Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-29
A Religious Question
Splits Administra=
ton in Sensation
al Manner
Understood That Mr.. Harris VIII
Found Another School

Portland. Me. May 2S.-One of the
mos surprising announcements of the
wear in the educational circles OF the
state came yesterday when II was
made known at the end of the annual
meeting of the board of trustees OF
Westbrook Seminary that the body
had refused to re-elect President VIII
liam NJ. Harris for the coming year,
an announcement that has created all
kinds of comment throughout the city
today.
It had been known and admitted by
one of the members of the board that
President Harris had experienced a
very successful season at the school
this year and that under his admins
tration the school showed signs of
prospecting as in years past and OF be-
coming one of the largest attended
schools of the State and just why the
board of trustees turned down Mr.
Harris is mystery in the minds OF
MANY. From what could be learned
from the meeting of the board 1t was
admitted that there was much oppo-
sition to the move to not re-elect
President Harris and it was only af-
ter the hardest kind of a fight by
some of the members of the board
that the move was accomplished.
1t has been known for a long time
that there was dissension among the
trustees and this has been a handi-
cap to the school for some time past,
some of the elder members of the
board believing in the old plan of
running the institution while some Of
the younger members advocated what
they considered more modern meth
Iods. This has caused much trouble.
One of the members of the board of
trustees told a reporter today that
some of the members of the board of
trustees refused to stand for the
change in the curriculum, as advocat-
ed by President Harris of the school,
who had many ideas which he wished
to put in use, they preferring the old
method of running the institution I'M
Ider a system that would reduce the
iexpenses so as to come within the
limit of the funds. He said that Pres
Iident Harris had experienced a very
successful year and the school show
ed great prospects in the future and
that on investigating the matter of
standard of the school and other
things, the executive committee of the
board of trustees had strongly recon-
lmended the retaining of his services.
But the stand patters,' as they were
called, refused to accept the report
of the committee, the first time a
thing like this has ever occurred.
They would have elected President
Harris for another year under certain
conditions but President Harris re-
fused to accept them.
President William II. Harris came
to the seminary last fall from Good
Will High school, where he had been
principal for that year. He is a grad
uate of Bowdoin in the class of 1909.
and a very prominent educator in the
State having very high standing
among school authorities of Maine.
He made the announcement to the stu
dents of the school yesterday of his
leaving the institution and stated he
would found a private school of his
own in the city or vicinity for next
year.
President Harris since being at the
seminary has made host of friends
who will regret his departure as we'll
as the entire student body.
President Harris Statement
President Harris in commenting on
the action of the trustees of West
brook Seminary in refusing to re-elect
him for the coming year, says: L de-
sire to correct an impression which
might have been given by the morn
ing paper. 1 have learned from one of
the trustees that nothing was brought
out at the meeting yesterday that
could reflect in any way upon the
methods which have been used this
year in handling the institution. 1t
was entirely a question of religion
Westbrook Seminary is a Universalist
school. | came here as an educator
| stated definitely to the committee