The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-09

requesting the resignation of DR.. S.
c. Mitchell, the president of the
University of South Carolina, was pre-
sented by Governor Blease, at a meet
ing of the board Of trustees in the Of
flee of the Governor this morning. The
resolution was overwhelmingly re-
jected, only Governor Blease voting for
1t. Those voting may" were: w. T.
G. Bates. Of ST. Matthews; C. E. Sper &.
Ger, Of YOrkville; ]. @. Davis, of
Winnsboro; p. A. Wilcox, Of Flor
ence; David r. Coker, of Hartsville;
August Kohn, of Columbia; C. r.
Wyche, Of Prosperity, and Superin-
tendent of Education j. E. Swearingen
of Columbia.
Mr.. w. M. Hamer of Dillon, a new
member of the board, was excused
from voting on the ground that he had
oeen absent from the State the most
OF the time and sick, and not familiar
with the matter at issue
The following is the resolution sub
mitted by the Governor requesting the
resignation Of DR.. Mitchell:
Whereas, at the recent session Of
the General Assembly certain investi-
cations were had in reference to the
connection Of DR.. S. c. Mitchell, presi-
dent Of the South Carolina College.
with the distribution Of certain funds
belonging to the Peabody estate
among the colleges of this State, and
1t being shown by a written instru-
ment signed by DR.. Mitchell that he
requested that certain money therein
be used for the education of negro
teachers, stating in said paper we
mostly earnestly request that your
honorable body (trustees of the Pea
body education board) donate $780,
600 to each State university in those
States participating in this fund, for
the training CT white teachers and the
remaining for the training Of negro
teachers in same States and,
| Whereas it is to the best inter-
ests of the educational department of
| this State that there shall be no fric-
ton among the colleges, and that
there shall be no one at the head of
the colleges who is in favor of using
white peoples money to educate free
negroes, and especially that there
should be no one at the head Of any
OF the colleges who is in favor of TAX
ing money from the white girls of
South Carolina for the education of
free negroes; and,
Whereas, DR.. Mitchell acted with
out the authority or advice of this
board, thereby exceeding his jursdic-
ton and going far beyond his duties
as president of the College, when he
signed said agreement and,
Whereas this College is not COM
mon beggar, but is supported by the
taxpayers OF South Carolina with the
peoples taxes, and the trustees would
prefer never to receive one dollar of
outside aid if principle must be sacri-
feed, as was done here in the effort
to secure outside aid. Therefore be
it
Resolved, That it is the sense Of this
board that DR.. S. G. Mitchell should
tender his resignation as president of
said institution.
AS soon as this resolution was Of
fered by the Governor a motion was
made that a record vote be taken,
which was done. and it was over
whelmingly rejected.
The Governor said that the object of
his grievance against DR.. Mitchell was
his understanding that DR., Mitchell
had requested the faculty to pass a
resolution to the effect that the Cover
nor be not requested to sign the di-
plomas of the college which are pre-
sented to the students on graduation,
it being customary to sign the diplo-
mas at the June meeting of the board.
Immediately on the Governor making
this statement, Superintendent Swear
| ingen offered a resolution that this
charge be investigated by the commit
tee on organization and report at the
June meeting. The motion was sec
onded by Mr.. August Kohn and unani-
mously adopted. The members of this
committee are 81 crintendent Swear
ingen, {. T.. Spencer, of Yorkville,
and David K. Coker. ~ Hartsville
The report of the building COM
mittce through it's chairman. August
Kohn. was adopted The contract for
the new dOrmitory to be erected at
the University was let to George W.
Warrington for $23,4S9. This dormi-
tory will be three stories, contain
.hiItN-ninc rooms and is an exact