Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 27]

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PROCEEDING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MARCH, 1835.

The Board met at the University parlor at 4 o'clock P . M., March 10th, 1885. Present—Trustees Cobb, McLean, Millard, Pearman and Paden. Absent—Governor Ogles by, Trustees Bennett, Earle, Follansbee, Landrigan and Postel. The minutes of-the last meeting were adopted as printed and revised. The election of officers was postponed until March 11, 1885, at 10 o'clock A. M. Trustees Cobb and Pearman were appointed by the chair to serve on the Auditing Committee, vice Bennett and Postel absent. Regent; Peabo ly read the following roport, which was received for further consideration.

To the Trustees of the Illinois Industrial University: GENTLEMEN :. The present occasion marks the close of the second term of my service as Regent of this University, and brings me nearly to the end of five years since the duties were first undertaken. It may not be amiss to look back over this period and see what progress, if any, has been made by the University under your supervision. No substantial change in the organization of the University has been designed or attempted. The effort to maintain the integrity of existing outlines under severe financial embarrassment has required the full strength of those in authority. It is earnestly hoped that the time has nearly come when some steps in progress may be safely taken, particularly in the establishment in the College of Engineering of a well organized school of Mining Engineering. The School of Chemistry in the College of Natural Science, has, in the last two and onehalf years, been thoroughly renovated. Its courses in Assaying, Agricultural Chemistry, Pharmacy and General Analysis are thorough and efficient. Except at a time when a temporary interest was aw^akened by the discovery of a new method of manufacturing sugar from sorgham, a discovery whose benefits, if any existed, wrere of right the property of the State, as having been developed in its University, at public cost—the number of chemical students, and especially the grade of the chemical work, in all its departments has never been greater or higher than now. While performing with success the duties of this chair, the Professor of Chemistry has conducted, at the request of the Agricultural Department at Washington,an elaborate andiexhaustive examination and discussion of the fineness elasticity and strength of wools from many Localities and of a great variety of breeds. The investigation has been aided by new and delicate mechanism of the professor's own invention. The results, as collated and tabulated, ready for publication, are most remarkable and valuable. They reach to the core of the subject, showing what wools are best adapted for various purposes, and why and what breeds are most serviceable and profitable to the breeders of sheep. It is expected that these results will be published under government auspices, or it would be desirable that the University itself should assist in bringing them before the public. The unsuccessful effort of three years ago to secure for the University the presence and aid of Prof. S. A. Forbes for the organization of the instruction of Zoology was renewed last year, and has been crowned with better fortune. Since the opening of the new year the Zoological laboratory has become an active agency in this department of physical science, and its success is well assured. A new interest has been aroused in this science. The office of the State Entomologist has found a home, it is to be hoped permanent, where it naturally belongs. The governing board of the Normal University has unanimously resolved that the State Laboratory of Natural History should find its proper abode here at the State University, and has consented that the property peculiar to the work of that labortoary may be transferred hither. This change requires only legislative action before it