Pingree Vs. Boone

GOVERNOR SAID TO HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER.

Threatens Normal Bill

While Boone Remains in the Presidency

But President Boone has Another Year to Serve and Will Undoubtedly Decline to Move for Politicians

A RESUME of the TROUBLE

The trouble which has been precipitated at the State Normal College appears to be serious and to threaten the highest interests of that important institution. The trouble appears to be chiefly on the outside, however, rather than within the institution, for the year just closing is acknowledged to be one of the most quiet and prosperous in its history. This row is but a resurrection of the fight of some years ago of the president. President Richard G. Boone is a strong man and any institution at the head of which he stands will always know that he is no inconsiderable factor in its affairs. This is and has been the source of much of his trouble as president of the college. That he has made mistakes goes without saying. That he is not always diplomatic and that he is not always as tactful as he might be is possibly true, but it is equally true that as an educator he is more than the peer of any of his predecessors, the strongest man who has ever been at the head of the institution. In fact, his strength has been his weakness.

It is alleged that President Boone is dictatorial and heartless, untruthful, and fails to pay his debts, but these things seem not to have militated against the progress and growth of the school. The years of his administration have been prosperous without exception. The institution has grown in numbers, making necessary more buildings, and an enlarged faculty. The graduating classes have more than tripled. The numbers graduating from the life certifícate courses have largely increased as have the number of high school graduates who enter. All this too in spite of the fact that the courses of study have been enriched and extended.

As to his dictatorial policy, it seems to have consisted principally in his determination to exercise those functions which belong to his office. When it is known that the entire administrative work of the institution is in the hands of eight committees appointed by the council which is the administrative body of the college, it is difficult to see where the opportunity for the alleged dictatorialness comes in. His heartlessness appears likewise to consist in recommending for dismissal teachers who are thought to be inefficient and unable or unwilling to do the work properly required of them.

So far as the Argus is able to learn the charges of lack of veracity have grown out of issues which have been hotly contested such as the dropping of certain teachers. Under such circumstances, such charges are to be taken with a grain of allowance. So far as the discourtesy to and bad treatment of Misses Plunkett and Berkey, as alleged in the Free Press is concerned, the Argus has been unable to obtain any information; but if this charge is on a par with the falsity of the charges relative to the teachers who were discharged two years ago, they are entitled to no consideration whatever. In the cases of Miss Cannell, of Lansing, and Miss Ball, they were not tendered a re-engagement because their work was not satisfactory either to President Boone or the state board of education. The board of education was certainly in sympathy with him in the matter.  lf there was discourtesy and treatment to cause indignation in the fact of not retaining teachers who were considered inefficient, then these teachers were discourteously treated but not otherwise. Relative to Mr. Hiram W. Miller, his work was not questioned but his trouble was an unfortunate temper which he seemed not to be able to control at all times. He had been warned of what this would lead to. Miss Ida Taylor was not retained because of her refusal to do certain model lesson work required of her in her grades. Her position left no possible ground for compromise. Everyone who has had experience with school matters understands how extremely difficult it is to get rid of an inefficient teacher without causing trouble and just such charges as are made against President Boone. Yet who will say that they should be retained year after year, especially in a normal school when the work is constantly held up to those who are fitting themselves for teachers as model work?

In regard to Prof. Simmons, it is "well known that his appointment was made under circumstances which caused much talk at the time. He was a member of the state board of education and as a member of the board remarked "pulled the wires" for the place he was appointed to. President Boone did not desire Prof. Hoyt be transferred from the superintendency of the training school to the department of pedagogy in order to make room for Mr. Simmons. He declined to recommend the appointment of Mr. Simmons. Proí. Hoyt did not desire the position to which he was transferred and did not consider himself best qualified for that work. Nevertheless it was done and Mr. Simmons resigned from the board at the very meeting at which he was appointed superintendent of the training school. In the talk at the time, it was said he was not agreeable to certain members of the board or the faculty while in the position of a member of the board. Therefore the board proceeded to put him in a subordínate position from which it was said he could be dropped at any time. That the president of the college should not have the highest regard for a teacher so appointed is not surprising. The Argos understands, however, that his only objection to Mr. Simmons is on the ground of his work.

