New-York tribune., 1903-02-08
DEADLOCK ON DEANSHlP.
TINE LIMIT RESENTED.
Controversy IN Board Of General
Seminary.

There is practically no chance Of successor
to the late DR.. Eugene A. Hoffman as dean OF
the General Theological Seminary being chosen
for many months to come. The board of trus-
tees will meet April 16 20 eject a dean ana a
professor Of ecclesiastical history to succeed the
Rev. DR.. Thomas Richey, who is retiring The
office of dean is being hotly contested for, and
the general impression among influential Epls-
opalians is that there will be deadlock
The Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix. one of the board
said yesterday to a Tribune reporter:
There are seven names suggested for the
place I haven,t the slightest idea who viii be
chosen, or whether any one will be chosen"
Dr. Dix repeated cor whether any one will be
chosen with considera BILE emphasis. He was
asked to explain the possibility of no choice
being mGde, and SAID:
Because of the failure of the board to agree
on any one man."
This is conservative and guarded way or
putting the universal feeling among those in a
position to know. The three leading candidates
are the Rev Dr. Potts, the Rev Dr. Hart. of
Connecticut and the Rev. DR.. Wilford L. Rob
bins, of Albany. Dean Robbins is at present
thought to be the strongest candidate.
The bursar of the seminary said yesterday to
a Tribune reporter:
Dean Robbins will probably get the most
votes but the chances are greatly against an
election at the board meeting. In that event 1t
would undoubtedly throw the matter of selec-
ton over to next fail. To be sure, the board
meets at commencement, but between April and
that date wouC not give sufficient time for
talking candidates. The summer is too hot for
an election.
But there is another and stronger factor max
ing against any election. The candidate decided
on would he the first dean to come under the
f1-e-vear tenure rule of the seminary. Six
wears ago It was decided that the dean and
members of the faculty should be appointed
with a time limit. OF course, this ruling OF the
board never affected the late Dean Hoffman.
It is now. felt in various quarters that no man
of SUFFICIENT ability and ennence to deserve the
appointment to the deanship of the General
Theological Seminary would accept the office II
a fve-year limitation continues to be attached
IF q candidate were agreed on. the impression is
general that the board of trustees would get
refusal from their choice. On this point the
bursar said:
.'It is rather unlikely that a man comfortably
established in rectory with permanent posi-
tior would care to accept office with the pos
sibilitv of being dismissed at the end of five
years"
The board meeting will be lively scere, for
this point will be discussed. and an attempt
will be made to settle it. The Bishop of Yer
mont the Right Rev DIR. Arthur c. A Hall,
viii raise the question He is a strong advocate
of throwing off the time limitation on both the
deanship and the professorships, and ne VIII
make fight on these lines
One of the professors of the seminary said
Yesterday 10 Tribune reporter:
"Tha hye-ysar tenure question must be settled
h,- The hoard and then the relations of the dean
to the faculty must be clearly marked out and
settled It Is extremely unlikely that any cleo
tion y-iIi take Mace AS the matter at present
stands no self-respecting gentleman, no clergy
,,asr of eminence can accept the position. Think
of hiring a maidservant with nYe months
ttnriotionf II makes the office of the nature
poIitical appon tnlent.