Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-05-04
A DISSERTATION ON CLEMSON.
Life Trustees and Nepotism Menace
the Colleges Best Interests.


considered a gem by Dickens, and
would no doubt have supplied him
with the foundation for another great
story rivalling In its rare characters
and scenes "Bleak House" or "Pick-
wick" 1t is likely that the Cap
tain's range Of acquaintance. in those
days Of mirth and JOY unrestrained,
included Tenneydrops, Jeliabys, jim
giles and Wardells, If not fat boys
and old maids.
That "cyclone of music and dane
ing is without parallel, ard the
singleness OF purpose and vim with
which they devoted themselves to
the maZes of the dance were amply
proven by the number and character
of the relics found on the floor of
the old mill after the performance
shoe strings, shoe heels, grapevine
hoop skirts and false teeth, and posi-
bly, others, which after this lapse of
time, have escaped his memory.
But while amused at the Captains
quaint humor in his "reminiscences,
one cannot help dwelling seriously
upon one Of his passing remarks in
enumerating the places and things
that did not exist at the time Of
which he was writing. He says,
among other things, "There was no
John G. Calhoun College, then and
there is none now | suppose there
Is scarcely one thoughtful person
who will not add in his own mind
as there ought to be, instead Of
private institution ushcred into ex-
istence and still controlled by the
will Of Thomas G.. Clemson, and bear
Ing the name Of this exotic, who hap
pened to be John c. Calhoun's SON
in-law."
Being ambitious to perpetuate his
name by having It conferred upon
an agricultural college, Mr.. Clemson,
tbeing In possession Of the old Cal
houn home,) saw his opportunity
when one Of the ablest political ad-
venturers of this or any other time
came on the scene and secured, by
various means, such control OF the
masses that he could dictate not
only on lines of executive policy, but
legislative and judicial also He was
able to say who should be sent to
the Legislature, and then indicating
his own preferences for the Bench.
the election followed as a natural
consequence for the creatures did
not dare to do anything contrary to
the masters wishes.
This state Of affairs favored a pro-
ceeding that Mr.. Clemson and his at
torney must have known was con-
trary to the rights Of the people, viz,
the devise of the Calhoun estate for
the establishment of an Institution
that should be governed by a board
OF trustees, Of whom the majority
should be appointed by the testator-
this majority to be self-perpeuating
and the remainder by the State
The State was to support this school,
but not to control 1t. AS insulting
and humilating as was this PROPOSE
ton, 1t was accepted under the COM
pulsion Of the man whose will at that
time was, with his followers, higher
than law or any other consideration
Ever since it's establishment the
school has been lavishly supported
by the State, but many thoughtful
and liberal-miuded men regard the
results as inadequate
During the last session of the Leg
lSlature there was Il So-called legis-
lative visit OF inspection to Clemson.
which all good citizens regarded with
favor and hope until candidly writ
ten account by the present Senator
from this county disclosed that the
visitors consisted in large part OF
young people out for a frolic, while
large proportion Of the lawmakers
availed themselves of the legislative
recess to visit their homes. The leg
islative inspection. therefore. seems
to have resolved itself into a mere
sightseeing junket at the public ex-
pense. This was all that was done
to clear up in the minds Of the peo-
pies representatives the misty con-
ditions in Clemson's affairs. The
only Official incident OF any note was
the address of the chairman Of the
board Of trustees, in whicn ne CO.
verify resented the recent criticisms
OF liberal and friendly press upon
the trustees for their very obvious
shortcomings. Among other things