The Portland daily press., 1896-12-24
FOR FREEDOM.
How the Lane Seminary Students
Left the School.
AN INCIDENT OF THE ANTI-SLAV-
cry AGITATION.

1t Was Over Half q Century Ago-The Fac
ulty Objected To the Practice of Students
Boarding in CoIored Families And There
| Was Trouble Right Away.
| The approaching farewell reception TO
DIR. Norris moves me to recall chapter
in the carly life of Lane. The story /
am to tell is about a student rebellion by
which Lane lost half a hundred stu
dents. This rebellion, in 1884, was an
incident in the great National struggle
over slavery.
| 1t was In the "good Old days" when
the students attended 'tprayers" at 4
O'Clock in the morning. They were OBJ
| llaed to work at oarpentering or farming
not less than three hours day. 1t was
solenlDly enjoined that all pious young
men should cease whistling, singing or
playing on instruments of music after
10 o'clock. 1t was also epjoined-mind-
full Of the failings Of the pious-that ssno
student should enter the dining room ex
oept at meal times, without remission
of the faculty or steward"
I want to tell this story partly to cor
rect some wrong Impressions that the
seminary was proslavery institution.
We got back to February 4. 1884, About
sixty students were in attendance. The
Prof. G. E. Stowe and Prof. Thomas /.
Biggs. DIR. Beecher had left his great
Boston pulpit and had been President
only year or so. On this day the mem
bsrs of the faculty were invited to dis
cussion by the students of the following
questions:
/. Is it the duty of the slave-holding
States to abolish slavery Immediately?
2. Ara the doctrines, tendencies, meas
ures of tho American Colonization Socis-
ty such as render it worthy of support of
the Christian public?
DEEMED INEXPEDIENT.
The faculty, after mature elaboration,
agreed that such discussion was at the
present time :nexpedient and ought to
be postponed. The students addressed
note to the faculty saying that it was
still their earnest desire to enageg in the
discussion. The faculty, in reply, said
that their minds were unchanged and
that it was still their wish that the de-
bate should not be held. The discussion
was, however, held, and carried on
through seventeen consecutive evenings.
and resulted in a vote that it is the
Equity of the slave.holding Statss to
abolish slavery Immediately An
abolition society was at onos organized.
Schools vera started among the colored
people of Cincinnati.
Arthur Tappan, of New York, sent on
the schools the students came to associ.
are with the colored people. This threw
the city into great excitement. One of
the students had passed the night in a
colorsd family. Exaggerated reports
spread. At this point the faculty con-
cessity of caution, that the community
would not endure what seemed indis-
crimnate mingliDg of whites and blacks
After this conference great excitement
was caused in the city by several oolored
women in carriage paying tho semi
AdIy d tlelb3 o00 Ny OAO VI Ul4o 6Uu00HUS
walking to and from the seminary with
a colored woman. The excitement was
so intense that the faculty again con-
vened the studens and aske1 them to be |
more careful of the interests of the in
stitution. The address stated that the |
establishments Of sohools and missionary
labors had not give oftenss, but the doc
trine and practice of Immediate social
intercourse irrespective of color. -Four
months had gone since the first discus
sion. On June 16 the students respect
fully declined to change the practice of
''eating. visiting and boarding in
colored families The students held
that it would ba surrender of princi-
pie to give way to unreasonable pref
udice; the faculty felt that it was I'M
wise, even hazardous, to persist in the
practise Of social equality.
EXCITEMENT AUGMENTED.
From this time to the middle of July
jhe close of the term-the public excite
nent was augmented by the attention
paid to the colored people by the stu
tents. Tie term closed, however, with
,ut rupture. DR.. Bsecher and Prof.
stowe went East In the interests of the
seminary. In their absence several what
we're called "outrages'' on the sentiments
# the community were committed.
mother visit to the seminary was paid
y carriage load of oolored persons.
At this jnncture the Executive Com
nittee of the Board of TRUSTEES stepped
n. They said something must be done.
they were probably helped to their &C /
ion by the one member of the faculty {
eft behind, with whom the students I
we're not in sympathy for other reasons.
This committee declared, by resolution,
hat public meetings and discussions
ught not to he held without the appro-
ation OF the faculty; further, that tina {
BOLTON and colonization societies {
uRht to be abolished. Here was, no s
oubt, an error o. the part of the trus- t
5es, yet 1t was decided that these rules {
houid not be enaoted until the faculty
hould be assembled This WAS August I