Cadet Discipline Files
Collection
Identifier: Series-0022
This series consists primarily of transcripts of committee hearings regarding cadet discipline. There are occasionally correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other material related to cases. The files also contain forms signed by cadets reaffirming conformity to College regulations, reports and other material related to the cadet walkouts of 1908, 1920, and 1924. There are cadet demerit cards, 1921 – 1924 and photocopies of file cards about cadet dismissals, suspensions and acquittals. This series spans the years 1902 through 1924 with the bulk of material 1908 – 1924.
This series is restricted.
Some form of this Committee functioned from the arrival of the first cadets at Clemson College in the 1890s until the 1950s. The 1909 By-Laws of the Board of Trustees of Clemson Agriculture College indicates that the Cadet Discipline Committee consisted of the President of the College, the directors of the departments, and the full professors.
The committee heard unusual, serious offenses while ordinary discipline matters were taken before the Commandant of Cadets. The scope of offenses heard before the Committee was specified in the 1918 Clemson Agriculture College Cadet Regulations: “Any cadet who shall disobey a command of the President, the Commandant or his officers, or a member of the faculty, or shall behave himself in a refractory or disrespectful manner” would be tried before the Committee.
The composition of the Committee changed in 1920 to consist of directors of the college departments and two professors nominated by the President and approved by the Board of Trustees. After the 1920 student walkout trials, sessions of the Committee were required to be open to the public. In 1929, the Senior Council was formed to hear grievances of cadets and mediate with the President although the Committee continued in existence until the 1950s.
8 Cubic Feet (16 boxes)
English
The case files are arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically therein by the last name of the cadet with documentation of walkouts at the end of a year. The demerit cards are organized chronologically by semester and alphabetically therein.
These files were discovered in Tillman Hall in 1980 and were transferred to the University Library sometime prior to 1982.
Originally processed by Michael Kohl in 1983 with the help of student assistant Ahmet Ulug. The finding aid was revised by Kohl in 2004 with the help of student assistant Cornelius Harrington.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository