The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-12-08
COED COLLEGE PREXy EXPLAINS THEE 'sEXlEsS
CUMPANlONSHIP' WHICH CAUSED .H|S RESIGNATION
Especial Correspondence. }

trustees of the Evangelical
church have accepted the resigna-
ton of elderly President H. j..
Kiekhoefer of Northwestern col
lego here, discussion of his strange
theories on "sexless intellectual
companionship" will not down.
President Kiekhoefer is a be-
nign-appearing man. His face,
from which hangs a bushy beard,
lighted up as he sat in his study
here and expounded his remark
able views on his companionship
with women which resulted in his
resignation.
Three hundred students were
passing to their studies on the
college campus within earshot of
where he sat, and as he heard
them he referred to them. as his
dear girls"
He declares that gossip and
charges hurled at him are based
on the foolishness of the towns
women at Naperville, who do not
understand how he feels toward
the co-eds and women teachers of
the faculty.
Nearly 80 years ago." he be-
gan, II aided in the founding of
this college as an institution
where the children of the men,
bers of the Evangelical confer
ences of America might get prop
er religious training together with
practical education. For all these
years l have watched it's growth.
l have grown to love its
rooms, it's spirit, its walls, every
brick in them, and above all, to
feel the deepest fondness for it's
noble instructors. Most of these
instructors are women, the finest,
noblest women created.
81 have seen their minds and
characters ennoble day by day,
and have watched them surrender
their lives to the betterment of
the students, until l have felt a
growing admiration and tender
ness for them that is reverential.
"No wonder then that my voice
betrays fOndness, that my impul-
sive gestures are those of affec-
ton, that I regard them as worthy
of the highest gratitude and es-
TEEN.
mo wonder, then, that I have
touched their hands fondly, that
l have spoken to them with all
the wealth of affection in my ma
ture. No marvel that l have
sought their companionship at
times that the world might regard
as unconventional, and have not
been retarded by society in my
actions towards them.
81 have seen these women
transform rude, elementary minds
of youth into the matured sweet
ness of high intellectually. /
have admired their labors as one
might the magic work of the ere
alton.
Il have noted their sacrifices
and patience. A thousand times
has my heart been spontaneously
impelled towards these women,
and at times there may have been
physical manifestations of the
impulse in the touch of hand
or the caress of voice. In yield
ing to this impulse l have violat-
ed convention.
81 have three young daughters.
l love them, and l hold the same
regard for these teachers.
"All sorts of charges have been
hurled at me. I realized that
Misrepresentation might cause a
sensational church trial in which
would be brought out all the in
nuendo that scandal might need
for color. Rather than harm
this college, which is as dear to
me as a child, and scandalize the
women comprising it's faculty, l
have resigned. I leave the mat
ter to the judgment of the world
that is ever ready to believe the
worst, conscious that injustice
will be done everybody con-
cerned."
Weeks ago the students charged
that President Kiekhoefer caress-
ed handsome young woman or
ganist as she sat at her place in
the chapel; that he placed his arm
about the waist of another teach
er repeatedly; that he bestowed
caresses on pretty co-eds in the
presence of Mrs. Kiekhoefer; that
he openly exhibited affection for
other young women in the facul-
ty; that he kissed the hair, fore
heads and cheeks of these young
To this talk he replied: Lies!
All lies! They come from unde-I
IS1et-Seec! SIC eESeef-SeefSSee