Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1876 [PAGE 130]

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130

utmost progress in the least time. From the work of this class the school may expect to attain a good collection of models of construction at a very small cost, greatly needed to illustrate lectures on construction, as very few large structures are accessible here to students, during their erection, and the models can be made to embrace all the latest experiments, thus being much more valuable than those purchased in Europe at a greater expense. The last term has been directed exclusively to stair building, as well as the shop practice of the advanced classes in construction. It is intended to make the theory and practice of stair building one of the prominent specialties of the school, as it is very valuable to mechanics, and is, I believe, taught nowhere else, at present, in the United States. For the first time, too, in this school, the theory of Stair Building has been fully given, and applied to the difficult cases, in which all the necessary drawings were made by the class. I propose to make the instruction in architecture during the next school year as full and thorough as given anywhere else in the United States, even where apparatus and advantages are far superior, and to make it the best in time. Herewith I also submit a design and estimates for a veterinary hospital, which consists of a building 17x24 ; consulting office, 10>^xll; closet for medicines, 5x8 ; stable with two box stalls, 12x12; and forage room, 10%xl2, and a yard 36 feet square for performing operations. The building is to be sided with common thin siding; plastered inside, two coats, to have sink with faucets to tank in attic, which is supplied by a force pump from well. The stalls to be floored with 2 inch oak plank, laid close on sleepers which are on cinders, sloping to the west side of stable. Each stall to have hay rack, manger and a water basin ; which are to be supplied for forage room. -Sides of stalls sheathed 5 feet high with 2 inch oak plank. The outside of the whole and the inside finish, and dissecting room to receive two coats of good paint. Estimated at Champaign prices for work and material, the whole amounts to $1,101 00, b u t by buying at wholesale rates in Chicago, I believe the entire cost could be reduced to $1,000 00, which would be covered by the State appiopriation for Veterinary Department. I make the following requests as being necessary for the school for the next year: 1. An appropriation of $10 for drawing paper for making drawings for the shops and for classes in this practice. 2. An appropriation for expenses of, and material used by classes in shop practice during the next school year, of $15 per month for the fall and spring terms, and $25 per month for the winter term. During the winter term there are two distinct classes. Most of this is required for heating and power. 3. An appropriation of $25 for materials for construction of apparatus needed to illustrate lectures on heating and ventilation, next year. I propose to make most of it myself during this summer vacation. 4. An appropriation of $20 for a suitable desk and platform for the Architectural lecture room. 5. That Professor Shattuck be authorized to expend $16 and express charges, of the previous appropriation for expenses in this practice, in the purchase of a small chuck and tools for turning metal, for the small lathe purchased last winter for the class. 6. That Professor Shattuck be authorized to expend $10 for cherry lumber for models, of appropriation requested for class in this practice next year, immediately, so that it may be perfectly dry at beginning of fall term. I also request that an additional room be assigned to the School of Architecture, for a lecture and recitation room, as but one is occupied by the school at present, and is full of drawing students and tables, so that a second room is absolutely necessary. I also further recommend that Mr. Kenis be continued as Instructor in Modeling and Ornament, Mr. Swarts as Assistant in Architecture and Instructor in Mechanical Drawing, and Mr. Codington as foreman of the carpenter shops, as these gentleman are all able instructors, know their duties irom experience, and are therefore much more valuable to the University than new men would be. Mr. Kenis has made his classes in Modeling and Ornamental Drawing very useful and very practical. Respectfully submitted, N. CLIFFORD RICKER, Assistant Professor of Architecture. D E P A R T M E N T OF FARM E X P E R I M E N T S . EMORY COBB, President of the Board of Trustees of the III. Ind. University: SIR:—I beg herewith to respectfully submit this, a brief report of progress in Department of Farm Experiments: Of the six vaiieties of wheat and two of rye, with which these experiments were begun last September, I have to report that four kinds of wheat were winter-killed and that two have partially succeeded, and that the rye is coming on and promises to come out splendidly. The two varieties of winter wheat whichhave proved their hardiness, under the assaults of a winter which destroyed the wheat crops of the country, are known the one, as the Treadwell, and the other, as t h e Senaca or Clowson. Of the spring grain, of which two varieties of rye, three of spring wheat, and five of oats, were tried, the results (except in the case of the oats, wh«re the frost killed part of the seed in process of germination, and made them thin on the ground) have been very satisfactory indeed. It may be too soon to come to a final conclusion, but at present I see nothing in the soil or climate of Central Illinois that would or should interfere with the successful growing of the whole line of spring grains. Wheat, barley, rye and oats, always provide a clean soil, and early seeding and careful cultivation are provided and attended to There are four fields of corn averaging about four acres each, on which different kinds of cultivation are to be tried, according to previous prepared programme. Having been seeded early in May, three of the fields had to be replanted, and the stand is not as good as it would have been. The conditit n of the plats is very fair, however, and it is hoped that the future and different kinds of cultivation to be applied, may teach some valuable lessons. Ten from New York, 3 from France, and 6 obtained at home, of varieties of Potatoes have been planted side by side and are coming on prosperously, the soil and the season having been exceedingly favorable. It is expected some trustworthy information as to value and comparative value in the matter of hardiness, yield, earliness, etc., may be obtained at the outsend of the experiments.