Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-21
STATE AGRICULTURAL PAPERS
IN AGREEMENT OVER AMEs
COLLEGE MAN.
ALL DECLARE HE SHOULD QUIT,
BUT REFUSE TO FILE CHARGES
State Education Board Stands BY
Kennedy and Induces Withdrawal Of
Resignation Publishers Unite in
Writing Letter to Roard-Say Ken
nedy's Usefulness Has Ceased.
Special to T,rnes-Republican

Special to Tirnes-Republican.
Des Moines, Sept. 21.-The agrtcul-
tural interests Of the state OF Iowa as
represented in the agricultural press
and In some Of the leading organiza-
tions. and the new board of education
which has charge Of the state college
at Anes are in serious disagreeme nt
over one small matter relating to the
college which apparently both are dis
posed to make test OF who's who and
what's what in agricultural education.
The difference of opinion came TO a
head over the matter OF retention OF
Prof. Willard ]. Kennedy IN the depart
1nent of aniula al husbandry. The first
disclosure of trouble on this score was
last summer when 1t was announced
in the papers that Professor Kennedy
had resigned and become manager OF
the Flynn farm IN Des Moines. and
later II was shown that this had some
reference to the then pending question
as TO who should become president Of
the college.
Nothing more was heard OF It until
on the Sth OF August when the meet /
ing Of the board OF education was %
be held at the Office of the president
of the board. and the fact leaked our
that the publishers of four farm papers (
had united in a very brief telegram 70
the boa I'd asking that the resignation OF +,
Professor Kennedy from the college fac !
ulty be accepted. This was the frs
known that the previous announcement I
of his retirement was incorrect. The
board on that occasion named Prof. ;
E. w Stanton as acting president, but
nothing was given out as % Professor /
Kennedy
Asked TO Make Charges.
Ii now traasp.res that when tne
resignation Of Kennedy was received
last summer Il vas referred 70 the
faculty committee with power TO act
and that al the August meeting of The
board the committee reported that i
ahd authorized Kennedy 10 withdraw his
resignation. The board, after receiv-
ing the telegram from the publishers
of farm papers, approved this action
OF the faculty committee. wiped the
slate clean ard its president wrote
letter 70 the publishers stating that i
they had any charges 70 make agains,
Kennedy TO make them IN writing.
Today the publishers II the four
farm pa pers. together with heads Of
some farm organizatior united in
letter TO the board CURLY refusing 70
make any written accusations against
Professor Kennedy. rei1erating their
view that the best interests Of the col
,Iege and the farmers OF Iowa would
Ibe served by having Kennedy dropped
from the faculty, and offering 20 make
1.-THE reasons known IN a public meeting
i-of the board at any time should the
Hoard desire such Information.
Letter Warm One.
The letter 70 the board of education
-
indicate that the publishers have very
little confidence IN the desire OF the
board 70 serve the interests Of the
farm community ard the college and
that Il would be useless 10 present writ
ten charges now after the board has
acted in reinstatement Of Prof. Ken
nedy They point ont that the haste
of the board 10 have the matter cleared
I'D would Indicate that they 90 not re-
gard the agricultural press Of the state
as representing anything Of Importance
in agricultural education.
There will be no charges fled against
Kennedy and perhaps the publishers OF
farm PAPERS will take no further &C
ton but the mere fart that for once
they got together on one matter, in
which hey are all deeply interested
and about which they all know a great
deal had been taken to indicate that
the situation must have been peculiar.
for it is notorious that the farm papers
have not been disposed % pull to-
gether on much OF ANYTHING in recent
wears. The fact is said to be that when
this matter was presented TO the ed
tors and publishers Il was found that
they all. without any previous con-
sultation had arrived at the same con-
clusion and that was that the college
would be better off without Professor
Kennedy Privately the publishers will
talk great deal stronger about Il than
anyone would dare put in print. The
reasons which they give for stating
their judgment that change should be
made touch upon matters vital to the
college.
oist of Complaint.
Briefly II is said that Prof Kennedy
has forfeited the confidence Of the
students. Of the faculty as a whole Of
the stock and farming interests and
that his relations with outside inter
ests ard his own large private interests
are such as to make him undesirable
for the place.
It had been supposed that Prof. Ken
nedy was slated to become dean Of
the animal husban dry department IN
case of vacancy there. This fact is
with postponing final settlement OF the
presidency Il Is charged that last sum
mer when Prof. Kennedy announced
his voluntary retirement from the coll
lese he spent considerable time in po-
1itical work anent the presidency of
the college. He devotes much Of his
time TO attending fairs and shows az
Judge or in other capacity.
It is supposed that the board Of ed
ucation will welcome the suggestion Of
an open session for a full airing Of the
matter There does not appear to be
any personal matter involved. Prof
Kennedy has been a contributor to farm
papers and is unquestionably compe
tent az a livestock Judge.
It seems that he was not connected
with the Flynn farm company here.
at least not openly connected with it,
tho short time ago he made a bitter
attack upon rivals in business which
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