University of Virginia Library

MR. FLETCHER PRESENT

Mr. Fletcher, asked to review Mr. Archer's activities, gave a detailed account of Mr. Archer's
actions from Friday through Sunday, reading to the Board many pages of notes on the subject.
He then read all of his notes on several interviews with two other students who were expelled in
connection with the incident

During the exhaustive questioning that followed, much previous testimony was again reviewed
Pressed repeatedly for an explanation of why he had advised a student not to go and warn his
parents that he might be expelled, Mr. Fletcher finally admitted that he had no clear recollection
of giving any such advise. If a student had so understood him and so quoted him, he was not
prepared to deny a student's word. He could only suppose that the question and answer had been
given in such a manner and under such circumstances as to seem irrelevant to him at the time, at
all events, it had made no impression on his memory. It was not the sort of advice he gave
students. The two final questions and answers were in substance as follows

Question

Did you tell the Student Council that you might have "lulled the boys into a sense of
security"?

Fletcher

No, Sir. The Student Council asked me to talk over this case as a disciplinary problem
in such a way that I had every reason to suppose that the discussion was confidential and
privileged. I did not know that persons were there with prepared questions and that my answers
were written down. Somebody quoted the expression that you mention, and I admitted the possibility
that I had "lulled" the students, if one of them said so, for at this University a student's word
is not questioned, but I honestly thought it inconceivable

Question

Much has been said here about technicalities and your unusual methods. Am I right,
Mr. Fletcher, in thinking that this is an unusual case?

Fletcher

Yes, Sir. It is without precedent in my 17 years' experience in teaching and
personnel work at the University

Mr. Fletcher then retired from the Board room

Mr. Scott gave a final argument in defense of Messrs. Archer and Walker, emphasizing: (1)
Mr. Fletcher's "promises of security", (2) his own inability to understand Mr. Fletcher's neglect
to call the students' attention to the seriousness of the situation they were in and the
possible unpleasant consequences to themselves of their actions

Mr. Parker, at his own request, concluded with similar comments critical of Mr. Fletcher