Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-03
DISTASTEFUL DOSE.
Augustana Faculty Aroused by
the Regents Recent Action.
CUT IN SALARIES OF Is PER CENT.

Astonishment ut the College When the
Resolution Was Announced - Believed
that tho Proposed Course VIII be Wig.
orous,y Opposed-Meetine Called.
To express it mildly the faculty OF
Augustana college and Theological
seminary is up in arms over one of
the acts OF the recent meeting of the
board of regents, and which for OBJ
vious reasons has been studiously
withheld from the public, the facts
of which The ARGUS, nevertheless,
have come into possession of from a
source it is not prepared to doubt.
The board of regents at its meeting
last week. it is learned. while en-
gagged in revising the institutions
financial policy, suggested as one of
the alternatives in endeavoring to
make the receipts and current expen-
ditures balance, that the members of
the general faculty discount their
salaries Is per cent during the ensu-
ing two years. This was the gist of
u well-worded resolution read to the
faculties assembled in joint session
last Thursday evening by the presi-
dent of the synod, DR.. p. j. Sward,
of Omaha, president pro TEN of the
board.
Came Like Thuuderbolt.
The effect produced upon the mem
bers of the faculty, nearly all of
whom had not had the slightest init
nation of the boards action, nay be
likened unto that which would be
produced by a thunderbolt from a
cloudless sky. After some discus
sion the motion was passed to receive
the communication, after which the
faculties resolved themselves into a
committee OF the whole. The orator.
ical artillery Of the members was now
brought to bear upon the resolution,
and for more than an hour grape and
canister were hurled at it, until at
last it was resolved to lay the resolu-
ton on the table. Figurativelv
speaking, the resolution had now
been vertically riddled by the elo-
quent speakers on 1.-THE opposite side
of the house" whose forces presented
an almost impenetrable front. Dur
ing the discussion the fact was
brought out that step in this direc-
ton was uncalled for in view of the
present prosperous condition of the
institution. it being supported by
seven conferences whose communi-
eating membership aggregated more
than 100000. 1t was further as
serted that no unendowed institution
of higher learning in this country
may be said to be self-supporting;
that the estimated worth Of the mem
bers of the board which had pre-
sented the resolution amount to
nearly quarter of million dollars;
that cheap teachers would of neces-
sity imply cheap teaching; that the
salaries paid at the institution are
very moderate, the lowest being
$1,000 aud the highest $1,000, the
former being paid to but one or two
professors, the latter to about an
equal number, while the sum of
81, 200 constituted the amount annu-
ally paid the majority of the regular
members.
Probable Effect Pictured,
The effect produced upon institu-
tions at which wholesale salary cuts
had been made was also shown; that
in consequence of such radical meas
ures the institutions had sustained
the loss Of their ablest instructors
and professors. This would un-
doubleday be the result here should
the proposed measure be resorted to,
as the professors would readily find
better markets for their skill and &C.
complishments elsewhere.
An answer to the resolution will
be given by the faculty at a meet
ing called for the 14th inst. This
in all probability will be either an
emphatic protest or at least an un-
equivocal demurrer.