Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1892 [PAGE 36]

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PROCEEDINGS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

39

9. The fee will be 50 cents per term, payable in advance. Some farther arrangements for comfort and convenience are necessary to make this room reasonably serviceable as a gymnasium. These were provided for in the original plans, but have not yet been prepared. A low partition, say seven and a half feet high, may be set parallel to the south wall, and as far from t h a t wall as the second mullion of the end windows. This, with suitable cross partitions, will provide a room 50 feet long for a dressing and wash room for men, a similar room for the guns, and a room in the middle, about 30 feet long, for a dressing room for women. Water should be introduced into the two dressing rooms. This is an easy matter, as there is now a water pipe within about 20 feet of the front center of the building. Outlet has also been provided at the same place. This partition will somewhat contract the floor space, but the uses referred to seem the more important: being low, and finished in the natural color of pine, it will not seriously affect the general lofty and broad appearance of the room. This improvement will cost about $400, and may be paid for out of the state appropriation for buildings and grounds. In this connection I present a petition of the senior class for the use of the Military Hall during commencement week. Also a petition of the Athletic Association, for leave to fence in and occupy exclusively a part of the north campus. The changes in the machine shops are approaching completion, and appear to be kept well within the expense authorized. The coal and iron sheds are built and occupied. The expense has exceeded the appropriation by $130.44. I have to ask t h a t this expenditure be approved, and t h a t an additional amount of $70 be authorized for settings in the water closet. I hope t h a t this may be permitted to be done forthwith, so t h a t the unsightly wooden shell still remaining may at once be demolished, and the opening be closed, at least temporarily, by a fence. I trust t h a t another season will see this improvement carried to the other end of the shop yard, with suitable provision for lumber sheds, etc. I desire to ask your attention to the following subject: Some years since the Faculty recommended to the Trustees t h a t the master's degree be given to certain students who had graduated, with certificates, in the early days of the University, before degrees were given. The intent of the Faculty was to recognize in this way, very common among colleges, the good work and growing reputation of the earlier graduates. The practice, judiciously administered, has many reasons in its favor. The Trustees declined to approve this recommendation of the Faculty, on the ground t h a t the conferring of such degrees was not authorized by the law of 1877, under which degrees are conferred. I venture to ask a reconsideration of this action, and of the question whether the conferring of degrees, upon the persons, and in the manner proposed, may not be both lawful and expedient. The new appointments require the furnishing of two, and probably three more rooms with proper settees and teachers' desks, at a cost of about $75 each. From current funds, $225. I have to ask the following from state appropriation for apparatus and material:

For 13 officers' swords and belts For apparatus for mechanical department For drawing boards and paper, professor of architecture From current funds— For case for testing instruments, mechanical laboratory. For case for musical instruments, chapel , , $248 00 $50 00