Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1880 [PAGE 237]

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235

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The Board met at the call of the chairman at 2:30 P. M. The minutes of the last meeting, also those of the Executive Committee of January 18, 1880, were read and approved. The Begent presented the following report, which was received:

REPORT OF THE REGENT. To the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Industrial University. GENTLEM N:—The close of the term and your quarterly meeting requires me to bring before you again the condition and wants of the University. Happily I am enabled to report it as in condition of restored peace and prosperity. The disturbances in the Military class prevailing at the time of your last meeting were at length quietly adjusted, and the students who were expelled were, on their own petition and promise of good behavior, restored to their places. The work of the term in the several departments of instruction, as also in the principal departments of the University, has been prosecuted with ordinary diligence and success. The M litary department, under its new commander, Lieut, Wood, is doing good work, and your action in diminishing the time of drill to two years meets with general approval, and will doubtless relieve the work of the several Colleges of some of the conflicts with which they have before been troubled. The catalogue just published shows a total attendance for the year of 434 students, a larger attendance than ever before attained. The out-going Senior class numbers but 26, but the class which succeeds them numbers 70, and will furnish the largest Senior class the University has ever known. The Freshman class numbers 104 students, and many of the preparatory students will probably return to swell the Freshman class of next year. The reports from the several departments will show you in detail their condition and wants. The School of Agriculture asks— 1. $25 for additional tools and materials for shop practice. 2. The usual appropriations for the expenses of said classes. 3. That Mr. N. S. Spencer be employed during the vacation to perform such repairing and carpenter word as shall be needed. 4. That he be engaged as foreman for the next College year. I recommend that all these requests be granted as proper and important. Prof. Weber, of the Chemical Laboratory, asks for the appropriation of $709 to replace chemical apparatus < nd materials. You will recognize this as the current demand of this department. The College of Engineers asks an appropriation of $30, for additional fittings for their printing and copying work; also for the purchase of a polar planimeter, which will not cost over $30. These requests are reasonable, and I recommend the appropriations for them.

EEAPPOINTMENTS.

As my own resignation will be communicated with this report, I deem it improper that I shall nominate candidates to fill the vacancies in the corps of instructors, but I may, without impropriety, recommend the reappointment of assistants already employed, and whose work has proved satisfactory to their principals. I cordially recommended the reappointment of Chas. E. Pickard as Assistant Teacher of Languages; and of Henry M. Beardsley as Assistant in Chemistry. I hand you a communication from Mr. Pickard, asking for an increase of his salary to the amount usually paid to assistants of his standing. According to usage, Mr. Beardsley would also be entitled to some increase of comSensation. I would also recommend the reappointment of Mr. Wild, as Curator of [useum, if he desires to remain. His services in connection with the Museum have been exceedingly valuable, and we owe much of the completeness and beauty of the collections in Natural History to his skill and energy. He has also done good service in teaching in the Preparatory class. I concur also with the members of the Faculty of the College of Engineering in recommending the appointment of Mr. Sondericker, a member of the present Senior class, as an assistant in that College. Mr. Sondericker has already been employed in instructing several classes, and has proved himself thoroughly competent and successful. The communication of Miss Jennie Mahan, Teacher of Instrumental Music, will give you the information desired by you in regard to that department. While it is not the province of the University to furnish instruction in instrumental music, the wants of a large number of female students require that facilities for such instruction shall be furnished, and I recommend that Miss Mahan be reappointed, with the provision that her compensation shall be the fees paid by music students, except the incidental fee required from those not otherwise students of the University. The success of Prof. Roos, as Instructor in Industrial Art and Designing, has fully met our expectatio », and I earnestly recommend his continued employment, and that his compensation be made a fixed amount instead of being dependent in part upon the fees received. I desire to pass into the hands of the Board the testimonials of several candidates for the vacant chairs of the University. I will confer with the Board, if desired, as to the merits of these candidates, and the selection of the fittest for the places to be filled.