Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-19
Claims His Company Did Net Break
 Coal Contract.


 coal at $s ton. In the contract there was included the customary
 clause relating to strikes at the mines.
 railroad embargoes. freight conges-
 ton and similar circumstances over
 which we could have no control. ow- | ing to a strike at the source of pro- duction it became impossible for us to
 furnish the coal at the price named, advantage of the saving clause, as any done.
 The strike is still on. as are also
 rilroad embargues and the result is | that our firm has suffered loss of many thousands of dollars in fulfilling it's agreement. We are compelled to supply coal at the best possible mar
 ket price when # becomes impossible | to comply with the original contract,
 and fin doing so we have incurred se- were financial loss.
 Tn the case of the college when we found that we could not, on account Of unforeseen conditions adhere to our EGgreement we did the obvious thing. The rate of g was fixed because it was the lowest figure at which we could break even. There was not a penny of ,nrpft in 1t for us. We called the attention of President Sykes to the strike clause. but he refused to give it the slightest consideration. {. After leaving the matter open for long period we turned the bills over to the treasurer. William H., Reeves.
 In the cause of public welfare and of per ton. making it $6.5o. in place of t9. thereby losing several hundred doI- lars We promptly received a check from Mir. Reeves. who evidently had no doubt tothe justice of our claim. As matter of fact. the treasurer added the gratuitous informstion that in his opinion our action wasseminent- ly fair and square.
 NThe credit which we have extended the collage since it's foundation has been direct loss to us but we have not refused it because of our interest In the institution. To show the falIacy of the charge made by pr. Sykes I might say that since the time of the contract with the college we have been selling 1000 tons of bituminous coal daily at the advanced price and have received no complaint from any one but him."
 Referring particularly to the gen eral management of the college Mir. Cbappell said:
 The public discussion of college af- fairs was precipitated by Dr. Sykes himself. Immediately on being asked to resign he consulted the press with a view to a publicity campaign, and all that has been published either originated with him was instigated by him. The board in an earnest en- deavor to assist Dr. Sykes in this un- fortunate affair has given him every opportunity to resign We felt that any publicity might injure his pres poets. and this we were anxious to avoid. Therefore. l wish to call the attention of the public to the fact that the publicity and the damage to the prestige of the college. and the ill-felling that /public controversy always provoises, are the deliberate acts of Dr. Sykes and of Dr. Sykes alone. And also I would like to ask whether his articles seem like the dis passionate utterances of an academic mind, or if they do not in themselves furnish an excellent proof of his un- fitness 10 continue his past relations with tie present board and with the college
 Meetings of the board are provided for by the bylaws, and a special by law provides that meetings may be held without the presence of the pres ident. Such a meeting in strict ac- cordance with the bylaws. I called about a year ago. Several of the trus tees demanded the resignation Of the president at that time. Some of us felt, however, that we ought to give Dr. Sykes another chance. The motion asking for his resignation was defeat ed at that time. but during the year just passed. it has become more and more apparent to all of us that Dr. the college. and at this years meeting all the votes cast were in favor of . change in his of1fce.
 The principal trouble with Dr. Sykes has been brought about by what seems to be a constitutional inability to brook the slightest difference of opin- ion of any one, or of any committee or of any board. He thinks that he is always right and he proceeds accord ingly. Two of the most influential citizens of Connecticut, out of town members of our board, refused moro than year ago to attend any meet inc nf hn nf was present. They refused to be brow beaten and lectured arfy longer, and indeed both of them resigned from the board long months age. and We were able to hold up their resignations only l because they realized that a new pres | ident must be obtained before long.
 Some of the doctors charges are too 1 trivial for notice. and would not be | noticed if they were only as true as they are trivial. The Winthrop dor | mitory, for example, was finished in | record time. The road repairs were stopped by the winter weather and l will be commenced as soon as the | frost is out of the ground.
 As for raising the salaries without | the doctors consent, I will say that it l is none of the doctof's business what | we do in regard to salaries. For q | fact we raised only two salaries. and | those only for small amounts, and the | of correcting an injustice done to a l member of our teaching force by Dr. | Sykes-an injustice so mean and pet ty that should think he would blush | at it's recollection.
 When he talks of opposing appoint ments to the college staff. confess l | do not know what he means. and I 1 do not believe that any of the trustees | opposed the president for any such | reason No appointments to the l board have been made except by Dr. | Sykes recommendation.
 I did not keep the building commit | tee in abeyance as charged by Dr. | Sykes. The building committee was disrnissd by the board and the exc | cutive committee was directed to set tie it's tangled affairs and to continue it's work.
 The personal charges which Dr. | Sykes makes and implies against my character and honesty I shall not dig | nifty with defense at this time. | hope that the positions of trust which I have held in the community for so many years will be sufficient of a guarantee to my friends and fellow that have not lost all vestige of honor and probity.
 In conclusion I wish to say that I