The leader., 1903-11-04
A MIsCONsTPUED CRITICISM.
No Reflection on MiIIsapS lntended---The
College Doing all it Can to Safe
guard its Students.

Sudtu IIS StuuClttSs
Editor Leader: my recent ar
ticle concerning the shooting
affair in a city dive and the need
of some law to protect young men
mere boys making it impossi-
BILE for such to cross the threshold
of the scarlet women, because of
police espionage, seems to have
been misconstrued by some who
take it that the writer laid the
blame upon our college faculty or
school board, when both were used
only by way of illustration. The
young man who was shot was but
a boy of seventeen, and when the
police aver that school boys in
knee pants, from thirteen years of
age and up, belonging to good,
well-to-do families of jackson and
nearby towns, frequent these
places, it stirs the blood.
One cannot help but ask what
can be done to prevent this? We
cannot stop men, but what about
mere boys? l did not intend to
have the reader infer even, that |
believed MilIsaps' excellent fac
uIty were to blame if now and
then a student went on a clark. "
There are few, if any, institutions
of its size where greater care is
exercised over its student body.
Its moral tone is high. Its sur
VIGILANCE all that seems possible
even the location of the school was
chosen with this thought in mind
to protect the students from the
evil influences of town life. But
college and school need the vigor
Gus moral backing of the citizen
ship to make their guardianship
perfect. | was DESTROYS of help
ing on the public sentiment
against the snare for our boys
and not criticize either college or
school, though both are always
on the firing line. They can
never be immune from public
criticism-and there is always
some one to play critic-however
unjust the judgment. This is be-
cause these educational institu-
tions belong to the people and be-
cause their relation to the family
is more direct and more apprecia-
BILE than that of any other depart
ment of the public service. The
average parent cares little about
other public institutions, but he
does care for the management of
the institutions that have the GUS
tody of his children; for these
institutions mold the character of
his child, bring him into close
touch with the business of life, as
we'll as train the memory and the
analytical and creative powers.
The city and its educational insti-
buttons cannot be separated-the
interests of one are the interests
of the other. The city should dc
anything to protect the student
out of school as we'll as provide a
place and means of education.
School boys should not be allowed
in the open pool rooms or ques-
tionable resorts. What the fac
ulty cannot do, city authorities
can.
Now, just word more con-
corning Millsaps. l have talked
with dozen students and the one
fact has received emphasis a
dozen times-that the college
scrupulously garrisons its boys
and safeguards them. Location,
the watchcare, the personal con-
sideration for the young men lift
Millsaps above the average college
and give assurance to every pa
rent who entrusts his son to this
splendid institution, that all pos
sible will be done to guard the
boys. Students have certain free
dom, which if abused, brings the
matter up to outside authorities.
Young men must be placed upon
their honor. Very few institu-
tions but have students who can
not be trusted. Oftentimes they
are placed in these schools with the
hope the moral discipline will
make men of them. Millsaps,
like other colleges, is powerless
to create character-only mold it.
But | am convinced that the
magnificent corps of teachers,
some of them connected with one
college for many years, are wide
awake to every college interest.
They even bar intercollegiate
athletes from the ground; they
take time that should be more
wisely spent Ia fearless and indie
pendent stand other American col
leges might emulate). | am ia
milan with many colleges and |
want to say Millsaps is high
toned, splendid institution and |
am sorry anything in my article
should have been otherwise con-
strued.
PEN PUSHER.