The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-22
Experiment Station Director to Be
Succeeded By Prof. Widtsoe.
ACTION KEPT SECRET
CHANGE WILL BE MADE BEFORE
YEARS END.
Widtsoe Now In Germany On Leave
of Absence and May Be Recalled
Professor U. P. Hedrick May
Get the Place Temporarily Until
Widtsoe's Return.
Especial Correspondence


Logan, May 21.-Though the matte
of making change in the directorshi
of the Agricultural experiment station
here, and over which there promised I
be some friction, was apparently satls
factorily adjusted at the last meeting o
the board of trustees, of the Agricul
tural college, it is now stated by thos
in a position to speak intelligentiy upol
the matter, that Professor Foster VII
have to go and that his successor VII
be Professor ]. A. Widtsoe, at presen
station chemist.
According to the story given to Th'
Herald correspondent, there has beer
some criticism of Professor Foster:
work for some time past. He refused u
| teach classes in the college when re-
quested to do so, it is stated, and some
expert criticism of some of his bulletins
did not serve to increase his reputation
| for efficiency.
These matters were brought to the at
| tention of the board of trustees, and at
! its last meeting there was an animated
discussion of the matter. Finally, Pres
ident Mccormick was deputed TO talk
over the situation with the director, and
the result of the conversation was that
Mr. Foster was given until the Christ
mas holidays to secure another situa-
ton.
Professor Fosters friends deny that
any lust criticism can be made OF his
work and ascribe other reasons Tor MS
removal. When called upon yesterday
by a Herald man, the director refused
to make any statement whatever in re-
gard to his case, declining to either al
firm or deny the story that he had been
given until the ,end of the year to hnd
other employment. President j. M
Tanner was equally as retcent, stat
ing nothing except that he was in lg-
norance of the doingS of the board In
the Foster matter.
A member of the board of trustees,
however stated he did not understand
that Mr.. Foster had been given notice
TO quit, but had been notified that there
must be an Improvement in his work
b. the end of the year. The fact re-
mains. however, that Professor Foster
is seeking a new field for his abilities.
and it is equally certain that Professor
Widtsoe will be his successor Mr..
Widtsoe is now in Gettingen, Germany,
attending college, and will receive his
degree of Phi. d. in June. There are
members of the board and officials OF
the college who deny that there has
been any discussion of Professor Widt-
soe'S name in connection with the POSI-
ton. but it is believed there has been.
nevertheless, and it is an open secret
that Mr. WidtSoe stated before leaving
this country to pursue his studies
abroad that he would not return to the
college while Mr.. Foster was in any way
connection with it.
At the time of the board meeting In
April it was stated by those familiar
with college matters that the order for
Professor Widtsoe's recall would be
made at that meeting, and it is still as
serted nv the same parties that action
of that kind will be taken at the next
meeting. although it is known that Pro-
fessor Widtsoe desires to spend a year
i'm France. Should this privilege be
granted him. and Professor Foster re-
moved, Professor L. Z. Hedrick, the
station horticulturist. will doubtless
have temporary charge of the station
until Professor Widtsoe returns
The report that the agricultural de-
partment asked that Professor Foster
be retained is not true. What the let
ter said was that there had been an
improvement. in the work of the sta
ton during the term of Mr.. Fosters
incumbency, but no request for his re-
tention was made
Professor j. A Widtsoe is a product
of Harvard university, having gradual
ed from that institution with the high
est honors. He has been station chem
list here for several years. and last
spring was granted leave of absence to
pursue his studies in Europe. He is re-
garded as an exceptionally able man.
About a year ago he was married to
Miss Leah Dunford of Salt Lake. Mrs.
Widtsoe is now in Germany with him.