The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-05-07
CLEMSON COLLEGE AFFAIR-BOARD OF
TRUSTEES TO MEET JuNES.

The entire Sophomore Class at
Clemson College, numbering seventy
six students, on Tuesday, April 90,
rebelled against the decision Of the
faculty in awarding punishment to one
of their class, and left the college in
a body for their homes. The facts
leading up to this affair do not con-
vince one that the faculty were with
out blame, nor do they incline one
very much to the opinion that the
class should be reinstated.
No violation of clearly defined rule
should be tolerated nor 60 unpunish-
ed, but rules should be permanent
and uniform, and above all promul-
gated, and they should prescribe a
punishment commensurate with the
offensc.
Cadet Thornwcll was reported by
DR.. Bracket, instructor in chemistry,
for taking without permission four
test tubes, used for making expert
mcnts in chemistry. These tubes
were not removed from the labratory
but to Thornwcll's desk only short
distance from the case in which they
were kept. Thornwell was not placed
under arrest but summoned tho next
day before the faculty and questioned.
He admitted he took the tubes, but
claimed he did not know he was vio-
lating rule. Shortly after the meet
ing he was informed that he was sus-
pended until next September. A
meeting of the class followed and
paper drawn up and signed by every
one of the seventy-siK members to the
effect that none thought the taking OF
the tubes as Thornwcll did, moving
them to his desk from the case only,
was any more violation of rules than
taking acids needed, which was per-
mitted without objection. aud asking
the faculty to reconsider its decision.
This paper was sent in to the Presi-
dent, who later Informed the class
that what he preferred was an express
sion from the class as to whether they
thought Thornwcll would be guilty Of
theft. y paper to this effect was then
prepared and signed by most if not
all Of the class and handed in. On
the following Monday the faculty met
again, after which it was announced
that they would not change their first
decision.
In the meantime, meetings of the
Senior, Junior and Freshman Classes
were held and resolutions adopted ex-
pressing sympathy with the Sophie
more, but it is not thought by some,
in position to know, that there was
any thought on the part Of these
classes to leave the college. Their
efforts we're directed solely to inAu-
encing the faculty to rescind their de-
cision. There was no agreement or
understanding between them to leave,
as has been stated in other accounts.
Immediately after the faculty let it be
known that they would not change
their decision. paper agreeing to
quit the college was circulated among
the members Of the Sophomore Class
and signed by sixty-nine Of them.
Five declined to sign it and two were
not permitted to sign it. And this
brings in another fact which must be
stated. A day or two after Thornwell
was suspended two of the class, Bell
and Cheatam, were discovered with
chemical appliances in their rooms
and placed under arrest, and their
cases are now pending before the
faculty. These cadets were not per-
mittcn to sign the agreement To leave
the college, because these were cases
where the appliances had been re-
moved from the labratory to their
rooms, which Was violation Of a we'll
understood rule, and the rcbclling
class was unwilling 10 place them
selves in the position ol ,.uc;ionins
the violation Of uniform rUc with
which all were familiar. None o.. the
classes denied The Justice Of puni i~h-
ment In these case.
The class states that it was custo-
mary for the class to take appliances
to their desks as Thornwcll did in the
class room, in making experiments,
and deny that notice was given that
the next offender would be severely
dealt with as claimed by the faculty.
At the same time, it is clearly un-
derstood rule that at the beginning of
the session each member of this class
is furnished with necessary appliances
for the study of chemistry and they
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