Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1880 [PAGE 238]

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236

BUILDINGS AND REPAIRS.

Two cyclones, or tornadoes, which visited us in the early spring, partly unroofed the main building and drill hall, and demolished a part of the westerm wing of the main dormitory building. The roofs were immediately repaired, under the direction of the Business Agent; but as it was a serious question as to the repair of the dormitory building, it was temporarily protected from the weather and remains as left by the storm, awaiting your decision. One of the most difficult of the questions you have to settle is as to the disposition of this building. Its further use as a dormitory is full of objection. The rooms are unfit for occupation, and the best interests of the University, and the good order of the students are constantly imperiled by the gathering of a large number of young men in a building unwatched and uncared for by any proper and sufficient guardianship. I can only repeat the convictions formerly expressed to you, that this building should be thoroughly remodeled and devoted to the use of female students as a proper home and an adjunct of the School of Domestic Science. For any other purpose it is worse that useless.

MILITABY DEPAKTMENT.

The Board will remember that the changes in the Military department, adopted at your last meeting, constituted only a part of those recommended at that time. After the experience of the Spring term, I repeat the recommendation that the officers of the ba talion be hereafter selected as follows: Sergeants and other non-commissioned officers from the S.ophomore Military class; Captains and Lieutenants from the Junior class. I recommend, further, that the requisite experience in command demanded for a commission be not less than one term's service as Sergeant, oni term as Lieutenant, and one term as Captain; and that, in order to give opportunity to gain such experience, no Captain shall retain his post more than one term, except in case of deficiency of officers for the battalion. In accordance with your vote for a change in the uniform, correspondence with several clothing houses has been had by Prof. Wood, and there will be submitted to you samples of goods and patterns for a uniform to be adopted. The appropriation made by you for instruments for the band was supplemented by a large voluntary contribution from the faculty and students, and a set of new instruments purchased, which have added much to the excellence and value of this department.

SALAETES.

I beg to be allowed to recall the attention of the Board to my former recommendations in regard to the increase of salaries of several of the Professors. Knowing the embarrassments under which you are placed, I urge this question with some hesitation; but there is an evident justice in the claims of these men to be placed on equal terms in payment with those men whom they equal in work. In some cases, like that of the Professor of Civil Engineering, the compensation is absolutely insufficient for the comfortable support of the Professor and his family. Knowing your readiness to meet generously all such claims, I call your attention to it with less hesitation.

COURSES OF STUDY.

With the concurrence of the committee appointed at your last meeting, several changes were made in the courses of study, and especially in combining the two schools of Agriculture and Horticulture, and in uniting the School of Mining Engineering with that of Civil Engineering. This last change has already provoked some unfavorable comment among the students of Mining Engineering, and I believe it will be found best to restore this School to its independent position whenever a separate instructor can be afforded for it. It is said that an opinion has been expressed in certain high quarters that the University is undertaking to do more than it ought, and this coalescence of schools was partly, at least, dictated by the, desire to give a less extended appearance to our plan of organization. It is doubtless true that the plan of the University, though not larger than that indicated in the first report on organization, and certainly not more extensive than the needs of the State and the fulfilment of the law of Congress is too large to be carried out by our present faculty; but it is not true that the University has ever shown anything in its catalogue which wTas not present in its actual instruction. The work promised has been done, though it has been done by the overwork of zealous and faithful instructors. Comparing our force with that of the Michigan University, they would seem twice, if not thrice, as strong in number, but the actual work done is nearly the same. In the Department of Mathematics they catalogue three instructors, but the time of instruction aggregates only four and four-fifths hours daily. One Professor here has worked four hours a day and covered nearly the ground of the three men there. So. in the other leading departments of Languages, ancient and modem, and English Language and Literature, our Professors have worked four and five hours a day, while the average time given by those of Michigan varies from two to three and three-fifths hours a day. In general, each instructor here does twice the work of a Professor in the Michigan University, and does it, I may add, for much less salary. Such a condition of things is often necessary, and may therefore be tolerated in the early history of such an institution; but it is evident that the best interests of the University will demand that this excessive drain upon the forces of the Professors shall not always continue. In some departments four hours a day are not excessive, but in all departments wiiere scientific investigation and study are required, two hours a day of class instruction will represent as much toil as four hours in the other case; and there are departments, like those of Physics and Chemistry, where a single hour in a day in the class-room is as much as can be properly asked.