Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-05-04


been the most glaringly unfortunate
According to the disclosures OF the
late president, the late commandant,
; and the admissions OF the board it.
characterized this administration
great part of the time, due to viola
tion by the president and by the
board Of all rules ~ organization
the president meddling with the de-
partment of the commandant, and
the board meddling with and inyad-
ing the department OF the president.
MIR. Johnstonc, in the address al
ready quoted from, pleads for len
iency Of judgment on the ground that
the board had no "chart" to 20 by,
thus throwing all OF their work into
the field OF experimentation They
had the chart Of common sense to
guide them, and this would have
shown them that a board OF trustees
Is not to be governed by one men,
Der, and that competent men-not in
SoiHpclShlS ol unknO"ll QuantltlcS-
are to be chosen to fill responsible
positions, and that when head Is
once selected, all departments and
persons made subordinate to him
must be reached only through him.
This chart would have shown hem
| also that nepotism is not only con-
demned by the rules Of propriety.
but that it is a source Of positive
| danger. See the working of it in the
case Of President Mell's private secre-
tary, who, being niece Of one Of
the life trustees, and having been
| placed in her position regardless OF
the presidents wishes, seems to have
| assumed a position Of independence
| CDR. Nell characterized 1t unsubordi-
natiom, and to have attempted to
| manage the Off &c to suit herself or
her relative. This state OF affairs
becoming intolerable, Dr.. Nell did
the only thing he could do-called
! for her resignation. Instead OF hand
ing In her resignation, off she goes
to the trustees, who grant her a
leave Of absence until another presi-
dent can be found for her to preside
over.
The trustees undertake to justify
their interference with the details OF
management by saying that the presi-
dent was lacking in administrative
a IN flo inn
their proper course being TO ask for
his resignation at once. and, a perma-
nent head not being Immediately
available, to select temporary head
as they at last did, instead of giving
instructions directly to subordinates
and assuming other duties that did
not belong to them.
That President Nell was sadly
lacking IN the qualifications required
by his position seems to have been
pretty clearly established, but this
furnished no Justification for shear
ing him Of all his prerogatives while
he was retained in his position. If
he had been ever so competent he
could not, under such conditions,
have done justice to himself or to
the interests entrusted to him.
Why President Nell was retained
so long after his unfitness became so
we'll known to the trustees and to
the public has called forth many in
quiries Was he retained rs scape-
goat? There Is no intention OF east
ing reflections upon the board as a
whole, for on 1t there are some men
of sound discretion and disinterested
motives.
The system Of providing for rela-
tives seems OF be practiced to
greater extent by the irresponsible
life trustees than the others. call
them irresponsible be ause they are
not accountable to the State, which
provides the means for maintenance
and operation. and, being in the ma
jority, a private institution supported
| by public money Is the result The
| legislative committee appointed to
| investigate the affairs Of the school
called attention to this anomaly, but
| there be no radical legislation at
| that session. The matter should be
settled. however. later on in bust
ness like way. The people should
| insist that the piece Of folly. perpetu-
| ated by the men who accepted the
! terms Of the Clemson will. should be
undone as soon as possible after the
! college gets to work on some ration