The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-16

seven declared they were forced by pres
sure Of the class, Under threats of boycott :
! ting to sign their names to the paper
against their wishes and better Judgment
We have every reason to believe that
| many others we're similarly coerced. Sc The
mans OF the ring-leaders published in the
Richm ond paper show that one has been
dropped from the college for an excessive
number OF dement's. that another had only
10 receive one more demerit to dismiss
iliim and that the third had Withdrawn
1 from college. All were still here. and It
Is certain their acts were influenced by
hostility to the commandment the usual
lmeaning attached to hanging or burning
! in Ell s..
We think every parent whose son was
! Implicated in the affair should know
these facts when receiving notice Of the
! dismissal OF his SON. We are sorry to
add that your sons name appears on
both papers. ts5.5 II
BY order OF the faculty.
! Is clear from this, statement that the
members OF the junior class acted under
! a total Misunderstanding OF the facts.
| They understood that they would be re-
quired to stutify themselves by passing
a resolution disavowing their former ac-
Elton, but President McBryde made no
such demand upon them.
The misunderstanding
The misunderstanding arose in this
way. When the class president called on
| Tresld ent Mc13ryde. two members Of the
faculty were present, unofflclally Pres.
idcnt McBryde said that he could not
tleal with the class so long as that freso-
Tuition was In existence. as 1t was a
threat against the faculty. Professor
Smythe said that the resolution must
| be disavowed. The class president re-.
piled then We must 60 back on our
agreement, but McBryde Immediately cx-
planned, you must put yourselves whore
You were before this thing took place.
He repeated this twice and thought that
lie had made their class president UNI.
derstand that all the class had ito do was
TO rescind Its former action, but the young
man got the word disnvow In his mind
and could not get it out. and the class
received from him the impression that
In order to square themselves with the
faculty they must disavow their former
action. N III
/ IT was under this false impression that
they Withdrew from college. but to-day.
the class committee consisting Of r, 3.
Tinsley. F.. II. Roby and II, C.. Eppes
were made to undertand that DR.. Me-
Bryde had made no such demands and M
demands that would compromise thenl,3
and they then decided ito write a letter
to each member OF the class. stating
that while with the former light before
them th.y were right in the course they
pursued. with the facts now before them
they were not bound by tho pledges
they made when they Withdrew, and adj
vising each and every member to apply
for re-admisslon on his own account,
AS individuals Only.
OF course, the faculty cannot deal with
the class as body. as IT now has no
existence as such, but II each ono Of the
boys will write a letter to the faculty
stating in a manly way that he acted UNI
der misunderstanding. expressing re-
grct for his insubordinate action under
such misunderstanding promising that
II he returns, to submit TO the constituted
authorities and obey the rules Of the col
lege his Applicant ion Will probably receive.
favorable consideration.
This Is not an OFFICIAL statement but,
believe that II the boys Will follow this
simple, manly course they will be re-
5ceiyod by the faculty with welcome,
r,rhe faculty are determined 10 maintain
discipline, but they are mot ct all dts-3
posed to be hard OH the boys Or to make
them huniiate themselves,
Ss & ,3.5; W, IS, COPELAND. III