The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-03
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.

Bassett was indicated by the trustees
last night"
REPORT or COMMITTEE.
The full text of the resolutions pro
scented by the committee and adopted by
the trustees, is as follows:
eve, the Board of Trustees of Trinity
College, duly conscious of the charge com
mitted to us, and moved by single de
sire to promote those high and bencdcent
purposes which the college has seen TO
cherish, have at all times exercised our
best care in the tasks belonging TO our
office. We have Lad before Us the offer
Of DR.. John s. Bassett 10 resign his pro-
fessorship of History, and 1t rs made
clear to us that it was not presented out
OF voluntary decision to sever his con-
nection with the college, but that it was
rendered under cOercive influence from the
outside, and because of a feeling that his
further connection with the college might
bring injury to it. Candor impel!S US TO
admit our regret thaN Prof. BasseJt mas
expressed certain opinions which gave Of
Tense to many, and we are glad to lind
that these opinions were expressed solely
on his own authority, through a medium
which is in no sense an organ OF the col
lege and not at all in his capacity as
college official, so that neither this board
ncr the college can be held responsible
for them.
ION the contrary, it clearly appears
that the faculty ard the students dis
agree with certain of Prof. Bassetts opir-
ions-so far as we can ascertain, unani~
mously. Neither do we agree with him.
Nevertheless both faculty and students,
with equal unanimity, have manifested
their desire that this board decline to ac-
cept Prof. Bassett's offer of his resigna-
ton, and for the following reasons, which
seem to US high and vital, we do decline
to accept 1t:
81 Any form of coercion of thought and
private judgment is contrary to one OF
the constitutional aims of Trinity Col
lege which is TO cherish a sincere spirit
of tolerance We prefer to exemplify this
virtue rather than hastily to set 1T aside
and thus do violence to principle great
ly esteemed by all men OF noble feeling
''2. We are particularly unwilling to
lend ourselves to any tendency to destroy
or limit academic liberty, tendency
which has. within recent years, mani
tested itself in some conspicuous instance,
and which has created feeling OF IN
easiness for the welfare OF American col
leges. Whatever encourages such ten
dency endangers the growth OF higher
education by intimidating intellectual ac-
tivity and causing high-minded men to
look with suspicion upon this noble pro-
fession. We cannot lend counterance to
the degrading notion that professors in
Aroaripop oollaCac beva NOT an POuaI liberty
of thought and speech with all other
Americans.
80. We believe that society IN the end
will find a surer benefit by exercising pa
thence than it can secure by yielding to
its resentments. The search Tor truth
should be unhampered and in an atmos-
phere that is free. Liberty may some
time lead to folly; yet it IS better that
some should be tolerated than That all
should think and speak under the dead
enlng influence of repression a reason
able freedom of opinion is to a college
the very breath of life and any Official
throttlipg of the private judgment OF Its
teachers would destroy their influence,
and place upon the college an enduring
stigma. For it is not the business OF col
lege professors to provide their students
with opinions American college students
would generally resent such dletatlon II
it were attempted. 1t is the business
of the colleges rather to provide Tor young
men the material, the knowledge, and the
training which will enable them to form
and defend their own opinions Nether,
on the other hand, is it the business OF
governing boards like ours 20 prescribe
opinions for professors. The same Droac
principle holds both in the college ana
the State. While it is idle To deny tnat
the free expression of wrong opinions