on
in the Faculty.

To this the lack of a Chancellor during those earlier years only added
further confusion. From the first the Regents had proposed the
appointment of such an officer, but in the absence of any clear notion
of their authority and his precise duties the matter was allowed to
lapse, until the financial difficulties of the early years after the
University opened made it clearly obvious that such an officer would be
something of a luxury. The matter was settled by making each professor
in turn President, or Principal, for one year, a practice which
continued until the appointment of President, or Chancellor, Tappan in
1852. This alternation in office was approved as eminently democratic
and as following the practice of the German Universities, the ideal of
the time. In a report submitted by the Board of Visitors in 1850, the
plan was commended and it was even urged that the monarchical feature of
a Chancellor should be struck out of the Organic Law, and the system
then in force thereby fixed for all time.

Nevertheless the plan was none too successful in application. There was
too much opportunity for jealousy and too little central authority. This
is shown plainly in the contest which arose over the hours of teaching
as the numbers in the University grew. The emphasis in the curriculum
upon the classics has been noted. This threw the burden of almost the
whole course of study upon Professor Agnew after the services of a
single tutor were dispensed with in 1846. Professors Whedon and Ten
Brook were therefore called upon to assist him, which they did
unwillingly, Professor Whedon finally refusing to hear further classes
in Greek.

The trouble grew and finally resulted in the resignation of Professor
Ten Brook in 1851, because of the opposition of three other members of
the Faculty. In after years he came to consider this action a mistake;
particularly as he had the respect and friendship of the Board of
Regents, who brought about the downfall of his opponents within six
months. This began in an action against Professor Whedon, who had for
some time aroused opposition by his pronounced anti-slavery views. As a
result of this feeling, on December 31, 1851, at the last session of the
Board of Regents by appointment before a new Board elected under the new
State Constitution was to take its place, a resolution was introduced
requesting the removal of the Rev. D.D. Whedon for the reason that he
had--