The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-05-01
BOARD REJECTS
THE; PETITION
STUDENTS HAD ASKED FOR
DISMISSAL OF PRESl-
DENT CURRELL

Rejection of the petition made by
t66 undergraduates Of the UnlVer-
sity Of South Carolina asking Tor
saAe dismissal of DR.. William Spen-
Ger Currell, president Of the instltu-
ton, and the decision to make a
thorough investigation Of the affairs
Of the university by committee OF
the board were decided upon at a
speciai meeting of the board OF
trustees of the university, recently
called by Governor Cooper, ex Off
cio chairman. ,
The students petition presented
% the board Of trustees at its reg.
,alar meeting March 18, alleges that
tAe university had deteriorated un-
der the presidency Of DR.. CYSeil,
Who, it claimed is lacking in mspi-
rational power, unmagnetic, and an
inefficient executive, incapable Of
guiding the institution to greater
influence and prestige. The petition
attested, however, to the high inte-
xrity. honor and character OF DR..
Curren and to his exalted scholar
ship.
March q Governor Cooper, as
chairman, gave out a statement TO
the press in the name Of the board
az trustees, in which he stated that
aAthe trustees have no idea Of per-
uittinx the students to dictate who
shall Be president" and that at the
time they had no intention Of dis
eussinp DIR. Currell, as he had been
duly elected and the trustees have
full confidence in him." Simulta-
neously he made public letter from
him to G. A. Buchanan, Jr, presi.
dent of the student body, which said
that the board of trustees feels cap
able of handling the affairs of the
university, and that any time 1t
thinks a suggestion from the stu
dent body will aid it in the perform
ance of its duty it will not hesitate
to ask for it.
The petition of the students was
dismissed by the unanimous adop-
ton of the following resolutions:
"That the letter for March q to
the petitioning students and the &C
oompanying statement given to the
yress by Governor Cooper as chair
nan of the board of trustees in re-
ply to the petition be UNANIMOUSLY
approved, and that the board OF
trustees dismiss the petition Tor the
reason therein stated.
y The bylaws for the government
of the university provide for a
standing committee of the, board OF
trustees on organization, which Is
empowered, among other things, to
thoroughly inform itself of the in
ternal workings of the university,
of the status and work of each and
every ifficer and professor and
every officer and professor and
of the students" etc.
The board of trustees therefore
decided to leave the investigation to
the committee which is composed
of C. E. Spencer, Of York: D; 4.
Coker, of Hartsville; and L. ?. Hol-
lis, of Greenville. Because ne is a
kinsman of DR.. Currell, who might
be included in the probe proceed
inps. Mr.. Spencer requested that
some one else be substituted for
him. Governor Cooper was named
in his place and he called the initial
meeting of the Investigators to take
place In the Executive chamber
here next Monday. The resolution
adopted calling for the 'investiga-
ton reads:
"That the organization commit
tee be requested to meet at once
and report on the condition OF the
university in accordance with the
bylaws" -,
S@sfhe investigation will be thor
ough for Governor Cooper in his
statement of March % said that
sthe people of the State may be as.
sured the board of trustees will not
slur over the affairs of the univer-
sity. Its best interests will be safe.
guarded" --d that the meeting OF
the board of trustees will not be for
athe purpose of examining into the
merits of the opinions expressed oy
the students in their petition but to
consider conditions existing in the
student body and to discover the
cause of these conditions"