Davidson College Alumni Say Nothing Behind Outburst Against President W.J. Martin, Jan. 28, 1924

College Will Defer Action. . . Alumni President Says Charges Unfounded

By the Associated Press

Greensboro, N.C. Jan. 27—No action will be taken by officials of the Davidson College Alumni Association in regard to the outburst against President W.J. Martin on the part of a few of the upper classmen, it was stated here today by Lunsford Richardson, president of the association. Mr. Richardson declared that he old (would?) not consider the situation serious and asserted that he believed the complaint of the few students was caused by the fact that the faculty rules are being strictly enforced, particularly with regard to athletics.

Mr. Richardson asserted today that in a trip made to Davidson College during last week he found nothing to create the impression of widespread dissatisfaction and added that it was not his intention to bring the matter to the attention of the alumni association. He declared that his visit to Davidson was an act of courtesy in response to a request made in a letter to him written by a few students. He gave his opinion that the faculty of the institution is solidly behind Mr. Martin’s administration.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Monday, Jan. 28, 1924.

According to Davidson’s Archives and Special Collections, found online at findingaids.davidson.edu/repositories/2/resources/364:

William Joseph Martin, 1868-1943 was the tenth president of Davidson College. He was born in Columbia, Tennessee but his family moved to Davidson in 1870. His father, Col. William J. Martin was a professor of Natural Sciences at Davidson College and also served as acting president in 1887-1888. William Martin was graduated from Davidson in 1888 and earned an M.A. the following year. In 1890, he earned his M.D. degree from the University of Viriginia and in 1894 received a Ph.D. He returned to Davidson in 1896 as Chambers Professor of Chemistry, as position he held until 1912, when he became president of the college. During his tenure as president the college experienced two major fires resulting in the loss of the Old Chambers Building and Watts dormitory. Martin also saw student enrollment double from 300 to over 600 students and expanded the faculty by fifteen additional positions despite the changes caused by World War I. In 1929, he retired from the presidency of Davidson and became the president of the Assembly Training School in Richmond, Virginia. Martin also served as moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. and was active in the Laymen's Missionary Movement.