Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1956 [PAGE 260]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1955]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

257

PATENTABLE INVENTIONS (3) The President of the University presented a series of recommendations relating to potentially patentable inventions.

On motion of Mr. Swain, this matter was referred to the Executive Committee with power to act.

GIFT OF MISS LAURA M. WEBER OF FARM LAND IN LA SALLE COUNTY (4) Miss Laura M. Weber of LaGrange Park, Illinois, has offered the University 640 acres of farm land in La Salle County, described as follows: The Northwest Quarter ( N W J 4 ) of Section Fifteen (15), Township Thirty-One (31) North, Range One (1) East of the Third Principal Meridian, in the County of La Salle and State of Illinois situated in the Town of Hope in the County of La Salle and State of Illinois. The Northwest Quarter ( N W f i ) of Section Twenty-Seven (27), Township Thirty-Four (34) North, Range Two (2) East of the Third Principal Meridian, in the County of La Salle, in the State of Illinois. The North Half (N}4) of the Northwest Quarter ( N W J 4 ) of Section Eight ( 8 ) , Township Thirty-One (31) North, Range T w o (2) East of the Third Principal Meridian, containing Eighty acres, more or less situated in the Township of Richland in the County of La Salle and State of Illinois. The Southwest Quarter ( S W J 4 ) of Section Fifteen (15) and the North Half ( N ^ ) of the Southeast Quarter ( S E J 4 ) of Section Sixteen (16), all in Township Thirty-One (31) North, Range One (1) East of the Third Principal Meridian, Hope Township, containing 240 acres, more or less situated in the County of La Salle and State of Illinois. She made this offer in a letter to the Dean of the College of Agriculture dated September 1, 1954, at which time she stated that she had made provision for such a gift in her will. Her attorney has now informed the University that his client is prepared to deed this land to the University immediately. H e has in his possession all of the title documents needed to effectuate the transfer. University officials are deeply appreciative of Miss Weber's generous and public-spirited motives and that she has selected the University of Illinois as the recipient of her benefaction. I had the opportunity of expressing this to her several weeks ago during the correspondence between her and University officers preliminary to her final decision. I recommend the acceptance of this offer and that the farm land be operated by the College of Agriculture and that the net income be held in reserve for the benefit of the College of Agriculture. I also recommend adoption of the following resolution: Resolution WHEREAS, Miss Laura M. Weber of LaGrange Park, Illinois, has expressed her intention and desire to make a very generous gift to the University of Illinois by giving and conveying to it 640 acres of farm land, together with the improvements thereon, now owned by her and situated in L a Salle County, Illinois; and WHEREAS, in tendering this gift to the University, she has expressed her wish and desire that the immediate control and supervision of the management and operation of said lands, after her conveyance thereof to the University, be vested in and exercised by the College of Agriculture of the University, subject, however, to the general control of the University's Board of Trustees, and that the University, through its College of Agriculture, manage and operate said farms in such manner as to constitute them model farms and their operation examples of the proper and best manner of conducting farming and other agricultural activities upon and with such land, having due regard to the preservation and maintenance of the fertility of the soil, and an incentive to others to so use and operate similar farm lands, her further hope and desire that the University retain title to and ownership of said lands and, through its College of Agriculture, conduct such operations upon and so use the same for a substantial period of years and until, in the judgment of said Board of Trustees, concurred in by the then Dean of said