The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-05
TIME FOR WISE
MANAGING At ~
Regents Accused Of Trying to Freeze
Out Two Veteran Pro-
fessors.
Three designations "Will Be Nee
essary" at the School Of
Agriculture.
Charge Made That the gu Is Mere
Training School for Money
Makers.

Alumni of the University Of Minnesota
are protesting vigorously against the re-
cent star chamber sessions of the board
of regents and the sweeping reductions
of departments and salaries made at those
meetings. Reporters have always been
excluded from the meetings of the board
but were never refused a full report OF
the transactions until recently. nforma-
ton concerning the last two meetings, as
given out by the secretary OF the board
was so meagre that the Indignation OF
university partisans and alumni has been
aroused They have not been slow TO
criticize the regents and now that the
university is closed and no news whatever
is available, the protests become threat
ening. The Alumni Weekly says the board
of regents is a public body and that the
public has right to know everything that
is done in its meetings The very 81
lence of the board it says. sis ominous.'
The public does know, however, that
the departments of experimental psychol-
ogy and of art have been abolished and
the salaries of several instructors reduced.
While there is no official confirmation OF
the report. it is believed that the members
of the faculty thus affected are Professor
Jabez Brooks. who has been placed on
the footing of a professor emeritus and
Professor Maria Sanford. One report Is
that both have practically been pensioned
on reduced salaries, but Stephen Mahoney
secretary of the board of regents, states
that this plan has not been considered. AS
to what was considered, Judge Mahoney
has nothing to say, and the persons at
1 fected naturally will not discuss the
! matter. :
I Other members of the faculty are out
! spoken in their condemnation of the re-
| gents policy One instructor said to- day:
j This Is the boards method Of ousting
| those professors whom the regents no
longer desire to retain. Instead of re-
leasing the teacher they abolish the de-
! partment and undermine the strength OF
! the institution.
| The object Of the whole action is to
! turn every department Of the university
/ into a training school for money makers.
! If the instructors are not wanted why
are they not released In business like
I manner and not starved out? These ac-
! lions will be very detrim entail to the uni
1 versity's progress. $50 i.
! An alumnus In a, communications to the
Alumni Weekly says that there are some
! students who come to the university tic
/ pursue knowledge for the sake Of knowl-
| edge and not to develop their money
Z making faculties The board puts dam
per on such aspirations by abolishing
courses not entirely practical, but ricE
in the development Of originality. 1t is
equally as necessary to prepare high.
minded teachers for our state school a.
1T is to perfect students in the art of fat
tening pigs, and the course in psycholog.
should be maintained as means to thai
end
Agricultural School Friction
In line with the action in other de.
partments but perhaps even more dras'
tic, was the oaction of the regents at
fecting the agricultural school.
The report that the effort to compass
the removal Of the principal of the school
Professor F. D. Tucker, had resulted onl!
in an indefinite postponement, seems t
have been an error, for it is stated to-da'
/ that the regents, after q stormy discussion
not only included the name of Professo
: Tucker in the list of those whose head
should fall but also those of Mrs Vir
GINA c. Meredith, preceptress, and Pro
lessor E. W. Manhood, who teaches mathe
mates, has q charge of the gymnasium
work and oversees the dormitory. 1t i
said that the board of regents adopted
resolution saying that the designations Q
these three would be necessary
Close on the heels of this Is the an
nouncement that the action has stirre
up some Of the alumni. The talk abou
the matter indicates that while outward
things at the agricultural school ar
calm, under the surface there have ex
listed possibilities of trouble which tn
action of the regents may make the mos
Of.
All this points pretty clearly to tn
existence of faction at the school, on on
side led by Dean Liggett and on the othe
centered around Professor Tucker.
jealousy Hlnted At.
One man who has followed the course Q
affairs at the school closely says that tn
dean governs the school as he would gov
ern a. regiment of militia, and that h
was somewhat jealous of the influence c
Professor Tucker as principal. This
given as ground for the proposed remove
Of Professor Tucker a year ago, whic
failed.
A year ago, 1t Is said, Mrs. Meredit
was in favor Of separating the schools #
BOYS and girls. This, it was asserted, wa
that she might be made head of the girl
school and have equal rank with Pro
lessor Tucker. The dean, 1t is said, wa
in favor Of the division, as it would re
move any shadow of doubt as to HI
authority and would reduce the influenc
of Professor Tucker. The plan could nj
be put thru. however, and growing dis
satisfaction with Mrs. Meredith Is sal
to have resulted in the recent action Ir
deed, the regents are thought by some I
have become tired Of the friction wl1ic
every now and then cropped out at the
meetings and to have decided to end
by adopting a resolution which woul
leave these in question no recourse but
resign.
Professor Mahood's Case.
The case of Professor Mahood is pure
Incidental to the other difficulties 1t
said that an effort was made to get ii
formation from him regarding Profess,
Tucker, and that he simply referred his II
uuisitors to Professor Tucker, whereupc
offense was taken. However, 1t is sa,
that Secretary Wye Of the school, who h;
the bookkeeping class, made a report r.
flecting upon the knowledge Of arithmet
Of a bookkeeping class, only 10 per cel
Of whom passed This seemed to indica
that Professor Mahoods work had n
been efficient In his defense, however,
is said that only Is per cent of the ella
In question had taken arithmetic und
him, most of the class having qualified
ceitiicates from the schools from WIFI
they had come.
There is talk to the effect that a certa
professor at the agricultural school hi
the hardwood to laud Professor Tuck
at dinner attended by alumni, at viii
he was called upon to speak of the schoo
principal. BY his warm. praise of the pr
cipal he is said to have incurred the di
pleasure of the dean.
The alumni are said to be ready to ma
d protest against the action Of the roger
and also against the suppression Of
proceedings Of the board.