The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-28
BOARD ENDORSES
NICHOLS ACTION
Refuses Plea of Parents for
Reinstatement of V. NJ. |.
Students
CADETS MAY RETURN
NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR
Decision is Made TO Promote
Discipline and Best
Interest of the
Institute

mission in the capitol building Mon
day afternoon and night, unqualifiedly
endorsed the action of General K. w.
Nichols, superintendent of the insti-
tute, in Diminishing the members of
the third class for "mutinous and in
conduct" on Feb. 20 by
refusing to reinstate the cadets.
The decision OF the board was
made In the face of the tears and
pleas OF scores of parents and guar
dians of expelled cadets and against
powerful influence which was brought
to bear In behalf of the students but
the members OF the board explained
their action In their decision by stat
ing that the discipline and best in
terests of the Virginia Military In
stitute would not be promoted by the
reinstatement of any of the students.
May Return Next Year.
However, the decision contains q
loophole through which some of the
cadets may re-enter the institute. This
loophole IL found In the closing SEN
tence of the boards decision, which
reads al follows:
This decision shall not prejudice
the case of m OF the cadets who
shall W h right TO apply for re-
enlistment at the beginning of the
st~~ oNAoCAiIiS ytdIJ AtG appointment
IN each case to be contingent upon q
review of the class standing and con-
duct by h superintendent. who shalt
have fun authority in each case"
The hearing was opened with a
complete revfewaI of the troubles Mt
the choU by Superintendent Nichols.
The students, he said, first grew dts-
pleased at the overzealousness OF SOME
of the cadet officers. Throwing OF
bombs and tndignities to cadet on
GERS were the methods adopted to
their displeasure. This con-
ditton existed for three days and a
crisis was reached on Feb. 10 when
Cadets Jamison and Brant were dis
missed for discharging a bomb.
Disobcycd Command.
The third class met that night and
the Following morning left the school
and marched 10 Lexington. They re-
fused to return to the school unless
the two dismissed cadets were retn-
stated. When this ulttmatum was
delivered to the superintendent he or
dered the cadets to return to the In
stitute under arrest. They refused To
obey the order.
General Nichols laid high tribute
to the record OF the class, collective-
~ and individually. UP to the time
or the trouble. and hen after point
ing out the military feature OF the
case and empha sizing the fact that
the institute 10 a military school. where
law, order, discipline and constituted
authority should prevail. he recon-
mended tina the requests OF the ca
oets To be reinstated be refused.
In all. seventy-five students applied
Tor reinstatement, forty-two through
parents or guardians and thtrty-three
nNTADn2llx ThA lnrtPA plAan ~ t-AA
students. with the exception OF three
who had no part in the trouble. was
expelled.
Parents Make Pleas.
When General Nichols concluded
mis- the parents and guard
ians. ,maay~ OF. whom were present.
were Allowed to speak In behalf of
the Students. Among those who plead
Tor the dismissed cadets were George
u. Caskis. OF L%ynchburg: Greeniss D,
OF Lexington; Charles r.
Mansfield. assistant attorney general
OF Illinois: GENERAL John K. Roller. OF
H~arrisonburg; Walter f. Addison. OF
LynchburE; DR.. j. J. Wiltshire, of
Baitimore; Judge George l.. Chris
tian. II. NJ. Dickson, of Norfolk. and
Flanagan.
MIR. Caskie said he believed ths re-.
instatement OF the cadets would NOT
affect the discipline of the school IL
another kind of punishment was In
Tor the conduct OF the boys. He
pointed out that the students acted
on an impulse. OF which older per-
sons are sometimes guilty, and re-
ferred to the previously mentioned
that the students misconducted
themselves through false sense OF
class honor.
Mr.. Letcher advocated the rein
statement OF the cadets individually.
In order hat undesirables might be
He described the dismiss
OF the class al a tragedy to the
students and their parents. and stated
that there was no moral obliQutty In
the case OF the cadets.
Here From Illinois,
MI. Mansfield, who came to Rich
mond from Monticello. ILL.,. to plead
for his son. caused tears to well in
the eyes of h assembled parents
he was overcome with emotion
while asking mercy for the boy. HIS
plea was followed by a statement from
General Nichols. who said young
was of perfect behavior and
at h head OF his class.
General Roller asked that the stu
dents be reinstated as a class. and
stated his opinion that rigid d,sci-
pline was not necessary at the school. |
as the majority Of the boys are des-
to civil life.
Mr.. Addison pointed out hat the |
boys were not guilty OF cheating or
other grave offenses of the sort, but
had committed wrong merely in mis-
Interpretation Of honor. He said the |
boys had acted hastily and without |
he guidance and advice of older heads
Ind spoke against placing a stigma
On the name Of the cadets.
DIR. Wiltshire and Mr.. FLANAGAN.
both of whom left their homes to
attend tho meeting. next spoke for the |
students. Mr.. Flanagan said his faith
or and he had . students at the
Institute. Both had been dismissed
md later reinstated. He asked the
pame mercy for his son.
Mipht Hurt ocheol.
Judge Christian said he believed the
dismissal OF the students without
would cause enntty toward the
institute. He also spoke OF the punish-
inflicted On helpless parents by
he Dismissal OF the boys and declared J
hat tho boys should have been heard
after they came TO their sonsos."
fudge Christian was followed by Mi,
Dickson. who discoursed along the
line N his predecessor,
The board then went into executive
,asston ard unanimOuaiy adopted the
M VIZ -fNA AN A1M Ml