The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-04-15
The Clemson Trouble.

OF the 800 Clemson cadets who par
ticipated in the April Fool Days esca-
pades 305 have been dismissed from the
college. The discipline committee held
its last meeting Wednesday night and
the matter is now closed so far as the
Clemson authorities are concerned.
There were four of the cadets who
were not dismissed:
II. b. McBrady, a member of the ju-
Nor class from Charleston, was sus-
pended until next September. He tes-
titled before the discipline committee
that he absented himself from drills
and classes but did not leave the cam
pus. B. t. Knight, of Chesterfield, a
member of the freshman class, was ex-
cused of this charge. 1t was on &C.
count of e~xtenuating circumstances
surrounding his case that the commit
tee dismissed the charges. Cadet j. H.
Hayden, of Orangeburg, of the pre-
paratory class, and Cadet j. r. Fizer,
of Summerville, of the freshman class,
will be dealt with summarily by Com
mandant Minus.
Below we reproduce a letter from DR..
Nell explaining the attitude of the fac
ulty:
To the Editor of The State:
In reply to your invitation l make the
following comments concerning the
troubles brought on Clemson college by
the outbreak of a large number of the
cadets on April I: The dismission of
these cadets by the discipline commit
tee has emphasized the important fact
that conspiracy on the part of the col
lege students against authority, it
makes no difference how large the num-
Der may be, cannot stand against law,
impartially administered. The issue
was made at Clemson: "Who shall rule,
the cadets or the authorities?" The
discipline committee has answered in
terms which cannot be misunderstood
IN the future. The morning after the
breakout against the regulations the
discipline committee was called in ses-
sion by myself to calmly and thoroughly
investigate the entire matter. The COM
mlttee was in session morning, after
noon and night from Wednesday, April
2, until Tuesday night, April 7. Each
boy was given a fair and impartial ex-
animation and was allowed to state his
case as fully as he desired, all testi-
mony being taken down by a stenogra-
pher. No one was dismissed who did
not admit his part in the violation of
the regulations and that of his own free
will and accord he had entered into the
conspiracy to break the laws of the COL
lege. The students who were sent out
from Clemson college were dismissed
for the following offenses:
l. Holding a mass meeting in viola
ton of the college regulations and de-
flying the same by ~absenting themselves
from all college duties.
2. Defiantly parading in TIE presence
of and against the orders of the com
mandant and the cadet officers after
having refused to report to morning
drill.
3. DESERVING the college and going to
the ~neighboring town of Pendleton,
where they spent the day.
d. Binding themselves by a sworn
document to stand together and pledg-
ing that In case any Of the number
were dismissed they would all desert
the college and go home.
desire to extend deepest sympathy
to the parents upon whom has been
brought this sad experience, and in this
message to them the other authorities
of the college join.
P. H. NELL,
President.