Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-06-20
GOODWIN is SUSTAINED.
State Board of Regents Officially
Approve His Course.
INCIDENT CONSIDERED CLOSED
Principals to the Controversy Leave Shep-
herdsiown for Their Homes, and All IS
Now Quiet Along the Potomac.

Now Quiet Along the Potomac.
The sensational situation recently
DEVELOPED at the Shepherd College
State Normal school. which was de-
tailed i'll The Evening World yester-
day, has taken sudden turn. which.
it is believed, will result in officially
! closing the matter, although it will
be long time before the bitterness
and high feeling which grew ont of
it has entirely subsidized.
1t was claimed by some of those who
were in a position-to know that Gov
ernor White would interest himself to
the extent of causing an investigation
of the whole matter. but the contem-
plated action of the governor was rem
dered unnecessary by the Board
of Regents. which held meeting in
Shepherdstown yesterday. and which
passed upon the trouble in such a
manner as to render it in the future a
closed incident, SO far as the officers
of the school are concerned.
The question of the action of Prof.
E. F. Goodwin. in asking for and in
ting up the resignation of Miss
Salome Wingate, the teacher of music
in the Normal school, was taken np
by the board at its meeting, and the
outcome was the complete vindication
of the principal in the course he pur-
suad. No investigation of the charge
of improper conduct against Miss Win.
gate was made, but the board, how
ever, sustained Professor Goodwin in
his action in demanding her resigna-
tion.
| 1t was stated at the meeting of the
board that the principal had acted
clearly within his province as head OF
the school in asking Miss Wingate to
resign, and that he was entirely justi-
fed in so doing when he believed it
was for the welfare of the school that
the resignation be insisted upon.
The action of the BOARD of Regents
is claimed by the friends of the prin-
cipal to be in effect ali admission of
the boards belief in the truth of the
charge against the young lady, al
though the friends of the latter will
not admit the force of this argument.
The latter contend that the charge is
entirely groundless. and that an in
vestigation of them would develop
this fact clearly. Whatever may be
the private opiuion of the partisaps
of the principals to the contro versv,
the action of the Board If Regents
was final The members gave ample
evidence of their confidence in Protes-
sor Goodwin by asking him to come
back next year and assume charge of
the school. This the professor was
fact that the members of the board
earnestly requested him to reconsider
his determination to resign. The res
| ignation of Professor Goodwin was
handed i'll about three months ago. be-
fore the present trouble was artici-
pated. His intention was to give up
educational work for the present and
to take up the study of law in one of
the big law colleges. While the prin-
cipal was reluctant to leave. fearing
his opponents would lay the charge Of
running away against him, yet he
stated that he could not rearrange his
plans for the future and return to
take up the work next fall. Professor
and Mrs. Goodwin left Shepherdstown
last night, and only their most init
mate friends know their destination.
They will not return to Shepherds
town, except in social wav.
Miss Wingate has also left the scene
of her unpleasant experience, going
with her brother and uncle to her
home in Washington yesterday even
ing. She was accompanied to Shen-
doah Junction. where she took the
train. by several friends, who are
still confident of her innocence of tho
charge. and who took that manner of
attesting their friendship. She will
not be re-engaaed III the capacity OF
teacher.
Thus the matter may be said to be a
closed incident, and it is we'll for all
concerned that it is so. The feeling
which grew out of the unfortunate
affair will in time die away. and the
! suaid precincts Of the aristocratic lit
tie town will resume their wonted as
pect of peace and quiet. Ii is said
that within tho past few DAYS there