Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-20
coLBY'S PROGRAM
Continued from page ~


suspended from college for the re
mainder of the term and are requested
to leave college at once"
This was sent to the students tn
next Monday morning, and great indig
nation broke out among the othe
classmen. The sophomores, however
took their punishment very philosoph
ically: they had defiied the authority o
cally; they had defied the authority o
the college and they accepted the situa
ton in a very dignified way. The fol
lowing letter / addressed to the father
of each student:
1T is my painful duty to inform yor
that the following letter has been sem
to your son, who is a member of the
sophomore class at Colby College: BY
vote of the faculty, you, as one of the
men of the sophomore class, are sus-
pended from college for the remainder
of the term, and are requested to leave
college at once In explanation of this
action, 1 would say that on Friday
evening, June 5th, the Freshman
Reading, which was held at the First
Baptist church of Waterville, was so
seriously disturbed by members of the
sophomore class that the president was
compelled to adjourn this college func-
ton. The class had been previously
asked by the president to observe
proper decorum on that evening and to
do nothing unworthy of the occasion
or the sacred place. 1t is unpleasant
to relate, however, that certain men,
hers of the class persisted in making
,;11, tn1 Art-
Gus disturbance that I fear has greatly
injured the good name of the college.
After several days Of careful thought
as to the proper course to be pursued,
| called the members of the class to
my residence and in my study each
one refused to sign paper saying
that he had nothing to do with the af-
fair. The class had evidently decided
to stand together. This has made it
necessary for the innocent to suffer
with the guilty. l have no direct
knowledge as to whether your son was
or was not directly or indirectly iE-
volved in the disturbance. After very
careful and prolonged deli5eration,
the faculty felt that it is for the best
interests of the college that this affair
[ know, no personal feeling has en-
tered into this matter. 1t is simply
situation which the sophomore class
itself has created and for which, for
the proper discipline of the college,
ithere can be but the above solution.
Hitherto the conduct of the class has
been highly commendable, and We
hope that each man will present him
self for mis- examinations next Septem-
her"
Within an hour after chapel Mon
day morning, the mems division of the
college came together and petitioned
that the sophomore class be reinstated,
presenting what has been unfortunate
" called ultimatum, that unless
the faculty rescinded their action by
six o'clock that evening, they would
absent themselves from all college and
commencement exercises. The faculty
was not called together, because -~of
this threat.
Members of the Colby Club of Water
vile, that evening, called the students
together and very strongly presented
the matter. The next day the students
rescinded their threat of the morning
and appointed a committee to confer
with me. | invited three professors
to be present at the interview. I'm
fortunately, the student forgot the
principal element in his mission and
did not ask-as the students requested
hi:n-fOr q conference between the
faculty and the committee of students,
but extended the ultimatum 70 hours
Ionger-until seven o'clock that eve
ming. Under the circumstances, 1t
seemed to me unwise to call the faculty
together.
Learning, however yesterday, that
the conferred would be acceptable to
the students and that they had been,
accidentally, inaccurately represented
the pervious day, the faculty met ana
discussed the matter at length. unani-
mously voting that it was unwise, in
view of all the circumstances present
and future, for them to grant the
original motion of the student body.
A committee of the students were in
conference with the faculty for an
hour, and the students at their next
meeting determined to stand firm.
The punishment that was inflicted
upon the sophomores seemed to me to
be very light. They were suspended
from college the remainder of the term
five days, being given the privilege
of making up their deficiency examina-
lions next September.
The faculty are a unit in maintaining
the present position. Throughout this
entire proceeding, the young men of the
college have conducted themselves with
perfect decorum, and the position
which they have taken has, without
doubt, seemed to them to be proper
and right. In view of all the circum-
stances, however, l am confident that
before many hours have passed the
students will regard it as their privi-
lege and duty to set themselves right
before the people of Maine and to
pledge once more that loyalty and de-
votion to Colby which l know burns
deeply and strongly in every heart.
CHARLES L. WHITE.
The last chapel exercises of the year
at Colby were held, Friday morning,