Sacrifice

Mild-mannered Theophilus Shickel Painter, a geneticist, likes to peer through microscopes, putter in his water-lily garden and hunt in season. As shy as a deer, he makes a fetish of avoiding publicity. But last week Professor Painter, who had been acting president of the University of Texas since 1944, saw and heard his name everywhere he turned.

Eight-column headlines in a Daily Texan extra blared: REGENTS OFFER DR. PAINTER PRESIDENCY.

About 1,500 students met in a mass meeting to deplore the appointment. The Student Council, by 8-3 vote, wished that someone else had gotten the job. The faculty voted 186-160 not to express regret at Painter's appointment. Painter, in accepting the acting presidency, had announced that he did not want the job permanently. Campus posters punned: "Painter Getting Too Big for his Genes."

Any new president of the University would have a hard time succeeding popular Homer Price Rainey (TIME, Nov. 13, 1944). Rainey, now running for governor, was kicked out by the regents 18 months ago, on a free-speech issue. Many on the campus have no love for the regents, mostly big businessmen.

The regents had asked a faculty committee to recommend a suitable president. Six of the faculty choices had turned down the job; the other six, said the regents, were "charming and accomplished gentlemen [but lacked] Southern or Southwestern background."

Said Professor Painter, now president (at $17,500): "... when internal troubles are involved, experience has shown it is best to take a man from the faculty and let him sacrifice himself. ... I am the logical man [so I have] disregarded my personal wishes, happiness and welfare."

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