The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-07-23
PRESIDENT HARDY
IS EXONERATED
AFTER EXHAUSTIVE INVESTTGA-
TION BY TRUSTEES HE Is
SUSTAINED By 4 VOTE
OF TEN TO FOUR.
Statement to Public Issued by Board
of Trustees-F'aculty Members
Promise Support to Pres
ident in the Future.

SISo1ppl =. anu VI. OOIESSs realizing
the great injustice done to the insti-
tuition and President Hardy, through
the fight upon him, both from within
and without the College, feel that
tinent at this time, that the great
institution and its president may be
set right in the estimation of the
people. Although at the last meet
ed from the people until the findings
in the Wellborn charges against the
president could be made and the
faculty investigation completed, GER
spect that request, and the present
board of trustees and the institution
were subjected to constant and ma
licious attacks. The result has been
that only one side of the college trou-
Bile has been presented, and il has
been so grossly misrepresented and
magnified that the board feels that
the people of the State should have
the facts of the case
To begin with. let it be understood
that the board of trustees is COM
posed of fourteen representative cit
izens from every section of the State.
In their appointment they represent
both the administrations of Governor
Vardaman and Governor Noel, and
represent various professions and vo-
cations. In response to the request
of President Hardy, and the request
as made in the faculty resolutions.
they assembled at the college on
Wednesday, July Is, and remained in
session until the following Sunday,
being at their post working from
eight o'clock in the morning until
twelve at night. Every department
of the college and every faculty mem
Der and attache, numbering sixty
odd, were carefully examined with a
view of detecting any friction or dis
affection within the departments of
the college and with establishing the
exact relations that the members of
the faculty and those connected with
the college bore toward the president.
After a full and absolutely fair
and impartial investigation toward
all concerned, the board, by a vote
of ten to four, voted to retain Mr..
Hardy as president of the institu fE2.
every member of the board being
present and voting, and the four
mem bers whose votes were recorded
against him pledged him their loyal
support in his future administration.
THE investigation developed that
there had been serious friction and
trouble in the agricultural depart
nent, and the trustees located the
cause of the trouble and viii take
he necessary steps to secure har-
nony and the best possible results
n this and all other departments
'.The investigation was attended by
he best results from every stand
point. 1t gave the trustees a larger
grasp on the institution in all of its /
and gave them a ia
niliarity with details which will en-
able them more successfully than /
ever to administer the affairs of the /
Institution and bring it nearer than /
ever to a realization of the great /
purposes for which it was estab- +
ished. 1t served to clear up in a /
arge measure the disaffection and I
strife within the college, and 10 es-
ablish relations of support and sym +
)athy with the president and faculty I
md teaching force, and an oppor-
unity to reconcile all of those reports /
md rumors and differences and mis- /
which resulted in the +
Unfortunate conditions which caused /
his investigation. For the number +
If faithful men who serve the college /
IS members of its faculty and teach /
ng force for so many years whose !
relations with the president we're /
strained, the trustees preferred to /
AXE no radical action, believing that /
heir confidence IN the president had 1
1een and would be speedily restored,
md that all would work in absolute /
harmony and sympathy in the future /
'or the good of the school. The trus-
.ees further believe that if there /
we're among these gentlemen any /
whose loss of confidence in the pres
dent had reached the point where /
hey could not support his policy /
and work in sympathy with his ad-
realizing the sense OF /
he situation would prompt them to
speedily resign 1t is gratifying to
report already expressions or fealty /
from the best and strongest men in
he college, whose support and CO.
operation will be extended to Presi- /
lent Hardy to the fullest and freest
measure.
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