San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-22
UNIVERSITY TROUBLES.

AUSTIN, lex, Marcn Zl.-AU q
mass meeting of the students of
the University of Texas, held on
the campus on Thursday afternoon,
the f0pawing resolutions were
adopted:
"Whereas, We feel that in the
failure of the board of regents to
re-elect Prof. A. l.. McRae to the
chair OF physics in the University
of Texas, the students of this in
stitution have lost q staunch and
loyal friend of their every interest.
"Wheress, In his dismissal they
are deprived Of a valued and be-
loved instructor whose place they
feel can with great difficulty be
refilled;
Whereas. They feel that the
sudden dismissal OF a man Of his
high character, ability and lofty
purpose is a serious loss to the
faculty and the university, be it
herewith
"Resolved, That we express our
heartfelt regret that our loyal
friend is to leave us; second, that
we deplore the loss the university
will sustain in his absence; third,
that we feel that the action Of the
board Of regents was great his.
take.n
The action of the board of re-
gents, which gave rise to the indig-
nation of the students and the
friends of the university,was taken
by the regents last January, and
was to have been kept secret from
DR.. McRae until next June, which
would deprive him from securing
a position next year. 1t was not
so much the fact that a university
professor had been displaced, as
the manner in which it was done,
and the motives that are alleged
to have induced the regents to take
this step, that led to such pitch
of indignation among the friends
and students Of the university.
1t is generally conceded that the
action OF the board Of regents has
given the university setback
from which it can not recover In
years. 1t has given it the reput&-
ton among the educators OF the
country as good place OF which
to steer clear, and as a consequence
1t will become almost impossible
for the university to secure first
class professors. The position OF
university professor is the most
stable situation in the world.
There is not a university in the
north or in Europe in which a uni
versity professorship is not virtu-
ally a life job. In few OF the
western states the pernicious in
fluence Of politics has crept into
the university management. The
result Is that a number of wester n
univer stiles are compelled to pay
enormous salaries for sec =
ond grade professors, because
the positions are so unstable that
first class scientists would not
think OF touching them. The news
OF the unexplained action of the
regents in Diminishing DIR. McRae
has created a profound sensation in
the university faculty, and 1t
would not be surprising to see the
mem bers resign one after another,
as fast as they can secure positions
in other institutions.
DR.. McRae, adjunct professor OF
the school Of physics, is a graduate
Of Harvard college, and bears the
reputation Of being one of the finest
physicists that has ever left that
institution. He now ranks among
the foremost mathematical physic-
lists in America. He came to the
Texas university from Missouri,and
so 10th was the university which he
had left, to part with his services,
that they held the position open to
him for over a year, in case he
should prefer Missouri over his
new place in Texas. Through his
excellent qualities, both as an in
structor and gentleman, he has en-
deared himself to every student in
the university, and the resolutions
adopted Thursday afternoon is but
a mild way of expressing the
opinion Of the friends of the uni
versity, that it is high time that
an institution of learning, like the
University Of Texas, be given a
board of regents who will not use
its power to further their private
motives. 1t is too valuable an OBJ.
ject to be placed in irresponsible
hands as plaything.