Corpus of Modern Scottish Writing (CMSW) - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/cmsw/ Document : 619 Title: Student Complaint about Professor James Moor Author(s): Anonymous Whereas every Profeſsor in this College ought to exercise discipline over his students with prudence, temper and moderation, and whereas violent paſsion and Frantic behaviour in a Profeſsor when teaching his students must weaken his authority and hurt his usefullneſs; And Whereas a Profeſsor by beating students when he is in a paſsion, with weapons capable of giving a deadly wound may endanger their lives; And Therefore the Enormities above mentioned in Profeſsors Ought to be Censured and Punished in such a manner as may effectually prevent them for the future; and prevent the loſs and dishonour that may arise to the College from such behaviour and Discipline Yet it is true That you Doctor James Moor Profeſsor of Greek in Glasgow College have been guilty of all or part of the enormities above mentioned In so far as in the Room within the College called the Greek Claſs and between the hours of four and five afternoon upon the twenty fifth day of November last or upon one or other of the days of that Month or of the present Month of December You came down from your Desk and in presence of the Students then Conveened laid hold of James Matthie Student in the Logic Claſs a very little boy, you pulled him out of his seat into the floor of the said Room; You lifted up one of the Candlesticks which stood upon the floor by the upper end while the candle was burning in it, which Candlestick is a thick piece of wood about three feet long with a croſs of thick wood for a pedestal And which is a Weapon with which a deadly wound may be given, and the Candle having fallen out of the said Candlestick while the Pedestal of it was raised above your head You did in paſsion with the said Candlestick give the said James Matthie several strokes upon his body And afterwards the said James Matthie having fallen among the seats in the said Room You again did with the Pedestal of the said Candlestick strike the said James Matthie when lying among the seats. And while you was acting in this outrageous manner towards the said James Matthie You gave him the opprobious names of Wretch, Scoundrel, Puppy, And after the said James Matthie had left the said Room you threw his Gown into the fire and burnt it in the presence of the students and which farther shews your determined purpose in the above mentioned proceeding You did on the next day thereafter or in some day of that Month desire Walter McLew a College servant to knock down any of the students who should spoil the Candles in the Claſs At Least you the said Doctor James Moor in the place and at the time before mentioned did aſsault and beat the said James Matthie and behave to him in a manner highly inconsistent with the proper discipline of the College and highly unsuitable to the Character and behaviour of a Profeſsor Which being proved before the Faculty of Glasgow College together with the Rector and Dean of the University of Glasgow or the Majority thereof You Ought to be Censured and Punished according as such offences and Enormities deserve The Above is the Scroll of the Lybel drawn by the Committee, & laid before the Faculty 12th of Dec 1772 Will. Leechman Liſt of Witneſses James Mathie Student in Logic Claſs. James Robertſon Student in Ethic Claſs. James Steven in Ethic Claſs. John Findlay in Do. Robt Wodrow Student in Logic Claſs. Patrick Graham in Do. George Hill in Do. Stephen Rowand in Ethic Claſs. William Ronald in the same James Marſhall in the Logic Claſs. John Moors in Do. John Buchanan in the Greek Claſs. William Hamilton in Do. John Young in Do. William Smith in the Logic Claſs. Robert Gray in Do. Robert Croſs Chamber Keeper to the College Walter McLew aſiſtant to Robert Croſs.