The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-12


president and other university agen.
cies. HI failure t = SO is in itself
a charge sufficient to warrant hia
removal. We must have harmony
not discord. Any faculty member q
the head Of & department Of any
school who refuses or fails to CO.
operate in such q way ignores one
Of the fundamental principle: that il
necessary for the smooth operation
and progress of the entire inStitu-
ton. An educational institution. like
a business institution, must have q
head and the president as such q
head is entitled to the universal, un-
reserved and whole-hearted interest
and respect Of every person con-
nected with the institution.
"a. Mr.. Davis has ofen taken an
improper attitude toward The bust
ness men Of Grand Forks, condemn
ing them for not closing their stores,
buying season tickets, and not At
tending the games.as he thinks they
should. ! sincerely feel from my ex-
perience with the business men Of
Greater Grand Forks and the CO.
operative attitude and support they
have extended to the memorial cam
pa:gn that if there has been any
shortcomings on their part i is due
to the method in which Mr.. Davis has
presented matters to them.
Disrespectful and Unethical
"5. He has BEEN disrespectful
and unethical il his methods toward
other institutions in the state. / will
cite in particular the state agri-
cultural college. This institutioll
has letter. that Mr.. Davis has writ
ten which are unjust and slanderous
and cannot help but be q source Of
dislike + r the university on the part
of those who know these ( cts 1t
the state college.
IS. Mr.. Davis failed to cooperate
with Greater Grand Forks mer-
chants in the purchasing Of grass
seed and the fences for the new ath-
letic field this year, as we'll as ath-
letic goods at all times for his de-
partment. Except in few instances,
he has never given Grand Forks
merchants an opportunity to quote
prices in such matters, but has sent
out of the city for his materials and
supplies and his action in this re.
gard has been q direct loss to the
memorial campaign because Of the
reaction to his attitude on the part
of the merchants affected.
~. Mr.. Davis inefficiency Of or
ganization and neglect Of duty dur
ing the last two summers when the
athletic office has been locked while
he was on long vacations. This is
particularly true Of year ago when
no arrangement was made for caring
for mail and attending to solicita-
ton of prospective athletes. II Mr..
Davis had had the right interest and
spirit in the stadium last summer
he would not have gone away for
two months just prior to the cont
pletion Of the stadium when there
was so much work tt do by the ath-
letic office in connection with the
opening and dedication Of the sta
dunn. It was his job this summer,
by agreement with the memorial
campaign board Of directors, to
build the athletic field. His work
was done by proxy. Upon his return,
when he found that the bill was more
than twice as much as he had an
ticipated it would be for grading, he
Immediately proceeded to condemn
the contractor and brand him IS
crooked. The contractors version Of
this is that there was ,.4ore money
spent on the field than was neces-
sary, but that he was ordered to do
seemingly unnecessary grading by
the man in charge and that his crew
he'd only followed orders that the
supervisor made. It cost In excess
of 81 200 according to Mr.. Davis
own statement. and it was because
Of his neglect and failure to be here
and attend to business. He should
have sacrificed his vacation ct such
q time, considering the busy season
we had this summer and he would
have made the sacrifice If he had
the proper interest and realisation
Of his duties. II the univefs.ty ID to
compete with its neiehboriEg insti-
tutions in an athletic way some inn
mediate work must be effected to so.
licit and encourage, during the sum-
mer months, athletic students to
come here.
s.S. / call attention to the incoua-
potency and tie lack Of organization
that was shown in the ticket sale for
the stadium this fall. The unsys-
tematic and nbusinesslik way that
the ticket sale was organized showed
conclusively that Mr.. Davis is un-
able to cope with an enterprise %
large as the stadium. There was
not sufficient effort mad~ TO sell
season tickets in the city Of Grand
Forks, and throughout thi territory.
A campaign instituted for this yur-
pose would have had good results
and this failure was because Of Mr..
Davis neglect.
ID Incompetent
80. Mr.. Davis has rot the COM
potency or ability to handle such Z
project a. the new stadium from .
money making standpoint. viii
cite the instance Of the de 3icatjon
game to prove what can be done By
proper management AID fore
thought. For this occasion TIL
forms Of publ :ity that werG issued
were planned BY Jack Stewart, ],
". Wilkerson, Frank Webb and my.
self, Id involved five di1fnrent ave.
nues Of approach to alumni through.
out the nation anf the citizens Of thil
TERRITORY. Mr.. Davis idea for this
event was to send . poster r. every
depot in the state. The. inadequacy q
this meagre method bf advertising
Is self-eYidcnt. and his idea was
overruled. The results for the
home coming event were also self.
evident % despite the worst day W
had from . weat' er STANDPOINT this
tall, the stadium Eas filled 70 c.
pacity. Now, / will cite Tho follow.
ing three Saturdays, October Is g
and 20, when. even r re familiar
teams to our public played hare. n.
| nNop{. $500 30 ~ - ~>s~Al&axA,s &c