Evening star., 1923-06-21
13 REFUSE DEGREES
WON At AMHERST
Two Members of Faculty
Resign-Meik|ejohn BIames
the Trustees.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
AMHERST. Mass June 2l--Am-
herst Colleges stormy commence
ment is over. Breaking his silence
for the first time since the announce
ment of his enforced resignation. Al
exander Meiklejohn, president since
1912. at the alumni luncheon charged
the trustees with failure to support
the ideals they set out with and chal-
lenged the soundness of the entire
fabric of American college education.
Twelve seniors and one member of
she class of 1922 refused to accept
their degrees at yesterdays exercises.
Two Taculty members announced
their designations and other instruct
ors declined to deny that they might
also leave.
Walter r. Agard. instructor in
Greek. announced he and John NJ
Gaus, associate professor of political
science. had resigned. Howard Ed
ward Hinners, organist, choirmaster
and instructor in music, declined to
deny that he had contemplated re-
signing. Neither confirmation nor de-
nial of his reported intention to re-
sign could be obtained from George
f. Whcher, professor of English. Prof.
Whcher said he had a leave of alb
seuce for one year.
WashinGtoninnR Refuses Degree.
Il think it is perfectly clear why
we resigned" Mr.. AGard said. The
seniors who refused their bachelor of
arts degrees are:
Carlisle Bolton-Smith. Memphis,
Tenn.
Philip William Conrad. Keene, n. H.
Robert Burns Freeman. kenwood,
Eppert Rudolph Mckay. Springfield,
Mass
Alfred Harris Taylor jr.. New York
Daniel Joseph Bertrand. Barre. Vt.
Samuel Henry Everett, North Attle-
boro. Mass.
Herman Harry Giles. Lowville. y. Y
William AinSmith Greene. Jaffrey
willard Lawyer McKinstry. Amherst
cyrus Flint Stimson, Northampton
Mass.
Richard Brelsford Cowan. Washing.
Frank c. A. Myers of Cleveland. -
refused his master of arts degree
Bolton-Smith. spokesman for the group
said that he believed to accept his
degree would be an act of disloyalty
to Amherst, the liberal college"
Elected Honorary Member.
The senior class announced the elec
tion of President Meiklejohn to hon
orary membership and later in tn,
day the class Of 1913 pledged its 10y
atty and presented the retiring presi
dent with a loving cup.
In a crowded but silent hall. Presi
dent Mefklejohn answered the trus
tees after the annual alumni lunch
con. When Americans have founC
out how to run colleges they will
not have trustees. he declared. II.
proceeded to question the value o,
demoCraCieS in handling education
'America is trying to be a democ
racy. but it doesn't know how to be g
democracy he said.
Il came here eleven years ago
President Meiklejohn said. with very
high purpose and with great encour'
agement. l remember seeing. twelve
or thirteen years ago. report o1
your class of 'S5. in which they do
fine the ideals and purposes of a col
leee as they saw il. l didr know
then where Amherst was. but l sale
to a friend. Wouldn't you like to ga
hold of a college like that" Dom
you think it has in it the poSsibillt.
of something? In a couple of year:
l was here. Well. l have had try
at it. 1 had fairly definite ideas o.
what ought to be done. ! was told b!
the trustees to try to change the plac,