Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-23
presidenl Andrews Rsbuked.

| Walker at the meeting said the tine
lhal come to protest against certain
socialistic principles of teaching IN 'he
/ university. The economic teachings OF
President Andrews he said are contrary
TO the opinion of nearly every man IN
Rhode Island and misrepresent the
sentiment of New England. He re-
ferred especially to the part President
Andrews had taken outside the univer-
sity in supporting theories which the
board of officers consider erroneous.
A committee has been appointed to re-
quest Mr. Andrews to modify his ac-
tlyity in behalf of certain economic
questions.
| 1t will be remembered that the
president of Brown. several years
ago. was representative OF this
government at .the international none
| tary conference when he took pro-
nounced stand in favor of international
| bmetallism. He was not then i'm favor
of independent action by this govern
ment but last fall in the excitement of
| the campaign wrote public letter
favoring it. His opinion so publicly
announced undoubtedly had consider
| able influence. If Mr.. Andrews now
resigns his position as head Of this uni
versity, as he probably will, the free
silver men will endeavor to make n
martyr of him. There will be more
over a feeling not confined to free sill
yer men, fear lest the precedent of
interference with TIE teachings of n
school so far as political and economic
questions go may result in detriment
to the clause of education. may make
| il possible for boards of control to in
fuence the teaching Of such doctrines
as they or the donors of the school may
desire, regardless of the truth or falsity
Of those doctrines.
To most, however, we think the re-
quest made by the board of control in
this instance will seem proper and
reasonable, also that they could
consistently do no less. One of
the most conscientious as we'll as
successful teachers with whose instruc-
ton we ever became acquainted Very
carefully presented both sides with evil
dent scrupulous exactness and did not
conclude with his own conclusions.
His opinion was kept entirely in the
background. Perhaps had it been asked
have taken pains TO assure the ques-
TONER, that it was not to be considered
| by the latter in arriving at his conclu
sions. Indeed we think if there was
any prejudice shown in his statements,
pro and con, it consisted in greater stress
| laid on the side in which he did not be-
lieve. so DESTROYS was he of not color
| ing his teachings by his own views.
No such conscientious regard has been
evinced by President Andrews. who has
become a proselytizer rather than an
instructor, whose paramount duty is to
on both sides to consider has been
| trained to detect the fallacy in the
! false premise and has been grounded
in the fundamentals and then left 10
draw his own differences.
| At best the president of college or
university is only one of many equally
good authorities, but with the young
student taught to revere and respect
| him and with those unlearned who
magnify his Importance he exercises
an undue influence when he allows his
lopinions to be placed in the foreground,
with partisan movements. so jealous in
furthering the cause he takes up that
he devotes more of his time to 1t than
Ibis college duties can well spare. With
thinkers equally endowed, or who think
themselves to be. or with his own or
other college students five years after
they have left college his views VIII
have no disproportionate effect. At
most they would only encourage the
other person to study the matter more
closely for himself.
We believe that a college president
who allows himself to play such part
as President Andrews has done, or as
some college president who believes in
protection and a gold standard may
: take it upon himself to play. acts very
: njudiciously. makes use of an influence
with which heN is but temporarily in
vested and which he has no right to use
for such purposes and reflects unjustly
upon his charge. Had he entertained
his present views, had he embodied
them in a treatise but scrupulousiy
kept them out of the class room and
separate from politics as such he prob
ably would not have been rebuked
certainly should not have been unless
it had been found that his personal OPP
, ions were coloring his work and then