The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-12
Randolph Macon Board
Enjoined by Judge
Scott.
DISPUTE AWAITS
LEGAL DECISION
Minority of Trustees Believes
Methodist Conferences Have
No Authority Over Great
System of Schools, and
Will Fight Denornina-
tional Control.

While the board of trustees of Ran.
colph- Macon College. IN session a,
ashland yesterday morning. was en-
gagged in nominating men to hill va
! cancies i'll its membership according
1" the compromise plan agreed 70 nv
tue Virginia and Baltimore Methodist
conferences. an injunction was issued
/ ny 'uage h Carter Scott, in the Cir
| cult Court OF the city of Richmond
lorbidding any action under said plan.
! ne effect is TO throw the entire con-
! troversy. which for yeara has agita L
eo the two conferences. into tho
courts. where both factions on tho
/ board hope for Il final settlement
Legal opinions are to the effect that
the action OF the board yesterday in
| selecting new members. which was &C.
/ compiished before the notice of in.
, junction could be officially served
| cannot become operative By tho
terms OF the agreement. the board.
which is self-perpetuating body,
nom mates men 10 I'LL vacancies sub
Ject TO Ratification by the two Meth
odist conferences. Therefore. the ac-
ton of yesterday is merely the FIRST
step in the work OF making new
| trustees. and further movement In the
direction OF confirmation is stoned.
besides. II is hoped to have final adj
Indication Of the entire problem be-
-
mex; annual sessions
Run Test of Courts.
The Injunction as issued by Judgn
lott is r,turnaole within sixty days
| before Judge r. II. /. Chichester. in
| the Circuit Court OF Hanover county
! IT Will then he contested. and. arta-
nearing argument. tho court viii either
ma e thu Injunction permanent or viii
dissolve 1t. In either case an appeal
WI DE taken to the Supreme Court.
so as TO secure the judgment OF the
highest Judicial authority.
foT years ths Eight over control of
tfs' AsandolI'h Macon system OF col
reyes and academies has been bitter.
1t had It's inception when the effor.
was made TO put the Randolph Macon
| Nonhan's College at Ly n,chburg IN thn
Sarneg!e Foundatinn. one of the ~,
| qu!re!nents of which was tina. the coli
!eEe should not be secta7ian The re-
suit MAS protest on the part Of sew
era! ministers Of the Virginia and BAL
Gnore Methodist Conferences. who said
the schools Were maintained IN. We,bn-
! dsts and should be under thu. control
of that denomination.
/ II Nonsectnrian.
| IN reply. 1t was pointed out tina.
large requests and trust funds wer.
he!d by the systm OF educational in
S.Itu'ions. which were donated wiz,
Lne prov'so that the mana e nacnt
should be seN-perpetuating. While for
| many years the members OF tho ho,rd
hsve all b,en Methodists. such has rnt
always been the case TIL. charter cf
the schools. granted many years ago
| provides that the board Of directors
shan choose the SUCCESSORS to men vh,
dh' or resign
This did not satisfy the asitators
Tor more complete denominationaI con.
.tro'' who insisted that the church
should nave the voice in the selection
OF those who manage the school svs.
tenn The fight grew more and moro
nitter. until the personal characters Of
ministers on opposing sides were
ORA eyed into debate, which has filled
church organs and formed the prin
cipal topic of discussion at the annual
conferences
BY the terms of a compromise agreed
upon last year 1t was provided that
when future vacancies occur on mo
board the surviving members shall
nominate successors, whose names
snail go before the Virginia and Bal
timore Conferences Tor ra.ilica ton.
This compromise has been generally
regarded as such in name only. since
| 1t has been fully expected If the COR
fey enccs did not sec tit to rrtify any
|
anyway, and the conferences would be
| Tertediless
Might EndnnEer Property.
! Eut strong minority III the board
/ has not been satisfied with tho COM
promise Led by Judge f. D. Newman,
OF Woodstock. this minority on yes
ter6ay sought and secured tho tenn
| porary Injunction. which inhihts ali
parties from proceeding to Ill any
vacancies on the board By the method
! OF nomination and ratification. 1t is
held that the charter rights and priv
lileses are violated, inasmuch ms IT is
/ provided that the board is strictly
self-perpetuating.
The minority which took this action
has expressed tho opinion that the
| compromise was so far illegal that to
proceed under 1t might impair the
title of the college corporation to the
property aad funds under its control.
| and might even affect the existence Of
the corporate body.
Should the compromise plan be held
| valid by the courts. the controversy
will be terminated. since the legal
status of the agreement will be de-
termined. On the contrary. an ad-
Indication that the plan is invalid
should also end the differences. since
the court would then probably hold
that the self-perpetuating charter pro g.
vision should govern. A settlement by
the courts now, 1t is felt, would pro-
tect tho board and the college in the
future. as a test might come into court
collaterally at any time. when 1t
might to be too late to save them from
disaster.
At the meeting of the board OF
trustees yesterday coming Ashland re-
ports were read from all the Randolph
Macon institutions All showed prati =
Tying progress, the Woman's College.
nat bynchburg, having a phcnomcnally
L. Continued on Third Page).