The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-22

ARTICLE ON
AMENT CASE
Printed in Governor Fergu-
sons Paper This Week.
CHARGE OPENLY MADE
That Ament Wrote Original
of Students Letter.

/ Watonga, o. T., March 21.-In Governor
! Thomas b. Ferguson's s paper. the Waton-
ga Republican, just issued, there is a
significant article which. in one paragraph
practically charges President James
Ament Of the Northwest Normal with
most brazen duplicity and accepts as
proved that President Ament wrote the
letter to the governor purported to have
been written by students The article is
as follows:
Games f. Ament has for several moons
past been making some very interesting
grand stand plays Mr.. Ament Is presi-
dent of the Normal school at Alva. Dur
ing most of his career in that institution
he has been in a turmoil with the board
of regents. There has been much turmoil
and strife. It has long since been appar-
ent that the Alva Normal would be a bone
of contention so long as Ament remained
at its head
Last July it was thought best to make
a change, but some kind of influence with
the administration resulted in his reten-
ton. Last January st was deemed best
by the board Of regents 10 let him out.
but the governor did not think it best to
make change in the middle Of the win
ter. and Ament was allowed TO iii out the
year, although he was notified by the
board Of regents that his services as pres
ident would end in July.
'Since that time he has been furious,
and has tried persistently to force mat
ters His first move was to send several
members of the senior class TO the gov
ernor to try to convince him that it would
be a reflection upon them for Ament TO
go. Failing in that, he next had num-
Der of the Juniors 10 write the governor
a letter saying that unless James IS re-
tanned they will leave the school and
graduate elsewhere.
These students were told that IN so do
ing they would exercise the rights guar
anteed to them by the constitution.
''The original copy of the letter signed
by the students was sent to Guthrie to
Superintendent Baxter. It was in Aments
hand. It was compared with Aments pen
manship on file in the auditors Office and
found to be a facsimile Ament has stout
" denied the authorship OF the letter, but
the copy was a tell-tale that could not be
denied.
THE next move on the part Of Ament
was to have the students issue a circular
to the newspapers claiming that the fir
ing of Ament has been on either religious
or political grounds. and that because the
governor had said that the course of study
in the Alva Normal win be revised and
extended, he had east a reflection upon
the character Of the young people
by the horns of the white buffalo,
Cast reflection upon the young people
by giving them a course of study that viii
ft them for any position. But that is
Ament for you.
Those boys never wrote that circular.
They are too smart to do such a thing.
Ament wrote it, or we miss our guess
Just ike him. No other person would
make that kind of an appeal.
THE facts are Ament has tried hard to
force himself upon the school again. He
is now either determined to stay or dis
organize the school. That sentiment
worked up among the members of the
junior class has been a move TO disor-
ganize the school, should Ament have to
go.
1T will fail. A new president will be
elected, and the school win 60 on and be
made a great institution Of learning, with /
a course Of study adequate to all de-
mands."