The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-11-09
MR.. kINCANNON
DECLINES.

l. 1SOlaSllC a. 1As
of the Industrial Institute and
College was on last Thursday
elected Chancellor Of the Univer-
|sity of Mississippi by the Board
of Trustees by a practically
unanimous vote. The board
passed a resolution which placed
the management of the institu-
ton in the hands of Mr.. Kincan-
non and notified him Of his cleo
ton. While very greatly appre-
ciating the distinction paid him
by the Board of Trustee Of the
University, Mr.. Kincannon i'm
PEELED by a sense Of duty, and at
the earnest solicitations that
reached him by mail and wire
from the patrons of the Indus
trial Institute and College has
notified the board of trustees
that he declined the chancellor
ship.
The following is from the Co.
lumbus Dispatch:
Mississippians in general and
Columbians in particular will re-
ceive with unfeigned pleasure
the announcement that Mr.. Kin
cannon has declined the chancel-
lorship of the State University.
This qualification is not prompt
ed for a lack of regard for the
State University, but is impelled
by the belief that he can best
serve the State in his present
position, as president of the
girls school. 1t is not that the
people of the state love the Uni
versity less; it is that they love
their girls school more and he
lieve that in surrendering the
position he at present holds that
in a measure the usefulness and
success of the great college in
this city would be imperiled and
jeopardized.
The chancellorship of the State
University is a great honor. The
university is at the head of all Of
the states educational institu-
tions, and outranks them all. To
be called to this position is the
highest honor which can come to
an educator in the domain of his
native state. To be called to it
is a recognition of ability which
is seldom given to men, and IN
refusing it a man must be actua-
ted by the strongest and high
est motives. While Mr.. Kin
cannon's letter of declination
has not as yet been made public,
the telegram from Oxford states
that his positive refusal has been
received, and the reason for his
course will be made public in a
letter which has been forwarded
to the president of the board of
trustees. No doubt the one rea
son which impelled him to refuse
this honor was the belief that he
could best serve the state in his
present position. If self inter-
est alone had determined his
course, no doubt he would have
gone to the university. Mr.. Kin
cannon's friends know that he
has obliterated self in this impor-
tant matter, and has considered
it from a patriotic and unselfiish
standpoint. His decision is to
emain with the girls school, and
this decision gives every citizen
OF Columbus cause for rejoicing
and conveys an assurance to the
State for the future of the great
school here which will last for a
long time to come.
It is fitting and proper and ap-
propriate that he should remain
at the head of the l. |. & c. The
school, as it is at present consti-
cuted, represents several years
of the best work of his life. He
came here when the college was
at its lowest ebb. Its present
condition is due to his brain and
heart work, which have been un-
stintedly given:to this cause. He
has developed the college to its
present splendid proportions, and
1t has come to be recoan zad as
not ohly oae of the really great
colleges of thi, State, hat 1t l.
hloNn over tn ana. An
A.luL laasf his iaLiire i ',tid rs. /.
), I'll co4itllIue Its onward Ma u.
III who are fam liar Win his pl>.
X ork are prepared to beilSJo