Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 29]

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Lesser items of improvement are the building of the blacksmith's shop, with its cupola for melting iron, and its sixteen fires and forges; the enlargement of the pattern shops and of the machine shops; the building of the dairy-house; the building of the farm cottage; thorough repairs of both the north and the south barns; the painting of the main building; the shelters at the basement doors of the main building; the construction of a sewer from main and chemical buildings to the creek; the neat fences on either side of Green street; the fitting up of the observatory for the reception of the new twelve-inch theodolite; the fitting up of the botanical laboratory; the fitting up of the zoological laboratory; the renewal of the ceiling of the upper story of the west wing of the main building, and the occupation of the room as a museum of industrial art, whose fitting centre-piece is the beautiful and unique Gay model; the receiling of a part of the art gallery, and renovation of the same; the construction of new cases in and the the rearrangement of the library, by which its capacity for books was duplicated; the opening of new rooms for mathematical and. engineering drawing, and the addition to the equipment of all other drawing rooms. To this may be added the constant accumulation of books, apparatus, models, and other means of instruction and illustration, as fast as the needs for them have been found and the funds found. In this hasty enumeration of improvements made will be seen the reasons for the regular increase of students in the technical stadies. Much as has been done,there is yet need for farther improvements in many directions. Nor should we forget the removal of the old dormitory building—unsightly, unhealthy, and a constant menace to good morals and good government. Without doubt the ground on which the building stood should be sold whenever an advantageous sale can be made, and the proceeds be either added to endowment or invested in some useful and necessary buildings. So long, however, as there is no present market for this property and its holding costs the University nothing, it should be kept until it shall be sought after for more important uses. The time will come when the University will wish to hold no property north of Springfield avenue, if, indeed, it shall not prefer to retire quite south of the horse railway. Meanwhile, the acquisition of the Chase lots has straightened your lines in a serviceable manner, which will be completed, possibly to your entire satisfaction, in a way to be referred to later. The financial affairs of the University have been greatly aided during the past four years. The legislature has twice recognized the claims of the University for assistance in view of the diminished rates of interest earned by its endowment. The lapsed indebtedness of Kankakee county has been satisfactorily settled, without expense and vexatious litigation, and the University has been secured from loss. Indeed, it may be a matter of congratulation that the State of Illinois has never been called to replace any of the endowment of this University, because lost in unfortunate investments, as in such case the law of Congress requires. The same good fortune has not attended all our Western States. The sale of Nebraska lands has been well organized, and has so far progressed that there seems little doubt but all will be taken at the prices fixed, adding $120,000 to our endowment, and raising our total to1 more than $150,000. Without presuming to question the wisdom of tho&ewho in an early day managed the financial interests of the University, in the light of present facts we may well wish that she were the fortunate investor of 100,000 acres of land scrip in Nebraska instead of the 9,000 acres that she did locate there. So often it is in the history of colleges, as of persons, that a great future welfare is sacrificed for a paltry present gain. That the University, as the assignee of the State, had a lawful right to make such investments there can be no shadow of a doubt, or that it has^an indefeasible title to the lands so entered, which it now holds under patents duly issued to it by the government of the United States. Meanwhile the University is constantly gaining in favor with the people of the State, from the knowledge of it disseminated through its students, through its faculty, through the press of the State, which has of late uttered no unkind words concerning it, and through the troops of visitors of every shade of opinion and sentiment, who frequently come to scoff, but who uniformly go away to praise. Among its late visitors may be named committees from the State Grange and the. Legislature, the State Horticultural Society, the State Dairymen's Association, the State Press Association, a large concourse of the Masonic order, with smaller groups innumerable. Both the agricultural and secular press have adopted a kinder and more appreciative tone than was always their habit in the earlier days of our history. It is well thus to look over the history of the years and count up the results of our labors, if for no other good than that we may take heart to go forward. We must not, we do not, imagine that the T University has achieved any more than elementary successes. There is much to be done w hich time and progress will make known. There are many things which are yet needed before the institution will have taken its true position. We need now a name which is a true and broad index of the scope and quality of our work. We need the active sympathy and aid of a large and influential body of educated and cultivated men and women in the State, who from force of habit and circumstance have never even yet discovered how grand is the enterprise here in action, nor how far assured is its success. While we enter into no competition with other collegiate institutions within the borders of the State—there is room enough for us and for them to march ever out of sight of each other's banners—we do want that a large part of the thousand students who annually leave the State for no greater privileges on the Eastern slope than they could find here, should stay at home for their education. We need, what we may not soon obtain, a larger endowTment. A senator asked me when this institution would be self sustaining. I answered, not while we give $150 worth of tuition for $22.50. The more business we do at these figures the more aid we must ask of the State. We need more men to carry forward our work. w We need,and must maintain.a constant,vigorous,and healthy growth. Having thus hastily glanced at the retrospect, I beg to call your attention to other matters of more immediate interest.