Vol. IV of Minutes of the Trustees of the University of Georgia (November 6, 1858 – August 1, 1877) PART I: COVERING YEARS
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Vol. IV of Minutes of the Trustees of the University of Georgia (November 6, 1858 – August 1, 1877) PART I: COVERING YEARS 1858 –1871 and PART II: COVERING YEARS 1871 –1877 Vol. IV of Minutes of the Trustees of the University of Georgia (November 6, 1858 – August 1, 1877) PART I: COVERING YEARS 1858 –1871 pages 1- 364 of the original holograph volume or pages 1- 277 of the typed transcribed source put into electronic form by Susan Curtis starting: May 28th, 2010 finished: June 9, 2010 personal notes: 1. Beginning on page 294 whoever was typing the manuscript began using m.s. for misspelled words instead of sic. The problem is sometimes the word was corrected and sometimes not. I retained the (m.s.) designation when the typist corrected the spelling and substituted sic when the text is still misspelled. 2. Beginning on page 294 the typist switched to double spacing the text. I retained the spacing which had been used previously. 3.The words conferred, referred and authorize often were spelled as confered, refered, and authorise respectfully and were left as they appeared (not highlighted). page numbers in this version refer to the page number found in the original holograph minutes (not those of the typed transcription) and are indicated as: (pge 1) Penciled in remarks from the source text are preserved in this edition in parentheses. This may be confused with text which appears to have been entered in parenthesis in the original document. Any changes made by the current transcripting party are in brackets. As with previous volumes begun on Sept. 27th 2006, indentations have been standardized. (i.e. in the typed source text new paragraphs are sometimes indented, sometimes not, and dates are sometimes on the right side of the page, sometimes in the center – for the purposes of this version they have, unless they are otherwise deemed unique, been aligned as per their first instance in the current volume). (pge 1) Milledgeville Nov 6th 1858 At a stated meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Georgia, the following members were present. Messrs. Billups, Brown, Dougherty, Harris, Hill, Hull, Jackson Lewis, J.H. Lumpkin, Mitchell, Reese. The meeting was opened with prayer by President Church. The Presidents Report was submitted, which is as follows. Gentlemen of the Trust. Nothing important has occurred in connection with the college since your last meeting. The exercises of the institution have been conducted with much quiet and good order, and the students have generally made commendable progress in their studies. The number in attendance upon the duties of the late term, as was expected, was not large. I think it probable it will be larger the ensuing term, though I do not apprehend that there will be a very large increase. If the college be conducted with prudence there will doubtless, even with the present endowment and means of instruction be a gradual increase of students. But with the powerful efforts to secure numbers for the other colleges, it is not probable that the state institution can have a very large attendance for some time. Its object therefore should be to send good scholars, rather than attempt to secure crowded halls. (pge 2) Parents and Guardians will be more influenced by higher advantages than by large catalogues. If the college can clearly prove by its graduates that it affords superior advantages to its students, it will ultimately receive an honorable and liberal patronage. I consider it important to the reputation of the college that neat and convenient lecture rooms be provided for its officers. The impression made upon parents and visitors who call upon some of your officers at their rooms is anything but favorable. I confess that I have often been mortified, when gentlemen have called upon me at my room, to discover as I thought an emotion of surprise on their entering. I can not speak with more freedom than perhaps would have been deemed respectful heretofore. Much often depens [sic] upon first impressions and I know that parents and students on first entering the college have had very unfavorable impressions upon their minds respecting the character of the institution. But these rooms are not simply without even simple neatness in their construction, they are exceedingly inconvenient with respect to warming and ventilating and lighting, but also as to seating the students, and enabling the teacher to give his instructions with ease to himself and profit to his pupils. A building for a Library is as I have repeatedly stated, much needed. The Library is a very choice and valuable collection of books, and, if