The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-13
TROUBLE At UNIVERSITY.
CHAUNCEY RATHBUN INDEFINITE
LY SUSPENDED BY FACULTY.
Charged With Injecting Profanity
Into College Yell While Leader
of the Rooters' CIub-The Young
Man Alleges Unjust Treatment.
"Tfippity, Hackle!
Hippity, Hackle!
God Almighty,
2ao that fnflx - ~

See that tackle!
Because OF the profanity in the forego-
ing yell. Chauncey Rathbun. the leader OF
the rooters club of the University OF
Washington, has been indefinitely sus-
pended from that institution by the facul-
ty. He claims that he was not treated
justly by the professors in the matter,
but the latter hold an exactly opposite
view They also aJlege that Rathbun
was hostile to theffaculty. He denies
the charge President Graves says that
indefinite suspension is a softer term for
expulsion.
According to Rathbun's story the first
intimation he had of the trouble was n
few days before the Thanksgiving foot
bali game. He was in the college library
and the club was practicing its yell on
the front steps. After II was over he met
Prof Meany, who, he states, advised him
to have the profanity cut out of the yell
Rathbun declares he replied that he did
not approve of the profanity, and later
he had 1t changed to "Hully Gee" Only
a few of the rooters, ii is said, accepted
the change, and at the football game the
''profane" yell was given. Rathbun says
he did not lead but few yells at the
game, and members of the rooters' club
make the same assertion. The latter al
lege that their leader was not equal to
the task and they paid no attention to
him. Rathbun in the first half deserted
the DitdCutTE, he utcltres, ana WdlCntu
the match from the side lines.
About the middle of last week the
young man states he was approached by
a member of the faculty, who informed
him there was some fuss being made con-
corning the yell, and that 1t had been put
in the hands of the discipline committee,
which is composed of Prof. Doubt Prof
Ranum and Miss Hansee. This member
of the faculty. Rathbun says, advised him
to approach the committee in concilia-
tory manner and all would be well. Rath-
pun was then cited to appear before the
committee and show reason why he should
net be suspended.
AT the committee meeting a report of
the examination OF the young man was
made In the long hand.
Rathbun declares that he was not treat
ed fairly. that the report submitted by the
committee to the faculty was not correct
and that he had evidently been adjudged
guilty before the examination. Prof
Ranum, he charges. was hostile to him
from the opening of the meeting. He
asked the committee to state in their re-
port that he had prevented the yell OBJ
jected to being given in the theater on
the evening following the game His re-
quest was granted but the report, he
says, also intmated that Rathbun did
not seem to believe the affair was any of
the faculty's business. Rathbun also al
leges that he went before the committee
in conciliatory manner,
Last Sunday morning the leader of the
rooters' club was informed by letter that
he was Indefinitely suspended by the
faculty on the strength of the commit
tees report.
Rathbun alleges that In an interview
the next day with President Graves the
latter stated that the principal reason for
the suspension was hostility 10 the facul-
ty. and also charged the young man with
having the same reputation for disregard
of constituted authority in the First
Washington regiment Rathbun has a LETT
ter giving contrary view of his career
in the army from Col. Wholley, also one
from Capt. Gormley.
President Graves declares his conversa-
ton with Rathbun was n private one. He
said yesterday:
Mr. Rathbun was suspended because
he was found guilty of injecting profanity
into a yell and for his refusal to remove
It. Yes, the faculty feels that he was
hostile to 1t, but he was not tried on this
charge The vote to suspend indefinitely
was unanimous. The hostility to the fac
ulty consisted, ] should say, in indlffer-
ence to the wishes and rights of the
members. We do not want such yell in
our institution. 1t was matter of bias
phemy, bad taste and disobedience We
cannot wink at Migrant act Of discipline
no matter who the offender may be-"
Prof. Doubt. chairman Of the committee
on discipline, refuses to talk for publica-
ton. He says Rathbun was given a fair
hearing. There are no charges against
his character. but IL seems TO be the opin-
ion of the professors that Rathhun Is not
desirable student, although he stands
comparatively well In his studies