Father Jones's Indiscretion

Before a big bonfire on Duquesne University's campus ("the Bluff") in Pittsburgh fortnight ago, stocky, fortyish Rev. Thomas R. Jones danced in Roman collar and black hat. To 2.000 Duquesne students gathered to warm up for next day's football game with arch-rival University of Pittsburgh, Philosophy Professor Jones roared: "Duquesne's football players will be out there fighting because they love their school. The Pitt team will be out there fighting, too, but only for their weekly pay checks."

This statement was more emotional than true, for it is common knowledge among informed followers of the game in western Pennsylvania that while Pittsburgh's football-playing "scholarship boys" get their tuition and books free, plus $48.50 a month for board, room and clothes, subsidized Duquesne players are paid not only with free tuition, books, meals, rooms and clothing but $15 a month besides (from sporty alumni) for spending money. Pitt rooters, therefore, thought Father Jones had committed an unpardonable indiscretion and the Duquesne administration hastily apologized to Pittsburgh.

Last week Father Jones failed to appear before his philosophy classes. The whole campus knew he was closeted with Duquesne's president, Monsignor Jeremiah J. Callahan. Soon President Callahan announced: "The resignation of the Rev. Thomas R. Jones from the faculty . . . has been accepted. He feels ... he has inadvertently placed Duquesne University in an unfavorable light and that his resignation may clarify the situation." Campus consensus was that ardent football fan Father Jones had been punted out. His students staged a strike but it quickly collapsed and Father Jones packed himself off to brood on the discovery that not all football mishaps occur on the gridiron.

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