The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-25
Plan to Give DIR. Sims Control OF
Finances and Educational Policy
and to Depose the President.
TRUSTEE IGLEHART IN 1T
LEADER OF DISTURBING MINOR
ITY on BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Threatening Letter Received by Dr.
John Influenced Him in His De-
cision To Resign.
special to the indianapolis journal.

Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
GREENCASTLE, Ind, May 24.-DePauv
University, the most prominent of Metho-
dist educational institutions in the country.
has arrived at a critical stage in it's career.
1t is believed by friends OF the university
that only the most adroit management can
carry ii over with credit to itself and the
great church back OF it, For some time
members Of the board of trustees have
feared that an expose was inevitable. The
wiser heads now admit that il would have
been better 10 have taken the bull by the
horns some time ago, and thus saved the
university sharing in the humiliation that
now promises TO overtake those who are
known to be responsible for the institution's
present financial straits and belitted educa-
tional policy The financial scandal has
been growing for some time Important
facts have been suppressed from the Meth
odist public i'm Indiana. These include not
only serious errors in handling the funds.
but financial blunders fraught with serious
results TO the university. The three Meth
odist conferences OF Indiana are primarily
responsible for the management, as they
elect the board Of trustees, who have long
controlled the finances and virtually direct
ed the educational policy. leaving the presi-
dent little authority beyond the discipline.
The conferences have been kept in ignor-
ance OF much that could have been correct
ed and for that reason IL is now believed
that radical measures will be adopted 10
purge the university.
Things might have continued Indefinitely
in the present disorganized condition but
for the sudden and wholly unexpected resig-
nation of President ]. p. ID. John, at the
meeting of the board last week This has
precipitated the worst trouble DePauw has
had during its history OF fifty-seven years.
The immediate, result has been to uncover
what some are saying was a deliberate plot
TO get control OF the finances. and which
might lead to ultimate ruin.
President John is everywhere recognized
as the most competent man who has ever
been at the head OF DePauw University. but
his educational policy has been opposed by a
small minority ever since his election, six
years ago. when the minority advocated
the election OF DR.. c. n. Sims, then chan
cellor of Syracuse University. the second
most prominent Methodist institution in this
country. About year ago DR.. Sims came
to Indianapolis pastor OF Meridian-street
Methodist Church.
DIR. SIMS AT SYRACUSE.
Since his retirement from Syracuse Uni
versity, where DR.. Sims was in control OF
finances and education. has stated that that
institution was found TO be i'm a desperate
condition. The friends Of President John
learned that another attempt was being
made TO have DR.. Sims placed at the head
Of DePauw, and it resulted i'm dividing the
board OF trustees. The position OF chan
cellor, which became vacant by the retire
ment Of Bishop Bowman. has been only
honorary, and it had been decided to tender
il TO DR.. Sims, with no thought, however. OF
making him president. The Doctor agreed
TO accept, providing he be given the nnan-
cial control. PRESIDE John was glad 10
have the assistance OF Dr. Sims and readily
agreed, it being provided that the president
should remain untrammeled in the educa-
tlonal policy. This agreement was entered
into last month. Later, DR.. Sims declined
the chancellorship. on the grounds OF nI
health and advanced years, which he feared
would prevent him from doing justice TO
the work of raising funds and looking after
the finances generally. An effort had been
made to induce DR. Sims TO reconsider. but
he refused for the reason stated.
Such the situation when the board
met last week in indianapolis. on that day
a huge surprise was sprung on the friends
OF DR.. John. DIR. Sims went before the
trustees with a new proposition. IL was i'm
effect to depose Dr.. John and give him ODr.
Sims undivided authority as chancellor. lie
agreed to accept the chancellorship If he be
given both the financial control and the
right to direct the educational policy. When
asked what was TO be done with President
John, Dr. Sims explained that President
John could be made dean OF the college OF
liberal arts zone of five schools OF the uni
versity.) The president had no inkling OF
the new terms under which Dr. Sims would
accept the chancellorship until they were
laid before him at the board meeting. The
news was a shock. In his last interview
with DR.. Sims he had been told that the
Doctor was too old and feeble 10 engage
in the work, and that this was the reason
he declined the chancellorship. When the
new proposition was laid before him DIR.
John sat down and wrote his resignation.
Out of thirty members on the board there
were twenty-four who refused TO accept the
resignation until President John in person
insisted. Even then one voted against IL.
While the action OF the popular president
was puzzle 10 many on the board. IL Vas
a greater enigma To those outside. His
published statement that he simply desired
10 get out and leave the board free TO act
did not satisfy his numerous friends. IL
was rightly conJectured that fhere was
something more back of The matter. Friends
of the university started out TO md the
cause with the result OF uncovering all
and more than that mentioned at the be-
ginning of this article
Mr.. j. f. Iglehart, or Evansville, mem
Der of the board and the one who mas al
ways advocated placing DIR. Sims at the
head of DePauw, came out IN an interview
saving that DR. John resigned because the
financial condition OF DeFauw was 80 bad
that the president was handicapped m car
rying out his educational policy on the
broad lines recognized as the best BY these
who stand for the new education This
statement from the minority leader Dr.
John considered a misrepresentation. In MS
reuly printed in last Mondays Journal ne
gave the true explanation as follows:
Here is the core OF the matter. l. had
heen given to infer by the leader OF the
minority in a written communication, that
IN I continued in charge the board would
take direct management or the Internal
affafrs My original agreement with Dr.
Sims on the 10Th Of April was that. IN
case he should accept the chencellorshtp.
1 should have untrammeled direction OF the
educational policy OF the university. This
was at the time satisfactory 10 US both
and TO the committee appointed by the
board TO adjust the mutual functions OF the
chancellor and president. subsequently,.
however, DIR. Sims. for reasons satisfactory
TO himself, changed his views and pre-
scribed new conditions on which he would
reconsider his decllnation. previously pre-
sented. and accept the offlce OF chancellor.
These new conditions took the educational
policy of the university from my hands
could not comply with them. Two things
remained. One. to continue nv relation an