Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-02-20
FRIDAY EVENING. FEB. 20, 1903.
ONCE MORE THE NORMAL.

ONNe WuOn@
The more carefully the Duncan
council resolution relating TO the Nor
NAL faculty is considered the more ap-
parent ii is that the author OF h res
olution and the council acted under a
misapprehension and with undue
haste. The Optic is not unfriendly TO
either Mr.. Duncan or the council, but
would reason with them in that cool
elaboration. SO needful where the In
terests of a great educational institu-
ton is involved and where by undue
haste irreparable injury may be done
to an educated and honorable faculty
which commands the confidence oi
the public and lest a wrong result TO
all those interested in the success oil
the Normal.
The resolution recites that the
statement of the faculty contains AN
attack upon the board of regents" ana
refers to pages 2 and 8 as evidence
thereof.
We ask our readers 10 carefully
read those pages. They do not contain
any attack whatever on the board OF
regents. The statement is a defense
by the faculty of its course and policy
against unjust criticism.
On page two the faculty says, w
hold and are prepared to prove that
unfriendly criticisms have emanated
from a few actively hostile persons,
who know little oT nol4.ns OF the
school and is work. and who have
been actuated by purely personal mo
tives.
Recent Investigations "a disclos-
ed who our critics are: and in every
case we can definitely connect the
name of the critic with one Or more
OF the following motives:
Inability to dictate the appoint
ment of some friend to a place on
the faculty; inability to dictate the
removal of some teacher; inability to
secure a place on the faculty; inability
to secure certain business patronage.
Resentment of correction or discipline
III PUPILS ny tnt ldtuity tSctAthiSit
against the stand of the school against
the use of the athletic field for Sun
day sports"
Having thus defined the grounds
ceeds to make defense and set itself
right before the public and for this
Mr.. Duncan's hastily presented reso-
luton asks that they be requested to
resign Immediately.
The request for immediate resig-
nation in the midst of a school year
at a time when the utmost damage
would be inflicted, not on the faculty,
but IN the school. shows an ill-tem-
pered hasty consideration of the res
olution.
The council seems to have thought
this statement primarily addressed to
1t. Whereas IL is a defense of the fac
ulty in its school work for the informa-
tion Of everybody, not the council or
the governor. but for the patrons of
the school. and for all Interested In the
maintenance of a high standard of ex-
c~ellence in the Normal.
The resolution asserts the statement
Is calculated to ''incite the students
10 insubordination,' Not so. There is
not a line in it which in anyway would
have such a tendency.
On the contrary its direct effect
must be to draw the students more
j. closely Inc firmly together, in support
Of q course of school discipline aud
study which commends itself to their
judgment. The students are not in
subordinate. They are a unit in sup
port OF the faculty. They are satisfied
with he w.irk of the past years. Tao.
want no change, no revolution in the
course of study.
Students and faculty stand together
each have the love confidence and re-
spect Of the other.
II the students could vote today it
would be unanimous for the reten-
ton of the faculty and the mainte-
nance of the course of instruction,
WHICH mas the normal 10 the
front rank Of educational institutions
in the west.
When such an eminent educator as
DIR. A. e .Winship, says. Despite its
youth the New Mexico Normal Uni
versity is n of the best Normal
schools of the country, and in the nat
ural sciences especially ! have never
seen it excelled. In the ethnology and
entomology it is not approached in
the whole country. and the art depart
ment is SUPERIOR" It is time we
should stand firmly for IS faculty.
These are words Of high praise from
an educator of national reputation
who has made personal examination.
uhe question at issue is to q large
extent, shall the course of study and
discipline which has brought this
unohnoanfo eaoh promipance he thrown