The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-25
881. sUMTER. s. c. WEDNEsDAY MARCH Ok 7o1A
ANDERSON LETS HAND GO.
COLLEGE EXECUTIVE COMMIT
TEE GRANTS REQUEST OF
STATE INSPECTOR.
Much Pressure Brought to Bear to
Obtain Release From College Pres
idCncy and lie Stays With High
Schools.

Anderson, March 21.--At a special
meeting of the local members of the !
executive comm tee Of Anderson Col
lege late this afternoon the petition
- Prof. W. II. Hand to be released (
from his contract to serve as presi- /
dent of Anderson College was unani-
mously granted. While only the To-
cal members Of the executive COM
mittec were present the votes of /
practically all the other members of
the board were in hand, and were
recorded as favoring his release
II will be recalled that some days
ago a committee Of educators came
to Anderson to request Prof. Hands
release, stating at the time that they
were acting entirely on their own
initiative and not at the suggestion of
Prof. Hand. After q discussion with
this committee the local represen-
tatives of the Anderson board felt
that they had convinced these vls-
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 it's work.
Later on Prof. Hand himself asked
for an interview with the local mem
bers OF the executive committee, and
1T this interview, which was held on
Thursday night Of last week, he stat
cd that he h d decided to ask for his
release, and gave in full his reasons
FOR so doing. However, after going
over the matter with the committee,
he decided to withhold his application
for release for further consideration,
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 telegram. The replies were pre-
sented to the meeting this afternoon
with the result stated above
Among the reasons assigned by
Proc. Hand for desiring his release
were tho following:
AT the time Of his acceptance Of
the presidency of the college it had
been 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withdrawn at the end Of the present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
sured that these funds will be avail
able, not only for another year, but
for several years to come.
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 has
been engaged for him to lay it down
at this time. The writer's OF these let |
ters 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 or
der to further conduct this work. He |
stated to the board that he felt that
the work he is now engaged in was
so important to all the colleges OF the
state as we'll as to high schools, that
Anderson College would suffer great I
ly along with other colleges if he
should abandon his present work.
In addition 10 this Prof. Hand urg-
cd that his lack of experience in Col /
lcge 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 10 be of con-
tinucd 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
than grant the petition.
NO MUTINY PERMITTED.