Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882 [PAGE 232]

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226

The following appropriations were made for the six months ending August 31, lbs2:

Board expense Salaries F u e l a n d light Stationery and printing....-. Buildings and grounds , F i x t u r e s a n d furniture Library and apparatus M Incidental expense Military d e p a r t m e n t Mechanical " Architectural " Agricultural " Horticultural " Chemical " Sundries—Physical laboratory Students' government E x a m i n a t i o n of s c h o o l s Band books Advertising P h o t o g r a p h i c a p p a r a t u s for A r c h i t e c t u r a l D e p a r t m e n t $300 00 15,695 00 1,000 < ) M 700 00 81 05 50 00 50 00 200 00 125 00 202 60 301 75 2,894 68 215 37 98 30 35 64 11 6-^ 37 13 5 95 250 00 50 00 $22,304 12

The following assignments were made from State appropriations: $500 for books and publications, and $10Q for purchase of apparatus. The Eegent's report in regard to the better development of the facilities of the Mechanical Department, was referred to the Committee on Buildings and Grounds and the Regent.

To the Trustee.? of the Illinois Industrial University: G E N T L E M E N : At a m e e t i n g of y o u r E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e , held J u n e 17th, 1879. it w a s r e s o l v e d t h a t t h e P r o f e s s o r of M e c h a n i c a l E n g i n e e r i n g be a s k e d to p r e s e n t p l a n s for s y s t e m a t i z i n g a n d i m p r o v i n g t h e e l e m e n t a r y i n s t r u c t i o n in t h e Machine Shop. T h e c h a n g e s w h i c h a f t e r w a r d s o c c u r r e d in t h a t d e p a r t m e n t a n d in t h e University, h a v e h i t h e r t o p r e v e n t e d a r e s p o n s e to t h i s r e q u e s t . T h e c o n s t a n t l y i n c r e a s i n g call for i n s t r u c t i o n in Mec h a n i c a l E n g i n e e r i n g , e m p h a s i z e s a r e q u e s t for b e t t e r facilities in c a r r y i n g on t h a t w o r k . I t will s c a r c e l y be denied t h a t t h e chief d u t y of t h e m a c h i n e s h o p , like t h a t of all t h e l a b o r a t o r i e s of t h e University, is to give i n s t r u c t i o n C o m m e r c i a l w o r k is m o s t l y cut off from us—first, by t h e d i s t a n c e of t h e s h o p from t h e b u s i n e s s c e n t r e s of e i t h e r of t h e adjac e n t cities, and, second, by t h e s u c c e s s of a s h o p in C h a m p a i g n , w h e r e two of o u r g r a d u a t e s a r e building u p a successful b u s i n e s s . Our only r e g r e t at t h i s c h a n g e in t h e w o r k of t h e s h o p , c o m e s from t h e fact t h a t we c a n n o t n o w give to s t u d e n t s w h o wish to s u p p o r t t h e m s e l v e s in p a r t by t h e i r o w n labor, a s g o o d an o p p o r t u n i t y as in f o r m e r d a y s . I t is, h o w e v e r , c e r t a i n t h a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y c a n n o t u n d e r t a k e a n y e x t e n s i v e s c h e m e of m a n u f a c t u r i n g , e v e n for t h e p u r p o s e of p r o v i d i n g l a b o r for t h e s u p p o r t of i n d i g e n t s t u d e n t s . T h e c l a s s of b e g i n n e r s in t h e m a c h i n e s h o p n u m b e r , t h i s t e r m , s e v e n t e e n p e r s o n s . T h e s e s t u d e n t s m u s t w o r k as a c l a s s at t h e s a m e h o u r s , in o r d e r t h a t t h e i r s h o p - w o r k m a y b e k e p t o u t of t h e w a y of o t h e r class r e c i t a t i o n s , drill, etc. I t is also evident, from a g l a n c e a t t h e n a t u r e of t h e work, t h a t but little of the t e a c h i n g c a n be given to t h e m as a class— like t h o s e , say, in a l a n g u a g e , sitting before t h e t e a c h e r in a body, b u t t h e i n s t r u c t i o n m u s t be b r o u g h t to e a c h s e p a r a t e l y , as h e s t a n d s at his p l a c e at t h e w o r k - b e n c h . T h e n u m b e r of w o r k e r s a n d t h e p r e s e n t s u p p l y of tools a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n of r o o m , n e c e s s i t a t e s an a r r a n g e m e n t of w o r k which is illogical a n d i n c o n v e n i e n t , a l t h o u g h it a n s w e r e d t h e p u r p o s e w h e n t h e r e were fewer s t u d e n t s to be t r a i n e d . T h e s t u d e n t s c a n n o t all b e g i n at t h e p l a c e w h i c h might, from its own n a t u r e , be t h o u g h t m o s t fit for a b e g i n n i n g , b u t a v a r i e t y of w o r k m u s t be g o i n g on continually. Some b e g i n at t h e p a t t e r n - s h o p , w o r k i n g on w o o d ; s o m e a r e p u t at t h e vises, c h i p p i n g or filing; s o m e at t h e m a c h i n e s , dressingw o o d or i r o n : s o m e in t h e b l a c k s m i t h ' s s h o p . T h e class is s c a t t e r e d t h r o u g h t h e w o r k s , a n d s e v e r a l t r a d e s a r e g o i n g on at o n c e . E a c h pupil h a s a special p r o b l e m , n e w to h i m , on w h i c h h e n e e d s frequent advice from h i s t e a c h e r , who, if h e could be divided into s e v e r a l f r a g m e n t s , e a c h e n d o w e d with t h e intelligence of a good w o r k m a n , would b e c o m e n o n e too n u m e r o u s for t h e d u t y r e q u i r e d . T h e slight c o m p e n s a t i o n in t h a t a c e r t a i n i n d e p e n d e n c e a n d self-reliance is cultivated, is m o r e t h a n o v e r - b a l a n c e d by w a s t e of m a t e r i a l , injury t o tools, loss of t i m e , a n d i n c u l c a t i o n of b a d m e t h o d s . T h e r e is n e e d , t h e r e f o r e , e i t h e r of m o r e t e a c h e r s or of m o r e tools. Ultimately t h e r e m a y be n e e d for b o t h ; b u t inc r e a s e of tools will m e e t t h e p r e s e n t difficulty, a n d it is evidently c h e a p e r to furnish b e t t e r facilities in r o o m s a n d tools t h a n to u n d e r t a k e to p a y m o r e t e a c h i n g force. I t is e v i d e n t t h a t one t e a c h e r c a n easily a n d efficiently c a r e for t h r e e t i m e s as m a n y pupils if h e c a n h a v e t h e m in o n e r o o m , and e m p l o y e d on one kind of work, t h a n if t h e y w e r e s c a t t e r e d t h r o u g h several a p a r t m e n t s and occupied on different jobs. We h a v e n o w in t h e p a t t e r n s h o p s six s e t s of b e n c h tools; at the i r o n - w o r k e r s ' b e n c h e s e i g h t vises a n d e q u i p m e n t s ; in t h e b l a c k s m i t h ' s s h o p t h r e e fires a n d anvils: a n d in t h e m a c h i n e s h o p e i g h t m a c h i n e tools. T h e r e should b e , in t h e m o r « e l e m e n t a r y p a r t s , at l e a s t fifteen se-te of tools of t h e s a m e g e n e r a l c h a r a c t e r , w h i c h m i g h t be m a d e t w e n t y at s o m e future d a y .