The Greenville times., 1901-05-18
MlSAppuED PURITANIsM.

The recent action Of the facnlty Of that lnsituon II
expeng member of the student body for critlclsne, NJ
his capacity as editor of the University Magazine, certain
of its regulations nilst appeal all fSlT-mnded mon a
unwarran,ed, unwise and puritanically intoerant l
seems that the acalty had become imted with the e
that the dance hancful and wicked amusement, and
probably with ealzmg of fut'lre responsibility
for the spiritual welfare of the callow youths committed
to its care decided to abolish the wicked diversion
We have not before the rules foe the government
the social life of the various colleges an universities OF
America bu we venture the assertion that state nst
tuition of eanng the country furnish parallel tC
this piece of minded stupidity 1t WAS not rea
sonabe to expect that body of yoWng men ranging in
age from eighteen to thirty should abandon feature
the commencement exercises old the university itself
without protest. and like children Kindergarten
submit quietly any action of their instructors, regard
less of how arbitrary and unreasonable it might be-
The protest in the form OF an editorial In the
University Magazine, part of which as as follows:
Of all the farclca maneuvers the part of college
thorIties and of all the buresques university
ment The recent legislation on the part OF the
faculty and trustees exceeds any ever known to We
had hoped that we at a university, and at least
thought were attending college, but if we are to
fudge from of the bylaws lately passed for gov
ernment at the University of Mississippi, either
cadets military academy pupils at a second rate
primary school.
ssWhen restrictions are passed PROHIBITING dancing dur
ing commencement in order that may fully enjoy the
delecabe exercises of the chapel, reminded of
some the ancient laws that choice between suicide
and public execution We would witk difficulty believe
that any body of men would pass such law this when
common sense and ordinary wis9am, would plainly
show them that unless this regulation violated it
would result ia the utter destruction f commencement.
The excson of the dances destroys of the most In
terestng features of commencement week, and we have
hesitation in saying that is one that attracts more
visitors to Oxford than the entire remainder OF the
program.
But alas and aack, this is not the entirety of the
arbitrary restraints placed upon Aaready We had
been sent back to the DAYS when parents would not
let parcp in any game except our own front
yards restret4an had been set upo0 THE ball teams
that prohibited their travelling Sundays with the
exception of three seanty days did not allow them to be
away from school days but Saturdays lit does not
require of tling sagacity to see that this vir
tually that denied games with aR teams
cept those which chaniaby visit U.S. with the nsu
tons in immediate vicinity, such the Oxford high
school the Woman's College, 1t may be thG6the prime
movers in this act had in view the physical development
of the denizens of Lafayette county, and it their eff
forts commendabe and audable, but moments
thought Will show that there could be or
purpose their action; for the slightest reflection
forehought the part of the trainers of these regua
tons would not have permitted the carrying out of inten
lions So wildly yet 0apidly wong"
The action of the faculty. the appearance of this
tice w@s if possible, senseless than that which
provoked it. The writer J. w. Robertson was pronptly
expelled Mr.. Robertson had simply expressed the SEN
tments of probably seveneighths of the student body
and expulsion of added fuel to the flames All
respectfully worded petition presented to the faculty
signed by los Students asking Rohertsons reinstatement
To this pettGAn the faculty would aO assent and the
result was the issuance of ian Address the people of
Mississippi" as follows:
The students of the University of Mississippi desire
endorse the article printed below OcdeF that the people
Of Mississippi may understand the true condition OF affairs
here.
'Mr John w. Robertson was dismissed from the uni
versty for the authorship ofhs extract from the Univer
sty Magazine and the students realize that il this state
of things brought to close, the university will
lose all of its former prestige Mr. Robertson editor
inchef of the University Magazine honest and upright
gentleman who stood we'll ia his classes and with his col
h standpoint and fol the good of the university and
think his dismissal outrage
The following is the article and again we heartily en-
dorse it being the truth" Extracts from the article
are gwen above.)
One Of the first and greatest requisites to the successful
administration Of the affairs of the higher institutions of
learning is the ability to maintain order and discipline
without the destruction of the harmonious relations be-
tween faculty and students absolutely essential to good
work and proper results That the conduct of the faculty
the state university has in this instance been totally at
variance with such good and reasonable
temper might have dictated. proposition too plain to
controverted Having committed the folly of attempt
choo picnic if bent standing by its action the faculty
night have very properly ignored the article entirely or
i most, reprimanded its author.
To large extent the friends of the university in pri
ate the press and in the legislature are recruited
rom the ranks of its former students. To those between
those present and college days too many years do not in
ervene this affair will bring genuine and profound re-
ret With few members of the presentfaculty, at some
inc during the past thirty years. either fellow students
as students and instructors have been associated many