Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-11
X. $. A. c. BOARD OF REGENTS IS
SUE AN OFFICIAL CIRCULAR.
TELL WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL OF
POPULIsM DEFENDED.
Faculty Criticised for Training stu
dents to BE Wealth Producers
Instead of Calamity Howl
ers-COncIudes With
Pop stump speech.

Manhattan. Kas., July 10-CSpecial) The
PopuIist bolrd Of regents of the Kansas
State Agricultural college have rushed into
print in further defense OF their action in
making wholesale removals in the faculty
and sweeping changes in the curriculum.
The defense is in circular form, OF eight
pages, and is entitled. The Rcorganiza-
tion OF the Kansas State Agricultural Col
lege: a Statement Made by the Board Of
Regents"
1t charges. in brief, that the government
Of the institution, by law vested in the
board of regents has been for years as
sumed and exercised by President Fair
child that the tendency in the past to
swamp the faculty with half educated men
has been so noticeable as 10 excite COM
ment; that the weakness of the agricult-
uraI department has been notorious, and
that every attempt to strengthen 1t has
been resisted by the president; that some
departments have been neglected by their
various heads, who have regarded their
offices more sinecures than as fields Of
labor; that the distribution of work has
been such that some professors have been
left for an entire term practically without
duties or responsibility. others being mean
while overwhelmed with work; that the
conduct of the experiment station has. in
cases. been scandalous to the extent of
eliciting warning from friends Of the out
going administration and a vehement at
tack by the Topeka Capital, some members
of the council having satisfied themselves
with drawing their salaries.
1t is further set forth that there exists
certain differences between the board and
the retiring administration in regard to the
degree of freedom accorded students: there
are differences. too. on questions of ad-
ministration of discipline the board be-
lieving that students have been provoked
by professors into acts of insubordinatiOn
and then punished therefor, that there are
fundamental differences between board and
an agricultural college, the retiring ad-
ministration believing in training students
for wealth producers, whereas there Is al
ready overproductiOn coupled with UNDER
past to enlarge facilities for instruction in
principles of governing distribution and
exchange have been vigorously cOmbatted
by president and faculty.
The purpose of the board is stated to be
an increase in the quantity and quality
of agricultural instruction. to strengthen
the mathematical department I'm like man.
ner. to increase the quantity OF economic
causes of industrial depression and the
path to prosperity; TO reOrganiZe the force
of the experiment station. to encourage
the development of individuality; to raise
the institution above the level of partisan
politics.
The circular concludes with paragraph
wherein the board notes with deep con-
Germ the menace to freedom through the
steady ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of power I'm the
hands OF organized wealth and that this
board is resolved that, III one college in
Kansas at least. competent men shall he
at liberty to investigate to teach and to
publish, even on economic and social lines
freely as do their co-laborers in other
nelds of scientific research.