Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-16
DISCIPLINE AT CLEMSON.
How the Cadets Run Things to Suit
Themselves.

Themselves.
clemson college is today the most
Ipowerful factor in South Carolina poll
tics" said a newspaper man, VINO Il
in closer touch with the people or the
whole state than is any other, TO q
Record reporter the other day.
This being the case, there Is very
general and deep interest in the lat
est Clemson sensation-the resigna-
ton Of the conmandant. Capt. Charles
Clay, because the president OF the col
lege and the chairman Of the board Oh
trustees fatty told the veteran army
officer. who will bear to his grave the
honorable scars of wounds received IN
service, that nothing whatever would
be done toward his support In the
matter of Furnishing a fragrant and un-
pardonable breach of discipline and OF
courtesy.
Clemson college is supposed to have
military discipline. The cadets wear
uniforms and are armed and accourtreo
by the Federal government, which also
details an army officer at the college
as military instructor and professor OF
tactics and military science. Clemson
receives from the Federal government
exactly the same treatment as that
given the South Carolina Military
academy. It has been the custom al
the institution for the officer so de-
tailed to be employed by the college,
in addition to his other duties, as COM
mandant of the corps Of cadets, In
which capacity he Is in charge OF the
students at all times and responsible
for their discipline or lack of discipline
The same arrangement was made with
Captain Clay.
At no time since he arrived has
Eo tn haan
support by the upper classmen. Thus
handicapped by the lack Of any such
esprit de corps as exists at the Cita-
del, for instance, Captain Clay tried.
nevertheless, to perform his duty and
reduce the big body Of students to
some sort Of discipline. Had he been
backed up by the faculty and spared
the childish interference of the trus-
tees, he might have succeeded, even
under these disadvantages. Very
naturally and properly. he, resigned
when he found that he stood alone.
Here is an instance of the lack OF
discipline: The other day Record
man asked a boy who was graduated
from the institution last month why
the proposed encampment at Green
vile was so suddenly called off. "Oh,
we seniors didn't want to go to Green
VILE" he said. I'VE had a meeting
and told the faculty that we were not
going and that we wouldn't let the
corps go. That ended It,"
And he said it in the most matter-of-
course tone in the world!
The incident which eliminated In
the commandant's resignation was
this:
During commencement week, the
seniors went out on a disorderly and
indecent riot, which they very proper
ly called a "shirt-tail parade" The
commandant stood 1t as long as ne
could, and then, in full uniform and
bearing the unmistakable insignia OF
his authority. went out to the bar
racks and ordered every senior he saw
to return to his room and there re-
main, under close arrest. Far from
obeying, the cadets-seniors. remem-
ber!-only showed past their COM
mandant, actually hustling the grey
haired veteran against the wall, and
went out again, some of them cursing
him as they went
The matter was reported to Presi-
dent Nell, who told the commandant
that nothing could or would be done.
The president of the board Of trustees.
Col. r. w. Simpson, went to the lead
ing spirits among the seniors and
tnrOORn the easy HleuluHl VI JuulClouS-
ly framed leading questions, secured a
statement that the erring cadets
meant no harm and had intended no
insult to the commandant. This state
ment Colonel Simpson carried before
the board, and that officious body
promptly accepted 1t, waving aside
with scant consideration Captain
Clay's protest against the issuance of
the diplomas, pending an investigation.
Captain Clay's report of the matter
hardly impressed the war department
officials with the desirability of detail
ing another army officer at Clemson.
Now, a committee from the board of
trustees is in Washington, to undo the
damage.
It seems to be the general opinion
among taxpayers that it would be far
better to abolish the military system
at Clemson than have one which is a
mere farce. 1t is impossible to i'm
agine la scene such as lately disgraced
Clemson occurring at the Citadel. But
at th9 latter institution the military
svstem has the backing of the STU
dents, whereas at Clemson 1t Is neith-
er understood nor liked. Even If the
REGULAR literary college system. or the
honor system, is installed at Clemson,
there Wall have to be less Of interfer-
ence byi the trustees with the facultv's
management Of questions touching
upon discipline.-Columbia Record.