St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-12-21
The Forrest Virgins Case

Decision of the University of Minnesota administration to
discharge DR. Forrest Virgins who has been an instructor
there the opinion of this regreabe
unless U has valid that have been revealed
far.
II is not enough this particular for President Nor
r hide behind his discretionary powers and the rule that
no explanation necessary terminate an instructor who has
gained tenure rights. a..
In the Virgins there present the disturbing
spectacle complete disagreement between the head and staff
of the philosophy department in which the man
teaches the schools administrative officials who termn
ated the instructor because new dean questioned MS fitness
teacher
Such situation calls for frank explanation to the
people the state at TO the why the instructor
being let 60 ANY disposition not to make such an ex
PLANTATION places Mr. Morrill, under considerable suspicion
his motives will not stand the light OF logical and just
public opinion
The question naturally arises whether the entire
philosophy department of which Virgins has been member
for years competent to judge his scholarship and ability
as teacher If the administration he not scholarly and
lacks ability and his department head and fellows says
he inclined to believe the philosophy department and
under ordnary circumstances" we believe Mr. Morrill, would
take the position But apparently the Virgins case not
ordinary and the opinion of the department ignored
reading the various which have been sub
md by both sides of the controversy this newspaper has
reached the inevitable conclusion that Virgins dismissed
for three definite reasons:
l. For his political views and affiliations.
@ Pressure of reactonary members of the Legislature
The imponderable of which affects the at
tudes and life of many Americans
On point one Virgins admits hes socialist says he's
Communist which in too many minds is prima facie evi
dence that he's really red agent of Russia He has been
tive in the dscredted Progressive party In his political state
and he has exercised the supposedly unabridged
rights of American to freedom of choice speech and
sion No matter how much disagree with his political phil
osophy and for the record do disagree with his political
views still believe he has right to his freedom of ex
preston and afaton Before the nationwide witch
hunts began the halls of the universities OF country were
the place where freedom of speech found its pures
form
President Morrill, may deny it all he will but Wig
gins goose cooked at the last session Of the lega
ture President MOrrls charm and persuasion didn't
lac,, "A t,a
1949 session He disappointed all friends Of the
University that his budget requests cut so much
of the reactonay influences the legislature fought
and the battle reduce budget requests These influences
used variety of methods cut down the of money the
University felt needed One of the vicious methods utilized
the distribution of of Forrest Virgins socialistic
speeches each member of the Legislature example
what ~ instructors were about
Knowing the legislature do readily the
effect of extreme left speech by University staff member
especially when that instructor was member of minority
racial group.
ture had anything to do with the dismissal of Virgins but
three members of the legislature rushed geefuy print
day after the announcement of the dismissal to admit that
they influence get rid Virgins We will leave
1t to readers to who telling the correct story in this
instance.
It's bad that under present system that legislators
in position to play politics with great unversitys
that their words and actions belle their protesatons
On the third reason which that of the factor of
minsratOn ordered Virgins dismissed because he Ame
Negro We do believe that this important element
caused the administration to take the step it did
Those responsible for his discharge going howl
high heavens that Virgins had nothing do with his
dismissal but portion of this states population going
to that the factor of intangible may
be- definitely had something to do with the
This paper has policy of not ascrbng prejudice
everything that happens the individual Negro but
ignore the fact that if ii had been for prejudice
gins would not, in all probability been the first citizen
Negro ancestry to be appointed academic post
U faculty Others would have preceded him. II might
have something do with the failure of the school
him when il admitted his worth by raising his salary
Because enters most of the facets of American life
Mr. Virgins himself had duty the first Negro member
the faculty his academic life and his
such that enemies of his progress would
have ammunition to against Negro instructor There
will be considerable disagreement with that point
of it will have validity the premise that Virgins in
dvdua and should not be expected TO bear the burdens his
shoulders of his racial group and that all he should be expected
to do is make good as teacher.
This paper subscribes TO the school of thought that
every Negro in responsible position it to himself
and the coming generations to conduct himself that
ntNegTo segment may what he says does
instrument TO halt Negro progress within the framework
In American life
This newspaper did except Virgins to walk around
with hand because he Negro do anything that
his rights individual entitled respect How
ever he ION the spot and the racial with
which he identified to extent tra-we could