Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-20

This morning President White issued
the following brief statement of facts
concerning the recent events at Colby
College"
1t has seemed wise in view Of the
wide publicity which has been given
to recent events at Colby College, to
make public statement, that the con-
stituents and friends Of the college and
the friends of education everywhere
throughout the State may know the
facts.
On June 9Th occurred the regular
freshman reading, and it is due to the
disturbance which occurred at that
time, and to the destruction of college
property that came the Monday morn
ing following. that the recent difficult
ties have arisen.
About ten days before the Freshman
Reading, ] invited the Sophomore class
to a conference and advised them
kindly concerning the attitude which |
believed they ought to take at the time
in question. | did not discourage their
publication of the War Cry nor the
carrying out of sophomore traditions
regarding this matter, which always
make. n good deal of harmless sport
TO" the two classes but only requested
that they refrain from 4 disturbance in
and around the church, insisting that
Il college function, especially one held
in n church, should not result in Il
pandemonium. The class felt that 1t
would be impossible to hold some of
the ir members in check and urged that
the meeting be held in city hall, where
the objections arising from it's being
| held in the church would not be
| present. | replied that, as president of
| the institution, | did not care to pre-
| side over Il pandcmonium anywhere;
and so the matter rested. From their
attitude. however, | saw that there
We're breakers ahead, and calmly told
| them that it would be n serious pro-
position for the class if the Freshman
Reading was seriously interrupted. 1t
appears now that the Sophomore class
We're urged to do the opposite, and the
meeting resulted in great confusion in
which it was impossible to hear the
first speaker, and which | adjourned
after he had concluded his address.
The audience quietly retired.
| The next Monday morning a very
= serious disturbance occurred in con-
nection with the Might Shirt Parade"
and l judge that considerable college
property was destroyed. l was not at
home, being absent in Pennington,
Maine. | returned that morning and
was grieved over what had occurred,
but l was no more grieved than We're
the students themselves, who deeply
regretted the whole affair. | took sew
eral days to carefully consider the mat
ter and then made a speech in chapel
against the Might Shirt Parade" which
turned the tide against such pro-
ceedings and the speech was received
with enthusiastic Kindness A COM
mittee was appointed to represent the
students, who expressed deep regret
over what had occurred and pledged
themselves in the carrying out of this
! college tradition henceforth to permit
no destruction Of property. / fully be-
lieve that the students mean what they
| said.
But what should be done regarding
the Freshman Reading, which had been
| held in allegiance? Just before facul-
| ty meeting soon after, l invited the
| members of the sophomore class to my
residence and gave each one an oppor-
tunity to declare that he had taken no
part in the disturbance at the Baptist
church. Each refused to do so, and
| the whole class evidently desired to
receive their punishment together. This
matter was reported at the faculty
Continued on page 81