The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-14
MEMBERS OF SENIOR CLASS RE
TURNING

|
to be deplored when, for any cause,
friction arises between the seniors and
the faculty.
| Deplorable as was the withdrawal
of the majority of the class from col
| lege because certain privileges here
tofore granted had been withdrawn by
order of the board of trustees, it is
very gratifying to know that quite a
number of the young men are return
| ing. Three returned yesterday and
two have telegraphed that they will
arrive today The display of moral
courage by these young men cannot be
too highly commended, for it calls for
a much higher exhibition of true moral
courage to pursue this course than to
remain out of college under the cir
cumstances. The first impulse with a
young man SO situated will be to say:
II have taken the step. If 1 re-enter
college, folks will say I have backed
down. Therefore 1 will deny myself
the advantage and honor of graduation
in order to show that / am consist
the first impulse. 1t is wiser to do the
right thing the manly thing, and if
this involves any inconsistency, it
should be remembered that Emerson
declared that consistency is the hob
goblin of small minds" AS a matter
OF fact no inconsistency is involved in
the return of the yong men already
here, or of those who will return when
they know that they will suffer no loss
or humiliation by re-entering college.
The authorities of the college have re-
ceived those who have returned in the
right spirit, given them the same Of
fees and honors they held, and in no
way sought to humiliate them. That
fact will no doubt show to the other
seniors that there will be welcome
for them and shortly nearly all of
them will again be enrolled and will
graduate in June. Here's hoping that
they will return soon and that every
one will graduate with distinction
next May
The spirit of the college faculty is
students who return and in this state
ment made by President Winston
81 shall treat everybody in this col
lcge as if he were my son. Discipline
and authority shall be enforced, but no
harsh nor humiliating punishments in
fiicted."
This paper, devoted to the welfare of
the college and every student who has
ever matriculated, feels warranted in
saying to the young men who have not
yet returned that they ought not lon
ger to delay in doing SO. The faculty
has shown the true spirit of considera-
ton, insisting only upon proper dis
cpline, the maintenance of which is
essential in every military school. The
seniors are within nine months of
| graduation Nothing short of personal
| indignity and personal humiliation
would justify giving up graduating.
Neither of these have been offered nor
will be visited upon any member OF
| the class On the contrary, the presi-
| dent and the faculty have shown
paternal interest in the young men and
ere ready to let bygones be bygones.
With that situation at the college, it
| is to be hoped that before the week is
out the seniors will be again in college
and will be hard at work in order to
obtain their diplomas.
The plain truth is-and it should
be told-the only criticism that
has been justly made of the man
agement of the college, is that
young men have been given too many
liberties. Naturally, seeing former
seniors enjoy unrestrained liberty, the
new seniors hated to lose what they
regarded as their prerogatives. But
the board of trustees determined to
make changes in the regulations, and it
was the duty of the college executive
to enforce the regulations. AS mat
ter of fact the regulations are exceed
ingly liberal for military college,
and the students ought TO feel glad
that so much consideration is shown
them. The place for students in a
military college when they have duties
to perform is at the college, and the IN
stitution will be doing it's best service to
the students and the State if it lives up
strictly to it's regulations. An examl-
nation of the rule restricting the ND
erty of the students shows that all the
liberty is given that is consistent with
good discipline. 1t is in these words:
THAT liberty to visit Raleigh on
Saturday afternoons and sunday
mornings and Sunday afternoons ana
Sunday nights be gwen to all cauets
not under special restraint that noer-
ty to visit Raleigh on other occasions
be given only on request to the com
mandant or other proper othclal' eA-
cept that the Seniors be permitted TO
have liberty each Friday night Tor SO
cal purposes"
Can the average student perform ms
work well if he takes more time from
his college duties? Students should
rot be denied all social pleasures, but
the young man who masters a college
| course must be willing to make sacrl-
| fees to do so. The bulk of the students
of the A. & NJ. College have always I'M
posed upon themselves this self-denial
but every school or college IN the
world that maintains military diScip-