Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-18
STILL DIVIDED.
No Settlement of the Difficulty
at Colby College.
Faculty Stands FirmIy-St Students
Stand FirmIy--No Yielding,
Many Students Leave Town-Why
Cannot 1t Be Settled?

dleTNllle, ME-, u1e 1I.-tSDccldl).-
There was general sadness and gloom
in college circles in the city through
the greater part of the day, Wednes-
day, for it seemed to the alumni in the
city as if they were standing about the
death bed of old Colby, poWerless to
help her. The students had played
their last card with no response from
the faculty, the game having gone
farther than many expected that it
would. The faculty and president evil
IDENTIFY relied to some extent on the
students backing down at the last mo-
ment when put to the final test while
the students themselves may have had
some such idea concerning the faculty.
The efforts of the Colby Club, repre-
sented by some of the most influential
members of the alumni in the city, had
been fruitless. This committee only
succeeded in inducing the students to
modify their position, but could not
change the policy of the president and
faculty in the least. When the stu
dents found that their concessions were
ignored they Immediately hardened
again anu IDllONtu Ouj TIC tOuISc licy
had marked out for themselves.
A good many of the boys left for
their homes, Wednesday morning. con-
sidering that the situation had gone
beyond a settlement and that they
must take the results of their action
Others for various reasons remained in
the city, most of these being busy
closing up their personal affairs and
making ready to leave. None of the
boys who were in the movement from
the start attended any of the college
exercises during the day.
The girls had not been present at the
| meeting. Tuesday evening, and We're
| apparently divided during the day,
| some attending chapel and eXamina-
| tons and others remaining away from
| all. But this division was not con-
| sidCred as being a distinct or final one.
| The ma jority of the girls joined in the
original action with the boys and when
| the final test came it was expected
that they would be with them They
had not taken final action at the same
time as the boys did, but were expected
| to later. An attempt was made to win
them over to the side of the faculty,
but this failed during the forenoon.
| At noon, Wednesday, the status of
| the trouble was this: The boys had
| taken their final action and were will
| ing to take the consequences, some go
| ing to their homes at once and others
preparing to do SO as soon as they
could. The girls had not taken their
final action, but some, apparently an
| ticipating what this would be, Staid
away from college exercises, while
others attended While waiting for the
| decision.
1t seemed in the forenoon as if all
possible means of settling the difficulty
had been exhausted and that the only
thing to do was to let matters take
their course. The majority almost
gave up hope of seeing the tanglc ever
Strengthened out and We're talking of
the affect of the whole thing on the
college. The alumni in the city felt
miserable all through, 70 matter which
side they had been backing. 1t was
admitted by the champions of both
sides that mistakes had been made and
that something must be done to pre-
vent the scvcring of the faculty and
students in a way that could never be
remcded.
| Colby men in the city felt sick at
heart and discouraged. Their repre-
sentatives IN the committee of the
Colby Club had been poWerless to aid
in any way and il seemed that every
means in their power had been eX-
hauStCd. You can imagine how it felt
TO have the old alma mater in such
trouble and you powerless to help her
in any way, or at least you can if you
are college man.
The situation was 4 most peculiar
one. The right and the wrong seemed
to he in a hopeless tangle on both
sides, or at least it did to the alumni
and perhaps to the students. To all
appearances the president and faculty
considered themselves wholly in the
right and for this reason unwilling to
rccedc at all from their original posi-
ton.
On their side the boys claimed that
the sophomores had simply followed
ont u long established Colby custom in
their actions at the freshman reading.
The class had done no more than many
a. class before it and not so much as a
good many. They claim that the presi-
dent had intimated that severe punish
mcnt would follow if they interferred
with the freshman reading and had, as
: it were. issued challenge.
Here at the start there was a great
opportunity for radical differences of
opinion. For some a college custom
has no standing in court and carries no
privileges or rights for the students.
Those taking this view believe that if
the president saw fit to prevent the
carrying out of the custom by prelmi-
nary action he had ample authority for
, so doing and that if the students saw
fit to disregard his wishes they must
take their medicine with as good grace
| | as possible They also believe that the
boys had no right to consider any ac-
ton of the president as a challenge or
anything of the sort He is in author
$ ity over them and is to be obeyed and
: whatever punishment he sees fit to adj
t minister must be taken.
:. On the other hand a good many col
n lege men claim that the old customs