Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1914 [PAGE 738]

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736

UNIVEESITY OF ILLINOIS.

[March 10,.

On July 5, 1912, the board gave the President of the University authority t a appoint a commission on Jewish-American History and Culture. The object of this commission was to devise ways and means of increasing the collections of the University bearing upon the subject of Jewish-American history and culture, and to promote the general interest of the University and the public in this subject. Similar authority was given to appoint a commission on German-American history and culture. Although I have not appointed these commissions, some interest has already been excited in the matter, resulting in a gift of money for the purchase for theUniversity Library of books relating to the history and civilization of the Jews. I have been over the details of the plan with the head of the History Department, and it seems as if valuable results might be achieved for the University b y an enlargement of the scope of the plan. I. recommend that the President of theUniversity be authorized to announce the fact that the University will attempt to secure in its library collections of books, manuscripts, maps, specimens of art and archeology, etc., bearing on the history of the different racial and national elements which have entered into the life of our national body politic and social. I recommend further that he be given authority to appoint a series of commissions upon the history and culture of the various racial and national elements which have entered in to the life and history.of the American people. This would mean that in addition to the commission on Jewish-American history and GermanAmerican history, he should appoint one on the Irish-American elements, one on the French-American elements, one on the Dutch-American elements, one on the Scandinavian-American elements, one on the Hungarian-American elements, one on the Polish-American elements, one on the Slavic-American elements, etc., all of which should work together to accomplish the result of securing in our University Library comprehensive collections bearing on the history of the constant elements of our people. As indicated in the action previously taken, these commissions would consist partly of members of our own faculty, but chiefly of men outside the University, and, where desirable, outside of the State, whose cooperation might be enlisted in this work.

On the recommendation of President James and on motion of Dr. Montgomery, the desired authority was given. At this point Miss Watson withdrew.

INTER-UNIVERSITY C O M M I T T E E TO P R E P A R E M A T E R I A L CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. FOR STATE

(9) A statement concerning a joint university committee to prepare material for a possible State constitutional convention. For some time certain members of the law faculties of Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois have been conferring together as to the possibility of preparing material which might be of use to the State when a convention should be called to revise the State Constitution. At the suggestion of these, gentlemen, I invited President Harris, of Northwestern University, and President Judson, of the University of Chicago, to cooperate with • me in appointing a joint committee on this subject; and, with their consent, I appointed Professors Wigmore and Scofield of Northwestern University, Professors Hall and Freund of the University of Chicago, and Professors Harker and Dodd of the University of Illinois. This committee has held two sessions and planned a piece of cooperative work, which I think will prove highly valuable to the people of the State in facilitating the work preparatory to drafting a new Constitution. They proposed at their meeting held February 7, 1914, at the City Club, in Chicago, to recommend to the three universities concerned that the traveling expenses of the members of this committee, in attendance upon meetings of the same, the cost of mimeographing the work of the committee, and of collecting material for the use of the committee should be a joint charge upon the three universities. '

On motion of Mrs. Henrotin, the recommendation of the committee was approved and the sum of $100, or so much thereof as may he necessary, was made. The vote was as follows: Ayes, Mr. Ahhott, Mrs. Busey, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Henrotin, Mr. Hoit, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Trevett; noes, none; absent, Mr. Blair, Mr. Dunne, Mr. Meeker, Mr. Moore, Miss Watson. At this point Miss Watson returned to the meeting.

GREGORY MEMORIAL BUILDING.

(10) A letter from Mr. S. A. Bullard in the matter of the Gregory Memorial. On October 8, 1912, the board gave the President of the University authority to consider, with a committee of the alumni, or with others interested in the matter, the possibility of erecting a suitable building on the campus as a memorial to the first Regent of the University. I have discussed this matter at various times with Mr. S. A. Bullard, Chairman of the Alumni Committee. In a recent letter, he states his opinion that it is necessary, before a proposition can be formulated so as to command the support of the alumni, that the board should indicate its willingness to assign a site on the University campus for the erection of such a memorial building in honor of the first Regent of the University, and to be named after him.