Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882 [PAGE 226]

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The Board then heard the statements from a committee of students in regard to secret societies, and, on motion, the petition presented by those secret societies was not granted. Messrs. Pearman and Scott, an Auditing Committee appointed last meeting, reported that they had examined the vouchers accompanying the Business Agent's report, Nos. 385 to 659, inclusive, and found them correct. The report was accepted. The Auditing Committee, appointed at this meeting, made the following report:

To the Board of Trustees: Your committee would beg leave to report that we have examined the vouchers from No. 1 to 254, inclusive, and find the same correct, except No. 140, which is missing, and number (see list) not yet receipted; all, however, are properly certified to by proper officers. ALEXANDER McLEAN, CHARLES BENNETT.

The report was received. Adjourned.

E. SNYDER, EMORY COBB,

Secretary.

President,

BOAKD MEETING, MABCH 14, 1882. The Board met in the University parlor at 4 o'clock P. M. Present—Messrs. Cobb, McLean, Millard, Pearman, Paden and Scott. Absent—Governor Cullom, Messrs. Bird, Bennett and Mason. The record of last meeting was read approved. The election of officers was postponed until March 15th, 1882. The Begent read his report, which was received:

To the Trustees of the Illinois Industrial University: GENTLEMEN: The quarter of \he year now ended closes also the first year of my service as Regent of this University. When I accepted the trust you were pleased to commit to me, I came to an institution already organized and officered, and which had made for itself a record for its substantial progress. The situation appeared to me one which called not for work of reconstruction, but of administration; carrying forward, in the main, the existing state of affairs, suggesting changes or improvements only as they fceemed required in the continual growth of the enterprise. A retrospect of the year's work shows reasonable progress. The legislative appropriations were such as provided fairly for most of our present needs. Especially is there reason for thankfulness that the State has admitted the necessity and the propriety of assisting the finances by providing in part for current expenditures, thus supplying a portion of the deficit in income, caused by diminished rates of interest. During the year some improvements have been made, which increase the usefulness and the adornment of the University property. The old dormitory, at once a menace and a blemish, has been removed A boiler-house with improved facilities for heating the main building has been erected, and other items of less note added. Plain and comfortable furniture has been placed in the class-rooms. Instruments of precision of the best quality have been added to the facilities of the engineering and botanical work. The library, museum and laboratories have received their annual increase. The attendance of students does not vary materially from that of former years. Our present numbers may be construed as favorable to the institution when we consider the serious depression which the agricultural interests have suffered in some parts of the State, as the results of flood and drouth. The failure in the last harvest prevented many students from coming whose faces had been turned in our direction.