The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-25
UPHEAVAL Of PLANS
Of THE METH0O|STS
TENNESSEE COURT DECISION on
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
MEANS CHANGES.

When the State Supreme court of
Tennessee decided the case of the van
derbilt university in behalf of the
board of trustees, against the bishops
Of the Methodist Episcopal church.
South. IL meant a general upheavai OF
the plans of that church and the uni
yersity itself allowing the medical
department OF that institution of learn
ing 10 accept the gift Of si.eo0, 600 made
by Andrew Carnegie. and starting plans
to move the tremendous publishing
house and other church institutions
from the city of Nashville and the sub
sequent establishment OF n church uni
versity at some other point in the
South.
The decision was handed down Sat
urday. after a bitter tight IN the courts
of Tennessee. lasting many years. at
the expense or a large amount of
money. The ablest talent of the state
was lined up on both sides and it was
one OF the most brilliant legal bat
ties In the history of the State The
decree handed down by Judge w. f.
Turner, of the supreme court, is said
to be one of the most able ever handed
down by any Judge of the Volunteer
state.
The decision. giving the board of
trustees the control of the university,
anu SEAAiAA Lit6 hAt F6 iiNihbGAS VI tisS
board selected by general conference.
instead of the three members selected
by the bishops OF the Methodist Eris-
copal Church. was received with ova-
ton by both student body and faculty.
1T was the signal for the greatest cela-.
bration in the history OF the univer-
sIty by the students. and for two days
the city of Nashville was given practi-
caiiy over to them for publication over
ha rr3as ~ e1nfxgrzifv
Reviewed Its History.
Judge Turner handed down q
lengthy decision. going into the his
tory Of Vanderbilt university. starting
from the time the university was first
proposed in 1879 to the present con-
troversy He dwelt at length on this
early history, going into the original
charters OF the school when it was
promulgated by the Methodist Episco-
pal church In 1879. and later when
Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt Of
fered the school the sum of 100000
to begin with, and later increased the
amount TO $1,000. 900. He also told OF
the change of name from the Central
University of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South. to Vanderbilt univer-
sity in honor of the man who had
furnished the sinews and backbone Of
the institution
court and the decision was given the
bishops by the chancellor giving them
the control of the university. The
Supreme court in its decision reversed
the decision OF the chancellor. and
gave to the board OF trustees the three
vacant seats on the board. and the
control OF the school and It's endow-
Haents.
Power Of Conformation.
tS sictn tho pnnfprpnrN
Of the church still has the power of
confirming the boards choice of Its
members.
The court held, that as the school
was started by the church, at least
promulgated, and was practically a
failure until Commodore Vanderbilt
came to the rescue. that Vanderbilt
was the real founder Of the institution
and not the church, as Commodore
Vanderbilt was not a church man. and
that the school was run entirely inde-
pendant OF the church. and, therefore.
the university should be under the
control of it's board OF trustees. and
not under the power of the bishops OF
the Methodist Episcopal church as
they claimed
His decision In part follows:
After Mr.. Vanderbilt has endowed
the university, and the board. by
means of his gifts. had established
1t, the bishops seemed to be ready
and willing to adopt the enterprise
All parties seemed to be in doubt
about the relation they bore to the
institution. They assumed and exer-
cised very uncertain and fitful rights
and privileges. After time the
board rescinded that action and
elected five of their number to active
membership. Not until after the So