Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1888 [PAGE 205]

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208

UNIVEBSITY OF ILLINOIS.

certificate shall show in detail the subjects he has studied, and his standings in them. Graduation with a certificate is still permitted; a kind of side exit; usually used by those who find it inconvenient, for some reason, to pass out at the front door. Another peculiar institution that had its home here for a period of years, was the student's government. I t has now been so long gone that there can scarcely be a student here who has any personal knowledge of its operations. I t was organized in 1870. I t was an epitome of a republican government, having legislative, judiciary, and executive departments. Some of its officers were elected, some appointed. I t had all the paraphernalia of a court,, but a prison; but from its decisions there was no appeal; for its penalties, no pardon. Its courts were quite like other courts in the outer world—"when they were good, they were very, very good; when they were bad they were horrid." The scheme was ingenious, and could be explained so as to seem very attractive;, but it lacked poise, consistency, permanency. There was no security for even-handed justice. One set of officers would, with the best intentions, but with zeal not tempered with discretion, set itself at work to exterminate every form and instance of evil. This would bring a reaction, and at the next election a set of officers— and we had a new administration every term---whose only purpose in getting possession of the government was to hide it under a bushel a*nd keep it quiet; and they would do it very effectually. And yet, to their credit be it said, we had some excellent presidents, and worthy chief justices, who governed righteously and wisely during their brief term of authority. The history of this experiment in college discipline would of itself furnish material for a full and most interesting paper. I t is enough to say that after this government had passed years of very varied vicissitudes, in 1883 the students deliberately laid down their authority, to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. The years 1878-1880, judged by certain standards, have been deemed the most prosperous in the history of the University. The most needful buildings had been erected and occupied. The courses of study were fully organized, and a thoroughly competent corps of teachers was conducting the work of instruction. The average number of students for the three years named was exactly 400. The era of adverse criticism, not to say of vituperation, had passed. The people of the State of Illinois were coming to know that a grand and growing university had been planted in their midst, and that it was worthy of their confidence and support. At the same time, evils were menacing the institution both from without and from within. That which I refer to as from without, was the serious disturbance of its finances, which resulted from no lack of care, prudence, or forethought on the part of its financial advisers, but from disturbed conditions in the finances of the country, which could neither be avoided nor palliated.