Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1900 [PAGE 100]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

80

UNIVERSITY O F I L L I N O I S .

[May

5,

Mr. F u l k e r s o n also said t h a t t h e B o a r d of A g r i c u l t u r e would, if t h e trustees desired to erect a b u i l d i n g u p o n t h e fair g r o u n d s for t h e i r own use, a p p o i n t a c o m m i t t e e to confer in regard to t h e m a t t e r with a c o m m i t t e e of t h e B o a r d of T r u s t e e s . I t was voted to accept t h e offer of space in t h e Textile B u i l d i n g . Mr. F u l k e r s o n n o m i n a t e d Mr. J . F . P r a t h e r . of Williamsville, I l l i nois, to b e a m e m b e r of t h e Advisory B o a r d of t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l E x p e r i m e n t S t a t i o n , r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e Illinois S t a t e B o a r d of A g r i c u l ture. T h e n o m i n a t i o n was approved. A u t h o r i t y was given t h e C o m m i t t e e on t h e School of M e d i c i n e t o e n g a g e a professor of physiology for t h e school. Mr. M c K a y offered t h e following resolution, which was adopted: Besovled, That the report of the burning in effigy of Governor Tanner by the students of the University of Illinois be referred to a special committee consisting of Mrs. Abbott, Mr. Fulkerson, and Mr. Smith for investigation and report to the Board of Trustees. T h i s c o m m i t t e e m a d e a r e p o r t as follows:

URBANA, I I I . , May 5, 1899.

To the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. GENTLEMEN:—We, the undersigned special committee, to which was referred the duty of investigating the reported burning in effigy of Governor Tanner on the evening of April 24, 1899, beg leave to state that we have carefully investigated the subject and resorted, as far as possible, to all known sources of information, and we report: 1. That the demonstration referred to did not occur on the University grounds, but did occur on the west side park, in Champaign, more than one mile distant from the University. 2. That whatever occurred at the time of the reported burning in effigy of Governor Tanner was participated in by a very small number of irresponsible persons whose names are unknown to us; that we have been unable to find any person who could identify any student of the University as being present at the said alleged burning in effigy of Governor Tanner; that whatever occurred did not cover more than ten minutes of time, and that it was done so quickly and that the parties disappeared so quietly that not many of the citizens living adjoining the park knew anything of it until they saw the account the next day in the Chicago papers. 3. We further find that the whole disturbance was and is regarded by the citizens of Champaign as unworthy of public notice, and is by them charged to hoodlums only, and that the citizens are very indignant at the report contained in the Chicago papers. 4. We report further that President Draper and the Faculty were wholly unaware of the occurrence until the next day thereafter, and that, without exception, the President, the Faculty, and the student body warmly condemn the alleged burning in effigy of Governor Tanner by whomsoever it was done. Respectfully submitted,

W. H. FULKERSON, T. el. SMITH, ALICE A. ABBOTT.

T h e recommendation of t h e c o m m i t t e e was approved u p o n motion of Mr. H a t c h . U p o n motion of M r s Oarriel, t h e S e c r e t a r y was i n s t r u c t e d to send a copy of it to G o v e r n o r T a n n e r .