The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-03-22

and that of last week were similar.
The principles involved were identi-
cal. And though the voice which
eighteen years ago rang out clear and
strong at that meeting Of Clemson
College trustees has been stilled in
death, the spirit of that strong and
fearless man was present at the meet
| ing OF the trustees last week. A
bronze bust of him, sitting upon
bookcase. overtopped the table "a
round which the trustees sat through |
forty-eght hours of deliberation, his !
single eye fixed steadfastly upon |
them.
but what contrast in the state
m2nts issued after Tho two meetings. |
That one handed out last week was
yoiumnous, filling twelve typewriter |
pages OF legal-cap: the one OF eighteen
years ago barely filled a single type
written page OF the same kind OF pa
per- The former was some 5000 words |
Iii length: the one of eighteen years
ago perhaps 500
While awaiting the verdict of the |
trustees last week, l Whiled away |
some time rummaging through var
ious records placed at my disposal by
President Riggs. Among the inter- |
esting documents shown me was one
entitled Upon Petition for Rein
statement of the Sophomores.' MAY |
1902. 1t is this document l refer to.
Acknowledging my Indebtedness to
President Rigs Tor copy of it, here !
are the words IF voice that is still
ed:
Upon Petition for Reinstatement of
the SOphOmOreS
The action of this class in leaving
the college, without eXhausting all re-
needles, and making an appeal to the
board for a redress OF grievances, is |
one Of greaL .erlousness. No college |
can be successfully run at which dis
cipline is not strictly maintained
least of all al. institution with such a
large number OF students as we have
here and situated as Clemson College |
is, in the country. 1t Is the purpose
and intention of the board to require |
from any student who may avail him
Iself Of the opportunities that we Of
Ter here, implicit obedience to all law
ful author.3y. Any combinations hav- |
ing for their object the destruction !
Of discipline and subvers;on VI good !
ordn''. will De punished to the extent |
OF our power. Understand, we want it |
distinctly understood that the idea |
which seems to prevail to some extent |
among the cadets that they have the |
right to assemble il mass-meeting or |
class-meeting and legislate on college |
Affairs cannot be too strongly con-
| -cOo
authority to govern the college under |
rules and reg ulations which are ac-
@essible to the students, and there is |
no excuse for the claim of ignorance |
of the right Of appeal to the trustees
IN any case involving their rights. This |
BOARD has on several occasions pre-
y.ously shown its willingness and pur-
pose to give patient hearing to the !
! Students and t) redress grievances |
re want to stress with all due SOL !,
;nnity the feeling of the trustees that, |
'ather than to submit to mob law TAX
ng control of Clemson and having the |
3tudents attemp. to coerce the faculty
or to resist the college authorities, we
Will lay 1t down as a general princi-
pie OF the coiiese government here
that we will in the future, if neces-
sAry, dismiss the entire student body
and begin anew before we will tolerate
the continuance Of any such spirit.
But in the case before us, as it is
the first that has come before the
board in the history of the college,
we find that the sophomores did not
appeal to the trustees, which they
should have done, but they left the
college without that due considera-
tion which they should have given
such serious step. 1t may be stated in
eXtenua1lon of their offense that their
sense OF justice had been outraged and
their not and impulsive young blooo
mad led them to resort to this rev.
clutlonary action because they were
sensible of the wrong done their class
mate and unwilling to subject them
selves to similar treatment. We sym-
pathlze with the chivalrous feeling
which led them to do this. We have
sons OF our own, some of US, and
were boys ourselves once. Therefore,
we are ready to make due allowance
OF this blunder of youth and permit
such Of the class as desire to do so.
TO resume their studies Immediately or
at the beginning of next session, as J
they may elect. Such students as ay-
all themselves of this privilege will be
received in the college upon the fol-
lowing conditions: (D They must pre-
sent petition to the president of the
college asking for reinstatement. (2)
They must make good, by extra labor,
the time lost, and the work that is re-
qulred in the course and examina-
tons which are customary must be
passed as though nothing had occur
red. In view, however, of the time al
ready lost and of the nearness of the
END OF this term, such examinations
Will not be required until the open.
ing of next session"
SlSSON WARNS AGAINST AN
A