The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-21
BOARD MEMBERS
MAY EVEN RESIGN.
-(Continued from First Page.)

y
Such step, however, viii not be taken
except after the most careful deltbera-
tons. and IT may not be taAen at all
A compromise of this sort Will be OPP
posed in the board. and II made II is
probable that several OF =, visitors VIII
resign forthwith. Whatever the action II
viii be decisive OF tho fate OF the class
and the issue Will be awaited With the
keenest interest throughout the State
The New Paper.
The history OF the v. ri. L outbreak is
still fresh in tho public mind. The nc-
ton OF tho third class in coupling with
Its complaint against The food threat
OF withdrawal from the lnntitutc unless
tho conditions were improved. was held
by the Board to be In direct violation Of
the regulations and destructive OF ali dis
ciplinc. The offence lay not In the COM
plant, but In the existence Of a con-
spiIacy In the class 10 cocrce the authori-s
ties Of the Institute. The Board met.
investigated the food conditions. d!scor-
cred that though not as good as they de-
sired them to be-. the% were better than
ever before, and thereupt. demanded
retraction and apology from the cadets.
All but thirteen signed a paper with
drawing the nltimatum they had sent.
Tho thirteen expressed their sympathy
with the wit tdrawal. but declared they
were prevented by an oath signing. The
Board held that the penalty OF dismissal
must apply TO them nevertheless unless
they signed. The remainder OF the class
thereupon recalled the retract!on and am
nounced that they would stand by tho
thirteen. The Board gave the boys ten
days IN which to reconsider or leave the
Institute, and adjourned.
Governor Montague visited the school
ed n rtfF 4
the situation. which becSme the senAa-
tlon OF the, day In the State. The task
OF the mediator was not easy. The Gov
crnor has refused to discuss the matter
In any way, but 1t Is said that 1t took
hours OF argument to bring the cadets
around to the point at which he finally
got them According to report the paper
he prepared for their signatures included
statement OF regret" The cadets
.flatly refused to bend. and tho word had
to be stricken out.
What They Did Sign.
Here is an exact copy OF what they
finally accepted, every member signing,
Including tile thirteen:
"To the AdJutant Of the Virginia
Military Institute:
"sIr,-We, the ened mem
bers of the third class, recognize that
our action In signing the paper dated
November 2, 1906 addressed to the
post adIutant, was In violation Of SEQ
tion 1923 Of the regulations, and We
therefore respectfully request to be II
permitted to Withdraw tho paper az
far as possible.
I'VE do not construe our sigma
ture to this paper aa Involving any
changes of opinion we may have ex-
pressed as to the character Of tho
mess hall fare.
"Respe ctfuIy,"
While he Is ex-officio a member OF the
Board OF Visitors the Governor was, OF
course, acting only us an individual. It
Is not possible to determine by per-
sonal canvass tho attitude OF his efforts.
but it may be stated without reserva-
ton that tho paper Is unsatisfactory to
the visitors and that II 1t ls accepted.
which is extremely doubtful. 1T will be
solely In the Interest OF harmony. The
members of the board hold that the
cadets have been guilty of rank lnsu-
bordination, and that tho board has
shown great lenlency In temportz1ng
with them at all The maintenance OF
discipline, the board thinks. makes an
apology necessary. The absence OF this
apology may cause a breach, and II this
is true the rupture will come at the
meeting tomorrow night. Final action
one way or the other will then be taken.
rrhe session OF the boar VIZ y held
in the office OF the Superintendent OF
Public Instruction.