The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-03
Eighteen--SeVen
Thus They Voted,
Continued from Fourth Page.)

|
upon record their view of the broader
aspects of the questions under discus
sion for the information and use OF the
President of the college for transmits
sion to the Board of Trustees in the event
that the board shall desire to receive and
consider a statement from the faculty.
In that event, we wish to urge upon your
honorable board that the important mat
ter at issue in your decision is neither
the interest Of an individual nor the par
ticular opinions which that individual hap
pens to hold and to express. 1t Is a
question of the maintenance of great
principle-a principal vital to the whole
work and mission of our college.
But the matter is of far wider import
ance 1t is a question in which every
college is concerned-in which every mem
Der OF every college faculty in the en-
| tire country has a personal interest. Other
| colleges have been called upon to face the
same issues which you are to decide. Such
as have failed have been disgraced in the
eyes of the academic world. It is the
cause of academic freedom and we the
professors of Trinity College, by reason
of the very circumstance that we do not
|
are being criticised, feel that we are left
| exceptionally free to devote ourselves to
the great and general principals involved.
We should be recreant to the principle
and false to our brothers in other colleges
if we did not now urge upon your body
the gravity of the crisis at hand. # Amer
lean colleges are to be the homes OF seek
ers alter truth, their atmosphere must be
E. Df ,,,,ts,
ion. 1t is the duty of a college pro
lessor, as of every other citizen, to con-
slider well all his opinions and the form
of their expression. If he err, he is SUD
iect to criticism. to rebuke, to refutation,
equally with all others. The principle Of
academic freedom, as we understand It,
merely requires that while the public
holds HIM to his duty as it holds other
men, it shall not invade his rights, which
are not less than other mems. To per5e-
cute him for his opinions sake, to drive
him into exile, to deprive him of the
means of Observation-Disclosures are invGsIons of
his rights. Such methods by making men
martyrs, have given 10 their opinions an
Importance which they could not other
wise have commanded. 1t Is far better to
tolerate opinions which seem to be wrong
than to punish the expression Of opinions
because they are contrary to those gen
orally accepted.
And if this issue appeals to lis directly
as professors in an American college, it
appeals to us no less strongly as citi
2ens OF North Carolina and as members
of Southern community. AS North
Carolina claims from her MecklenburS
Declaration precedence in our national
movement for political independence and
freedom, so may she find in your decision
reason to claim among her sister States an
honorable distinction in the struggle for
freedom of speech AS a SOutherner of
national, of international reputation has
written in private letter to one Of our
number, you have the opportunity to
make decision which viii be the most
important event in history of North Caro-
lima in our time; for free speech and free
teaching viii te won there for all time to
come More than that, there is ques
ton IN the mind OF the world whether
there is genuine freedom OF speech
throughout the South This college has
now the opportunity to show that her cam
pus is undeniably one spot On Southern
soil where mems minds are free, and to
maintain that the social order Of the South
need not te shielded from criticism be-
cause it has TO reason to fear it, because
it is not too weak to bear it.
But the immediate concern of your h IN
orabie body is for the welfare of Trinity
College. We who are day by day giving
our lives to her service can scarcely be
wanting in solicitude on that score. We
realize with you that we may be in danger
of losing students, perhaps OF losing friends
but we are willing to risk our future
standing on the great principle of FREQ
speech and to accept all the consequences
of this choice. For we believe that our
chance to build up here eventually great
institution among the colleges Of the
world Will be far better if we stand for
truth and freedom than if we silently con
sent to yield our minds to any sort of
intellectual bondage There is, we con-
ceive, a widespread misconception of the
true nature of college teaching which, Oh
this question of academic freedom has mis-
led many honest minds. 1t is by many
thought to be the business and practice
of college professors to incuicate opinions
on controVerted subjects Such is neither
the right nor the accepted practice. T.
is the constant effort of every enlightened
professor to help and to encourage young
men to form their own opinions from a
fair examination of all available sources
of information That certainly is the con-
ception of their business and their duty
which prevails among this faculty. Trim
ity College has many claims upon our af
lection. The thought of her ever increas
ing usefulness, the vision of her future,
is to US all daily inspiration. But it
IL berauSe she has heen thought to rest
upon a broad foundation because she has
stood for the open mind, because she has
sought on'y after the knowledge of what
is true, because she has been wiling to