The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-03-27
State Inspectors Request
Granted BY Executive
COmmittee-Stays With
SchOOls-Much Pressure
Brought to Bear to OBJ
tain Release From Col
lege Presidency.

Anderson, March 21.-At spe,ial
meeting of the local members of the
executive committee of Anderson
College late this afternoon the peti
ton of Prof. w. ii. Hand to he re-
leased from his contract to serve as
president of Anderson College was
unanimously granted. While onlv the
local members of the executive com
mlttee were present the votes of
practically all the other members of
the board were in hand, and were re-
corded as favoring his release.
1t will be recalled that some days
ago committee of educators came
to Anderson to request Prof. Hands
release, stating at the time that thew
We're acting entirely on their own
initiative and not at the suggestion
of Prof. Hand. After a discussion
with this committee the local repr.
sentatives of the Anderson board felt
that they had convinced these visi-
tors that their request ought not to
be granted, both because of the su-
perior claims of Anderson College
and because of the great Importance
of its work
Prof. Hands Request.
Later on Prof. Hand himself askeu
for an interview with the local mem
bers of the executive committee, and
at this interview, which was held on
Thursday night Of last week, he stat
ed that he had decided to ask for his
release, and gave in full his reasons
for so doing. However, after going
over the matter with the committee.
ne declined to withhold his applica
tion for release for further consid-
Grafton, but on last Monday morning
the chairman of the board received his
formal written request for the same.
A letter was prepared and sent to the
out-of-town members of the board
fully explaining the situation, and
they were asked to record their votes
by kilograms. The replies were pre-
sented to the meetings this afternoon
with the result stated above.
Among the reasons assigned by
Prof. Hand for desiring his release
were the following:
At the time of his acceptance of
the presidency of the college it had
IN announced that the funds for
continuing his present work would be
Withdrawn at the end of the present
session. Since then he has been as
snred that these funds will be avail
able, not only for another year, but
for several years to come.
Outside Pressure.
He has received numerous letters
from educators within and without
the state arguing that it would be
very detrimental to the progress of
the constructive work in which he
mas teen engaged for him to lay 1T
down at this time. The writer's of
theSe letters all were of the opinion
that his present work was the most
important single piece of constructive.
work for education that is now being
done in the State.
The pressure was so great that
Prof. Hand became convinced that he
ought to ask for his release in orde,
to further conduct this work. He
stated to the board that he felt that
the work he is now engeged in was
SO important to all the colleges of the
State as well as to high schools, that
Anderson College would suffer great
ly along with other colleges if he
should abandon his present work.
In addition to this Prof. Hand urg-
ed that his lack of experience in COL
lege work made him fearful of under
taking the duties of organizing and
conducting the college along the
ideals of standard of the high grade
of Anderson College.
In preferring his request, Prof
Hand stated his desire to be contin-
ued permanent service to Anderson
College and of his desire to aid to the
extent of his ability in the future.
In the face of this request, and
with the reasons assigned. the board
felt that it could not do otherwise
grant the petition.