The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-12-09
Remarks of a Critic

EDITORS ECHO-Your last issue in
vites communications. I may be able
to throw little light on one or two
matters that seem to befog THE ECHO.
Lack of local interest in the Uni
versity is lamented. Let us see if we
cannot find one or two of the factors in
that condition of apathy.
When the admission of "co-eds" was
decided upon, DR.. Dabney promptly
called to see lady prominent in social
circles and one of the ladies of Ossoli.
He urged the wisdom, possibility and
necessity of the hearty interest and
support of the good women of Knox
vile; gained her consent to enlist
heartily in the cause; constituted her
| the head and leader of a committee to
be made up entirely of her own selec
ton; said committee to overlook and
generally direct the interests and we'll
being of the female students: to make
such suggestions to the faculty from
time to time as occasion and experience
might develop. That committee was
selected and organized.
1t was urged again and again with
the leader Of that eqmmittee- th2t ,ssss
was an opportunity to accomplish
generous, far-reaching and lasting work
for the young women of Tennessee, in
asmuch as every State Senator and Rep
resentative in every county had the
right to appoint some young man or
woman to free scholarship; that sub
committees could be appointed in every
county, and thus a practical organiza-
ton be perfected that would gather a
band of deserving young women, who,
leaving their alma mater, would 60
out into all quarters of the State as
alumna, and active workers for the
womans department and all women's
interests.
BY the Faculty and the Board of
Trustees it was hailed as an suspicious
day when. at commencement, in Science
Hall of the University, the Ladies
Committee appeared in full force and
publicly accepted their share of the
work, and pledged their hearty CO.
operation. Alas there was "a cat in
the meal-bag."
Scarcely had the echoes of that meet
ing died on the air before a member OF
that committee presented her name
and made formal demand to be elect
ed to professorship of the Female De-
partment.
The application was formally present
ed to the Board of Trustees, and re-
spectfully heard. 1t could not be con-
sidered. The University was loaded to
the utmost limit of financial obligation.
No possible provision could be made for
paying another professor There was
no possible way that such an applica-
ton could be officially considered with
out its being "laid on the table," the
board considered that the most delicate
procedure under all the circumstances
would be to take no official action, have
the records show no minute of it, and
leave the trustee who presented the
application to explain that the absence
of requisite funds precluded any con-
sideration of the application beyond a
respectful hearing. Thereupon the
mutterings of storm broke on the air,
and a cyclone was precipitated with
dire intent to blight the institution.
The whole committee flew up in high
dudgeon;" resigned clock, stock and
barrel;" declared they had been indec-
orously treated, and refused to allow
the Trustees or Faculty to ''play in the
backyard" of the High Sanhedrim Of
Ossoli.
Every now and then muttering thun-
ders could be heard of contempt, op.
position and threatenings. The first
session handful of Knoxville girls
braved the storm of feminine disap'
prevail, and the COED" Department
has moved on step by step, until by in
creasing numbers and needs the Presi
dent was led to provide Dean of the
t Woman's Department. And here agar
the thunders roared because the orig