Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-21

i
mittee Recommends That No Radi-
cal Action Be Taken at This Time
Believing That Conditions In q
Short While Will be Vastly Improved
DIR. MelPs Full Statement.
Observer Bureau,
1920 Berkeley Building,
Columbia, s. c., Jan. II.
To the report of the legislative COM
| mittee appointed last session to inves-
tigate the state colleges, is appended a
statement from former President Nell
of Clemson severely criticisins the
board Of trustees and holding 1t res
ponsible for the long years Of friction
| at the college, and making several sem
| sational charges against them, among
| others that nepotism Is so prevalent In
their employment Of teachers and 9TH
ers that friction Is inevitable. Specify
ing as to nepotism he makes this
statement:
"R. w. Simpson-three sons-in-law
on the faculty.
wv. w. Bradley-a brother on the
faculty.
u. E. Wannamaker-a brother-in-
law on the faculty; a nephew on the
station staff: niece In the office OF
| the president; relative in the treas
urer's office.
wv. D. Evans-a son in the treas
urers office; a son holding the position
on fertilizer inspector.
Alan Johnstone-a nephew on the
faculty"
Advises Against Radical Action.
The report foreshadows the bitter
| fight that Is coming In the present leg
islature on the management Of Glenn
SON. Already a bill has been passed
by the house forbidding nepotism on
the part Of trustees of state colleges,
and Representative Brownings bill
providing for a thorough legislative
investigation Of the affairs Of Clemson
will likely be deemed necessary under
the charges brought by DR.. Nell, al
though the committee concludes by
saying:
1--WE do not think 1t advisable for the
legislature to take any radical action
at this time, as we hope, that with a
new set of bylaws and new presi-
dent, conditions will soon be vastly i'm
proved"
The committee consists Of Senator
T. I. Rogers and Representatives e.
w. Duvall and L. M. Lawson, and the
i
members today.
The committee renews the recon-
mendation Of its last report that steps
be taken to place the state entirely in
control of the institution.
Commenting on the Clemson situa-
ton the committee says:
In view Of the fact that a great
| deal has been said in the press Of the
state as to conditions at Clemson col
| lege, and also In view Of the fact that
| such a large sum of money Is yearly
expended there by its board Of trustees,
your committee felt 1t incumbent upon
them, as far as time would allow to
make a somewhat thorough investiga-
| tion.
We find that there has been a de-
plorable lack Of cooperation between
the trustees and the president and the
commandant to the serious detriment
of the institution. The retiring presi-
dent feels that the trustees have
usurped his powers and by interference
with the details of the institution,
which are directly the duties Of the
president-such as discipline Of cadets,
orders to his subordinates, taking
charge Of buying the books Of the IL
brary, and debating the curriculum
made a successful administration i'm
possible for him.
Strong Man Needed.
The trustees feel that the president
has failed to exert the authority given
him, and by this failure has made 1t
imperative for them to exert activities
along lines they would have been glad
to leave to him. Regardless Of who Is
right in these claims, your committee
feels that for the future good of Glenn
son, II Is necessary that a strong man
be elected president; that he be made
the real head of the institution; that
he be given all the powers to enable
him to thoroughly control and operate
the entire institution. AS an evidence
that 1t Is the intention Of the trustees
to remedy the above evil, we quote
the following resolution, which was
passed by a meeting In July, 1909.
That a committee Of three be ap-
pointed by the chairman to take into
consideration the revision of the by
laws and, in consultation with the
president Of the college, report such
changes as in their judgment are nee
essary to secure the following results:
l. Define the powers and duties Of the
president Of the college, so that he shall
be the absolute head Of the college, to
be held responsible for its satisfactory
working and success. 2. To define the
relation Of the trustees Of the college,
and their duties as inspectors and leg
islators, seeking to secure the best re-
suits at a minimum of expense; the
idea being that the trustees shall d.
rect and control the policy Of the COL
lege under general rules and regula-
tions, while the faculty shall carry
them out under tine orders Of the pres
ident Of the college, who shall alone act
as intermediary between the trustees
and the various heads of departments,
and shall be held responsible for re-
suits. 3. To secure the coordination
and cooperation Of the various de-
partments of the college with view
to economy and efficiency and clear
definition of duties Of the various Of
fcers Of the college"
Under this resolution a committee
wac appointed and has reported new
~et of bylaws. These have been adopt
cd by the board, and we hope they will
prove satisfactory.
Lack Of Harmony.
We append to this report commu-
nication from DR.. Nell, retiring presi-
dent, furnished us upon our request
that he give US his views as to how
the future welfare of the college could
be best SuDSerVeQ. AFTER receiving tnlS
communication from DR.. Nell, we in
vited the present and also the former
president Of the board Of trustees to a
conference with us, and asked them
about the matters referred to by DR..
Nell, concerning all Of which they gave
us freely and frankly, full information.
We find that there was woeful lack
of appreciation between the board, or
some members of the board, and the
president. The president attributins
his partial failure to make his admin
istration a success to the interference
by certain Of the trustees, and the
trustees attributing the same to the in
competency of DR.. Nell as an admins
trative officer. We are not in posi-
ton to render a decided opinion upon
all the matters in question, but We be-
lleve there Is truth in both contentious,
IN some respects.
1t seems to be conceded by all that
on account of the reasons for its es-
tablishment, and the manner OF Its
support, Clemson should be primarily
an agricultural college, and 1t seems 70
your committee that the authorities
have failed to obtain the desired re-
suit along these lines. The trustees
| to whom we have talked seem to fully