The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-19
SUMTER. s. c., WEDNESDAY JANuARv 70 1o7o


ceiving this communication from DR..
Nell. we invited the present and ais,
the former president Of the board of
trustees to q conference with us, and
asked them about the matters refer
red to by DR.. Nell. concerning all o.
which they gave us freely and frank
". full information. We fird thar
there was a woeful lack OF apprecia.
ton between the board. or some
members of the board. and the presi-
dent. The president attributing his
partial failure to make his admins
tration a success to the Interference
Ly certain Of the trustees, and the
trustees attributing the same to the
incompetency Of DR.. Nell as An ad-
min'strative officer. We are not In
position to render decided opinion
upon all the matters in qeustion, but
we believe there Is truth in both con-
tentions, In some respects.
1t seems to be conceded BY al that
on account Of the reasons for its
establishment, and the manner of its
support. Clemson should be primari-
iy an agricultural college. and it
seems to your committee that the au-
thorities have failed to obtain the de-
sired result along these lines. The
trustees to whom we have talked
seem to fully realize this, and assure
US that their plans for the future en-
brace determination to spare no ef-
fort or money In making the agricul-
tural department all that could be
desired.
We recommend that section 1912.
OF volume l.. Code Of 1902. in refer
ence to the meetings of the board Of
trustees. be repealed. The board can
not properly perform the many. du-
ties of directing large institution by
having only two meetings year. The
treasurer's report of Clemson College
shows that the trustees receive pay
for more than two meetings a year,
and. In our opinion. the section
should be repealed. and thus make
clear their right to do SO.
This section was originally a part
of a special act for the purpose OF
winding up the affairs of the old agri-
cultural department of the State.
which duties were imposed upon the
trustees OF Clemson. College. and was
not intended to apply to tho meetings
OF the board for other purposes. But
when the Code of 1902 was adopted,
II was Incorporated In the article OH
Clemson College. and as 1t stands
therein and without looking into It's
history. 1t would appear to- apply to
any meetings of the board. We do
not believe this was ever intended,
and therefore recommend its repeal.
We renew the following re,ommen-
dation of the last report of this COM
n.ttee:
This committee has for several
years called the attention of the CEN
erai Assembly to the fact chat a ma
jority Of the board of trustees Of
Clemson College is not under the con-
troll Of the State: and while this COM
mittee has no evidence whatever that
the trustees appointed under the
Clemson Will are not just as loyal.
just as competent, and just as watch
full Of the interests Of the State. vet
we believe the sooner the State can
by any means whatever get entire
control Of appointing the board of
trustees, the better 1t will be for the
welfare of Clemson College. We can
the attention of the General Assem-
bly, to the former reports made by
this committee, and recommend that
steps be taken to ascertain If under
the Clemson Will there is any pos
sible way for the State to obtain en-
tire control. While there has been
no friction between the trustees un-
der the Clemson Will and the trus-
ICES Oh the state, yet we believe that
IL would be best for the State of
south Carolina and the college, even
IL 1t should cost an appropriation of
an amount equal to the original valu-
alton of the Clemson bequest, for The
state to make the expenditure and
gain entire control of the appoint
ment of the trustees"
Your committee refers you to the
report of the treasurer as to the ex-
penditure of money by this institu-
ton. 1t Is impossible for us. in the
very short time given to this irvesti-
cation. to go into each expenditure,
but as far as we can Judge, they are
correct, and the books are we'll kept.
We do not think 1t advisab BILE for