Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 90]

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violate their pledges and their honor. This insinuation goes farther as an argument why we should repeal the obnoxious rule, in this, that we aright as well repeal it, because if we do not, this very society will secretly and in direct violation of the rules which now exist, aid and abet those students who will violate their honor, and keep in existence a society in our midst. We are further confronted with a threat that if we do not repeal the rule the secret societies will use their influence with the Legislature to defeat our appropriations and endanger the existence of the University. It is the opinion of your committee that the people of this State, through their representatives, will not do an injustice to the University, because an outside organization can not assume authority in its government. If the people and tax-payers express a desire to have secret societies installed in this institution,your committee do.not hesitate to say that the Board would promptly and obediently heed such a public wish'; and it would not be necessary to attack the life of the University to convey to the Board such a desire. Your committee therefore recommend that the petition in behalf of the Grand Council of the Sigma Chi fraternity be not granted. CHAS. BENNETT, S. M. M1LLABD. G. A. FOLLANSBEE, ALEX. McLEAN, Committee.

The Eegent then read his report, which was received and ordered on file.

To the Trustees of the University of Illinois: GENTLEMEN : Agreeably to your request I shall endeavor to set before you a statement ' of the present condition of the University in its educational and financial aspects, with more completeness than usual, and with the aid of special reports from the various full Professors. The organization of the University has not changed from its original plan. The four colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Natural Science and Literature and Science remain as the chief elements of classification, followed by the subordinate classification into schools. The various instructors teach the subjects assigned to them independently of any division into either schools or colleges, so that most, if not all, work with the students of every department. It is, however, the variety of the work done, rather than the numbers of students taught, which makes the largest call for the variety and the number of professors and assistants necessary for the proper performance of the work here undertaken. In the College of Agriculture the technical instruction is given by the professors of agriculture, of botany and horticulture, and of veterinary science; collateral work is done by the professors of zoology and entomology, of chemistry, of geology, of mathematics, of English language and literature, of modern languages, and of industrial art. Laboratory work is done on the farm, in the wTork-shops, and in the work-rooms of the department of chemistry, botany, zoology, veterinary science and drawing; the time given to actual work or experiment, as distinguished from recitation in the class-room or book-work in the student's private study, being usually from two to four hours daily. The nature of the work done under Professor George E. Morrow will be learned from his report, as follows: (Paper A.)* The work done under Professor T. J. Burrill.- (Paper B.) The chair of Veterinary Science was vacated at the end of the last college year by the resignation of Professor Prentice, and at the opening of the fall term no provision had been made for the appointment of a successor. The subject of animal anatomy was undertaken by Assistant Professor Kolfe, and its demands were well satisfied. The facilities for the prosecution of this study are the model of a horse, by Auzoux, and a number of elegantly mounted skeletons of the domesticated animals. While much more might be obtained by a proper course of actual dissections, it is doubtless true that for the time allotted to this subject the facilities furnish as much material for study as the students can thoroughly digest and assimilate. At the first of January Dr. D. Mcintosh, D. V. S., from Kingston. Ontario, was appointed Lecturei in Veterinary Science for the remainder of the current year. He has given himself diligently to the work, and has carried it forward in a very satisfactory manner. He has a daily lesson in veterinary science, in which the conditions of domesticated animals, in health and in disease, are discussed; and a daily lesson in veterinary materiamedica, in which the nature and uses of remedies are explained. A weekly clinic is held, and the supply of animals for examination, diagnosis, and prescription has been constantly improving. It will be necessary soon to arrange for more frequent clinics, as the interest in them increases in the farming community. The department is important. Its early development is needed, and should be fostered bv the University. Plans looking to this end are already under discussion, and will be laid before you in another form. The work of other professors, who render indispensable services to the College of Agriculture, will be described under other heads. *The papers referred to in this report by the letters A, B, C, &c, to M, are found in connection with the general report of the Begent, pages