Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 332]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1943]

U N I V E R S I T Y OF

ILLINOIS

329

RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS (18) F o r the past two or three years representatives of the State Normal Universities and Teachers Colleges and of the University of Illinois have been meeting periodically to discuss problems of mutual interest and responsibility. The group is an informal organization and has come to be known as the "Council of State-Supported Institutions of Higher Education." At the most recent meeting of this group, held at Southern Illinois Normal University, Carbondale, on April 5, one of the problems discussed was the threatened serious shortage of teachers. The Council adopted the following recommendation, calling public attention to this problem which concerns all local communities in Illinois: The Council of State-Supported Institutions of Higher Education recognizes that the present serious shortage of teachers may easily develop into a crisis when public schools open this fall. They also recognize that one of the most important causes of this teacher shortage is the inability of public schools to compete with salaries paid for similar training in business, industry, and the civil service. They recommend that immediate steps be taken by those in authority to raise the level of pay for teachers and to improve the conditions of employment of teachers. T o do this throughout the State of Illinois will require added expenditures on the part of the local area and financial aid from the State or from the Federal government, or from both. W e further recommend that teaching be recognized as an essential service—essential to the war effort and to all activities connected with it, and on that basis we recommend that teachers not immediately necessary for the armed services be urged to continue in teaching and that every effort be made to keep teaching attractive as a profession.

ILLINOIS NORMAL UNIVERSITY SOUTHERN ILLINOIS NORMAL UNIVERSITY WESTERN ILLINOIS STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE EASTERN ILLINOIS STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE NORTHERN ILLINOIS STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

On motion of Mr. Jensen, this report was received for record.

BATES ESTATE (19) As previously reported to the Board (Minutes, April 28, 1041, page 271; and September 26, 1941, page 630), the late Lydia E. Parker Bates has bequeathed to the University the bulk of her estate to establish a fund to be known as the "Lydia E. P a r k e r Bates Fund for the Advancement of Fine Arts." The estate includes certain farms which must be sold not later than the spring of 1946, and the Board has elected to sell them as soon as possible. These proceedings have been delayed because of litigation instituted by some of the Bates heirs. Their claims have now been adjudicated, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, which has been decided against them. As they have decided not to file a petition for a re-hearing, the decision of the Court is final. The Citizens National Bank of Decatur, trustee under the Bates will, may now proceed with the sale of the farm lands.

This report was received for record.

GIFTS TO T H E UNIVERSITY AND GRANTS FOR RESEARCH (20) A report of the following gifts and grants of funds for research received by the University since the last report:

Gifts

1. Mr. John W. Ruettinger, $500 for the John C. Ruettinger Memorial Scholarship Award, for the academic year 1943-1944. 2. Dr. Herman Schneider of Chicago, through his son, Mr. Leonard B. Schneider, a member of the Department of Psychology, an X-ray machine, to the Department of Psychology. 3- W. J. Fitzpatrick Company of Chicago, a Model A triturating machine, to the College of Pharmacy.