Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-07-22
DR.. HARPER'S VIEWS
In Regard to College Presidents
and Professors.

He Thinks Their Tenure should be See
cure and no Controversy Shoald En-
danger their Places-Eyery Institu-
ton of Learning will do Better work
when This Is Understood-0ne Nota-
BILE Exception.
In his address before the National
Council OF Education at Minneapolis.
last week DIR. Harper among many
other good things had this 10 say:
EVERY month OF the last twelve
months has added to the security and
permanence OF the professor in the
prosecution OF his work. Every
month has added to his dignity and
TO the Importance which attaches to
his words. Every month has made 1t
clearer that public sentiment is on
the side OF the professor in any con-
test entered into with the institution
of which he Is u member. Within
| five years the sentiment has become
almost universal that once man Is
appointed to do work In university
| the university is responsible for the
appointment but not for the views
which the man later may PROFOUND.
| Gradually but surely even the COM
mon people are coming TO perceive the
difference between the university and
the individual professors who form its
staff. The time has not yet come, to
be sure, when the people make dis
tinctions of this same kind between
the president of an institution and
/ At 10 OF
toronglg understood (the italics are our
own1 that the words Of president
must be words carrying with them
the force and influence and authority
of the university as "a whole. The
greatest single element necessary for
the cultivation OF the academic spirit
IS the feeling of security from inter-
ference tt is only those who have
this feeling that are able to do work
which in the highest sense will be
beneficial TO humanity. Freedom OF
expression must be given the members
OF university faculty, even though
it be abused; for as has been said, the
abuse of it is not so great an evil as
the restriction OF such liberty"
Here we find DIR. Harper who sent
us the late DIR. Raymond utterly re-
pudiating DIR. Raymond's theory that
as the president alone is responsible
for the University, therefore his power
should be absolute in all particulars,
among others, to the appointment OF
professors, to kicking them out igno-
minioasly without word OF notice to
the professors, and Ia the absence of
the professors, without any specifica
tion of charges, without the production
of any witnesses (tnere could be no
need for witnesses where there was no
specific charge for them to testify to
or against;) without even the formal
| ity OF a trial, and Ia the face c1 a
West Virginia statute TO the contrary
and that the president could also go
into department, as he did into the
Law Department, prescribe its course
and direct the number of lectures
that should be daily given aud insult
the three law professors by declaring
to their faces In. full meeting OF the
general faculty that he was ashamed
of being President OF University
that had such law school In it," 1t
is due to West Virginia to say that
a minority of her Board of Regents
resisted to the utmost these high
handed and illegal proceedings. No
wonder our Legislature, in its indig-
nant wrath. kicked the president
ANONYMOUSLY out with the entire
Board that had registered the re-
scripts OF their Emperor: and not
man In either house OF any party, po-
litical or religious, said NO. In
view OF DR.. Harper's recently express
ed opinions, it is now in order for him
to rise and explain why hesent such
man down here to be the President of
the West Virginia University.