom IT may have
been intended to cast Il stigma. Alter having
entertained the lady, and alter having taught
her lot long Time, anu tlteI nhNius ieCeiNSu
her money, there Is no Justification either In
equity or morals in the Withholding from her
the benediction Of the colIege-no matter
what the circumstance. IL she was un-
worthy, IL was the duty OF the college 10 have
discovered 1t long ago. They had no right TO
receive her money for the diploma and then
refuse 10 deliver the goods. There are no con.
ceivable facts or circumstances that would
warrant the Faculty In keeping the young
lady, in refusing the diploma, and nj the las,
moment in sendiug her home, in the manner
which was recently done in Georgia and at
Due West,