placed in a suitable building would give every visitant a favorable impression with respect to this means of importing (pge 3) and acquiring knowledge at your college. I should suppose, if a proper representation of this subject were made to the Legislature it would give the trustees the funds for erecting a suitable building for the library, and for converting the old buildings into a number of neat and convenient lecture rooms, and a small laboratory for the Professor of Agriculture. I think it important that the Professorship of Natural Sciences be filled at once, if it can be, by securing the services of a suitable officer. It is always injurious to have an office vacant in the board of instructors. And in connection with this subject I would remark, that I think each officer should be expected to discharge all the duties of his own chair, unless those duties should at any time be more arduous than those other officers, when he might according to your laws, be released by some of his colleagues. There is one other subject which I think of some importance in the instruction of the college. There is evidently a tendency in our country and perhaps in our age, to change in some good degree the mode of instruction, by attempting to communicate all or almost all by means of lectures instead of text books. Whatever may be the advantages or disadvantages of either mode of instruction, so far as men of mature minds are concerned, I am fully persuaded that with students of the age of those who are usually found in our colleges, the instruction by lectures principally, is greatly inferior to that by text books and regular recitations from them. (pge 4) The subject has been to a small extent, discussed in our faculty, and then is some difference of opinion on the subject. I think it worthy the notice of the Board on the present or some future occasion. I now inform the Board, as I shall tomorrow the Senatus Academicus that I shall retire from my connection with the college at the end of the ensuing year. A. Church. The above communication having been read was, on motion, referred to a committee consisting of Messrs, Lumpkin, Hill & Brown. The Treasurer read an abstract of the finances of the college showing a balance of $708.41. Apologies for absence from the last meeting were made by Messrs Johnson and Mannerlyn and from the present meeting by Messrs H. Cobb, Cooper, Mercer, Moon & W. Lumpkin, which were read & sustained. Letters were read from Messrs Hillyer, Lamar & McDonald, resigning their seats, which resignations were accepted. The Board adjourned till 8 O.C. P.M. (pge 5) Nov 6th, 8 O.C, P.M. The Board met pursuant to adjournment. On motion of Dr. Reese, Resolved. That Messrs Lewis Dougherty and Mitchell be appointed a committee to prepare a Bill to be presented to the Legislature through the Senatus Academicus on the basis of the recommendations contained in the message of Gov. Brown on the subject of University, college, and common school education. On motion of Judge Lumpkin, Resolved. That the Senatus Academicus be requested to recommend the appointment of a board of visitors, to attend the annual examination of the graduating class of Franklin college, to consist of five persons (to be compensated for their services) instead of the board of visitors as at present established which has proved a failure. The Board adjourned till Thursday morning 10 O’ C Thursday Nov. 7th 1858 The Board met pursuant to adjournment. The President being absent, Col Jackson the senior Trustee was called to the Chair. On motion of Mr. Hill Resolved. That the seats of Hon. (pge 6) James M. Wayne, and P.M. Nightengale as members of this Board are vacant by virtue of the act of the Legislature, approved Dec. 17, 1823. They having failed to attend at two successive stated meetings of the Board, and no excuse for such absence, by either, having been rendered. The Board proceeded to the election of three Trustees to fill vacancies, when on counting the ballots it appeared that Thomas R.R. Cobb, Francis S. Bartow and Thomas W. Thomas were duly elected. The resolution offered by Mr. Reese on yesterday and adopted, in relation to the preparation of a Bill was on motion reconsidered. The Board adjourned till Friday morning at 10 O’C. Friday Nov, 8 1858 The Board met pursuant to adjournment. Messrs Cobb and Thomas, elected on yesterday, took their seats. On motion of Mr. Mitchell Resolved. That Henry Hull Jr. and Thos. Cobb be added to the Prudential committee. A letter was read from Mr. Jenkins, resigning his seat in the Board. Whereupon the Board on motion, via voce unanimously reelected Mr. (pge 7) Jenkins and Judge McDonald to fill their own vacancies. Hon. Arthur E. Cochran was, by ballot elected a Trustee, and took his seat in the Board.