The San Francisco call., 1905-06-01
Professor GoebeI Is
Drobped BY the
UnfUersity.
He'd of German De-
baytment GiOen
Brief Notice.
No Specific Charges
Filled Agalnst
Pedagogue.
sDsci. Dispatch to rb. can


STANFo4 , UNIVERSITY. May 81
Official announcement came to-day frota
The once OF President David starr Jordan
70 the effect that DR.. julius Goebel, hea d
Of the Department Of GermanIc Lam
guagss, has been dismissed from the un--
versity faculty. The announcement does
not include any specific charges ar inst
the offending professor. put it has been
known FOR some time that a painful lack
OF harmony existed between Dr. GoebeI
md other professors in his own depart
ment- II has also been recently limited
that he enjoyed strained relations with
several faculty members outside his own
department and had made himself IN
popular by a too jealous interest in the
n4rseessl affairs Of his colleagues. third
action which brought him into disfavor
consisted IN conscious misuse Of the
university library. This was just recently
disclosed and is probably the immediate
cause for the permanent removal Of Dr..
Goebel from the faculty rolls
It appears that the marter Of his dis
missal has been before the university
authorities for several months and that
the grievances against him have been the
gradual accumulation Of his twelve years
service as leading professor. of Germanic
philology and literature at Stanford
A few days before President David Starr
Jordan departed from the university for
his vacation trip abroad the matter was
brought to a head. Dr. Goebel submitted
q request for his sabbatical leave of alb
sence 70 begin at once. In replying to
the request DR.. Jordan granted the desired
leave with the condition that DR.. Goebel
submit his resignation before going away.
Ihe professor promptly declined to ec-
cept the leave of absence under these con-
oItions and in & communication to that
ef1ect made an uncompImentary attack
upon Dr.. Jordan's character No hesita-
ton was then shown in summarily dis
missing him from all connection with the
university.
As soon as DR.. GoebePs discharge was
made known to-day an effort was made
to interview him and get his side of the
story, but he w not to be found at
MS residence in Palo Alto, and his where
abouts would not be disclosed by members
OF his household All questions relating
to the case were referred to William Dem
man, an attorney il San Francisco in
whose hands DR.. Goebel has placed his
interests. II is understoe that he has
threatened suit upon several members of
the stanford faculty and 1t may be pos
siole that he was conferring with his
lawyer to-day looking toward some action
Of this kind
n.
II response TO a request for expIana-
TONS Dr. John Caspar Branner, acting
head Of the university during DR.. Jor-
dams absence, issued the following signed
statement this afternoon. justifyfng the
action Of the authorities in dropping Pro-
fessor Goebel from the faculty:
II was essential 10 the best interests Of the
university that Dr. Goeeel's connection with it
weighed by President Jordan and was reserTed
by him 70 the advisory board. The advisory !
tion 70 the removal. This board Is elected bv |
ballot by the university faculty for such sd- |
yisory purposes and is composed OF Professor
6t1lluan lchairman1 and Professors Abbott
ANGEL Branner Hoskins. Gilbert, Marx. Muir
me offer Of sabbatical leave on half nav
has been construed by DR.. Goebel as an offer
OF bribery. It Is the custom nthe university
70 grant the professors sabbatical leave or I
has not taken his sabbatical year and wa:
therefore entitled to such leave II ne wished it 4
and the offer to allow this leave was meant /
simply 70 make the removal as easy as posi-. i
bic for him. y C. BANNER. II
The fact that DR.. Goebel construed DIR.
Jordan,s lenient offer as a bribe TO smooth.
over he difficulty is taken almost unani-
lnonsly BY members Of the university
faculty as a gross injustice to the presi@
dent and a totally ungrounded and un-
cailed-for reflection upon his character.
A few. professors however, are known tosl
syrnpathize with the discharged scholar
and stand read to back him up In case
be determines to proceed against any per-
sons concerned in the affair This sifua. /
ton IS IN way analogous to the Ross
controversy Of several years ago. and
may lead Ito serious complications. al
though at present there is no indica ton
that it will;
CHARGES NOT DEFINED.
specifically the charges against ID:
Soebel are not defined by 1 he universifys
authorities. but the fact tfla & he has BEEN
he cause Of trouble among faculty mem
oers has been matter Of public knowl-
edge for several years. II is said that.
n his own department he has made L
-hings unpleasant for his fellows by an
overbearing disposition and reluctance
o regard the good interests Of others.
He has not confined his actions ito his Il
,Wn province and it is alleged he has
llso won himself unenviabIe rotoriety e
" taking part in attempts to injure the
equations of professors outside his aun e