Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1903-05-14
SENSATIONAL CHARGES.
Rev. A. c. Shepard Plays to the
Galleries at Mitchell.

While delivering sermon at Mitch
ell recently Rev. A. c. Shepard OF
Canton, took occasion to slap the state
educational institutions by charging |
the professors with immoral, profane
and indecent conduct. The state
papers have gone after the minister
and are making it pretty warm for
him. The Parker New Era says:
Serious charges are made against
some of the professors in the state
educational institutions by Rev. A. G.
Shepard OF Canton. He says that diff
ferent professors gamble, drink, pro.
fame the scriptures. and tell the boys
under their influence it is manly 10 do /
So If these things be true, it is time
the the tax burdened people had a
chance to clean out these bad pro-
fessors or the influences that hold
them In position TO ruin the young"
The Vermflion Republican calls at
teution to the fact that she mentioned
no names or places, and thus his
charges are shorn of much Of their
force. II he will be more, or better
still, quite specific we will lend every
effort at our command for relieving
the state by unloading every unworthy
instructor now drawing salary from
its treasury. His story about the pro.
fessor who played poker when not
preaching in pulpit wouldn't fit this
/ locality, to the best of our knowledge
and belief. Speak up Rev. Shepard;
speak out, quick and clear. Your Ian
guage if made plain and truthful. will
not be regarded as reasonable or
unpatriotic, but quite the reverse, by
an appreciative public"
Referring to the same matter the
Mitchell Daily Republican says he
made some strong charges in SER
mon Sunday evening concerning the
conduct of some of the professors of
state institution, declaring that their
conduct was such that it we'll nigh
rendered the schools as unfit places
! for Christian parents TO send their
children. In making declarations of
this character Mr.. Shepard is no doubt
following line he thinks TO be right,
but the professors OF the state insti-
tutions who are innocent of anything
of this character are placed in a very
unfortunate position, owing TO the
| fact that the minister does not specify,
If he holds the information with
which he charges these professors he
would be following his line of duty In
more generous manner by specify
ing than by making the broad and
general charge. 1t lays too many
open to suspicion"
This same argument is followed out
by the Madison Daily Leader which
says: "If the reverend gentleman
desired to create a sensation and
arouse wonder in the minds of his
hearers, he accomplished his purpose,
according to the last paragraph above
| quoted. But did he deal fairly and
justly with the mass of professors en-
gagged in the educational institutions
of the state? Without designating
any in particular, he has cast cloud
upon all, and while every citizen of
| the state is sensitive in regard TO such
matters, the citizens of some towns OF
the state are perhaps more sensitive
than others. A half truth it is said,
is worse than an absolute falsehoOd
The same holds good in the remarks
OF the Rev. MIR. Shepherd. If travel
ing men, tell the reverend gentleman
of the disgraceful doings of individual
institutions, IL is his duty as Chris
tian gentleman to give the names Of
these particular professors IL he elects
to call attention TO their shortcom-
ings In his sermons. The people of the
state, until better evidence is forth
coming, wff.econtinue TO believe that
all of the professors in the public edu-
cational institutions in the state are
moral gentlemen, conscientiously en-
gagged in teaching and nurturing the
morals of young people placed In their
care.
While making no direct reference 20
the sensational accusation made by
Rev. Shepherd the Big Stone Head
light whose editor is the secretary OF
the board OF regents In charge of the
state educational institutions, says:
when you hear people talk about
the Godlessness OF state institutions
OF learning and the desirability OF sur.
rounding your children with good
infuen ces, 1T might be well to remem-
ember that Vermillion, the home OF
the state university, just voted mo
license by liz majority and that
Brookings, where the Agricultural
college is located has not had an open
saloon for fifteen years, while Yankton,
Mitchell, Redfeld and Huron where
the leading unconditional institu-
tions are located all have open saloons.
Wehaye not the exact figures at hand
but 1t Is safe to say that the Y. NJ. c.
| A. aad Y. w. G. A. OF the irst named
towns have each larger membershlp
than those Of any other town in the