W. & J. Walks Out

Mild, sandy-haired little President Simon Strousse Baker of Washington & Jefferson college (Washington, Pa.) was about to conduct chapel one morning last week. As he finished reading an announcement, all but a scant dozen of his 432 students got up and marched out. They were striking. More than 300 of them had signed a petition demanding President Baker's removal, to be presented to the W. & J. Board of Trustees this week.

"I don't even know what the strike is about," said President Baker indignantly.

"Every student I have talked to doesn't know what it is all about either. I would have appreciated it if ... they had consulted with me before such drastic action as this morning's performance."

The W. & J. students listed their charges against their president as follows: "Autocratic," "domineering," he had demanded that athletes maintain a higher stand than their fellows. "For no particular reason" he had dismissed three of their favorite professors. He had held up the building of W. & J.'s much-wished-for stadium. He had made "childish" rules about clothing, such as forbidding corduroy trousers.

Reputed to be astute in dealing with his undergraduates, President Baker asked what they expected him to do. He pointed out that he had spent $500,000 in campus improvements during his ten-year presidency, that motives of economy alone had prompted the dismissal of the three professors. The proposed athletic plant would have to wait upon other more pressing needs. As for the dress rules, he said he had merely suggested, six years ago, that his students might wear something more refined than lumberjack shirts and hob nailed boots.

President Baker favored discontinuance of classes (to avoid strife between the strikers and some 75 "scab" students). Next day the faculty recommended that classes be resumed. About half of the students went back to their books. For the time being. Washington & Jefferson was quiet.

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