All these things would seem to be within the legitímate sphere of the president. That his hand is upon the institution in its entirety is true. This activity and progressiveness has been distasteful to some members of the faculty. But those members of the faculty who have been most displeased with him and are his enemies are the very ones who need all their influence to secure his appointment. They likewise were leaders in working to secure the removal of Principal Sill. It will thus be seen that the condition of dissatisfaction with the head of the institution is chronic with them. Some years ago, during the principalship of Mr. Sill, after an election of two new members of the board, a committee of the faculty composed partly of those members who are regarded as unfriendly to the present administration, asked for a conference with the members of the board elect The purpose was to lay before the members elect, before their terms began, the weaknesses and inefficiency of Mr. Sill. They did not wish the new members to find out for themselves the facts in the case, but to have them come upon the board with preconceived notions, if possible, prejudiced against him. This element of the faculty has long made the burdens of the executive head of the institution doubly heavy. If anyone interested in the matter will take the trouble to look tip the history, he will find that the various principals of the institution have not been long-lived. President Boone is already approaching the limit. During the administration of the saintly Estabrook, life was made a burden to him and he was finally driven out. He was followed by Dr. McVicar who in order to maintain himself was forced to ride roughshod over certain of the faculty. He found the position so unpleasant and unsatisfactory that he took the first opportunity to lay the burden down. He was followed by Edwin Wihetts whose term was brief He left to become president of the agricultural college. The institution never felt his individuality. Then came J. M. B. Sill. The ' institution prospered under his administration but a considerable element of the faculty was against him and intrigued to get him out. He was considered a weakling and his suggestions and advice were scorned and defied. President Boone has never been a figurehead. He has been an ever-forceful, progressive factor in the life of the institution. The changes which have been made in the faculty upon his recommendation have generally resulted in strengthening the faculty. Better work was never done in the institution than now and it never stood higher. Dr. Boone's ability as an educator is unquestioned. He is in demand at all sorts of teachers' gatherings and summer schools as a lecturer and he has given the State Normal College a reputation far beyond our state which it has never had before. He is likewise an author of note.

It is altogether human that there should be differences among the members of so large a faculty as that of the State Normal College, but when these become so great as to threaten the highest interests of the institution, they or the persons responsible should be cut out, root and branch.  And when the time comes that the good of the college demands the retirement of President Boone, there are others who should go with him, for their responsibility for the existing difficulties is not small. The same remedy that was applied by the board of regents to the homeopathic medical college here will then serve the best interests of the school.

It is alleged that President Boone does not pay his bills promptly. For whatever of truth there may be in this charge, the Argus has no -word of defense. But it is at a loss to understand why so much is made of the charge by citizens when it is known that at the time of President Boone's appointment, various prominent citizens used their best endeavors with the state board of education to secure the appointment to the presidency of the college of a former professor of the institution who removed from the city with various unpaid bills some of which at least were still running at the time said citizens desired his appointment to the presidency. This wonld indícate inai there mnst be some other animus.

It is understood the state board of education is split in two in the middle that the two who are opposed to President Boone are Perry F. Powers and Jason E. Hammond. These men are mere politicians and birds of a feather. The institution is most unfortunate in having two such men on its board of control. Tne furthering of their own political! ambitions is the matter of first importance with them. The rule under which every person on the payroll of the college, from the president down to the janitor, is "re-hired" each year, a rule which lowers the dignity of every position in the faculty, is a conception of theirs. It was alleged at the time this regulation was passed that its object was to enable these two members to get President Boone out of the institution. But under this rule, he has been re-engaged for the coming year and it is not clear how they can get him out, if he declines to resign, which he undoubtedly will do. There is concerted action emanating from some source to bring about the resignation of President Boone. It is understood a letter is extant over the signature of Gov. Pingree in which his purpose not to sign any appropriation bill for the Normal College while Dr. Boone is at its head is declared. The short-sighted people who are responsible for bringing on this row at the present time may thus find that they have done an irreparable injury to the institution in their zeal to "down" President Boone. Should this result come upon the college, those who have been responsible will have an account to settle with the people. The end is not yet.