Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1920 [PAGE 756]

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752

BOARD O F T R U S T E E S

[March 9,

PROPOSED MILITARY (4)

SCHOLARSHIP

The following extract from a letter from the Secretary of War: "I believe that Army service may be made still more attractive by opening to our soldiers an opportunity for higher education and training and it has occurred to me that one of the possible avenues that might be so opened is one leading to and through our great universities and other institutions of learning. A certain number of soldiers are appointed to Cadetships at the United States Military Academy at West Point each year,but it is believed to be desirable to broaden the scope of the opportunities offered them so that those who wish may pursue other educational courses than that leading up to a commission in the Army. "In every Regiment, Camp, Post, and Station of the United States Army are to be found soldiers with ambition for such higher education and training and the ability to pursue it, but without the means to that end. Would it not be possible for the Universities of our country to each establish one patriotic scholarship for such deserving young men. "My conception of this scholarship is that it should be distinctly* patriotic and should bear the name of some great soldier or statesman of the state in which the institution is located and that it should carry with it either sufficient money to defray living expenses, or employment at the institution of such nature as to permit the pursuit of the courses of the institution and to give sufficient remuneration to defray the scholar's expenses. "This scholarship to be open to citizens of your State who have served honorably through an enlistment, who have received a character of "Excellent" on their discharge, and who have been especially selected and recommended for the scholarship from among the enlisted personnel of the organizations of the United States Army, either serving in your state or allocated to it, by the commanding officers of these organizations. "I feel that our Country at large has never fully appreciated its obligation to the young men who have in peace time performed the necessary military service of the Nation. The suggested scholarship is only one of the means I have in mind to in a measure discharge this obligation to those men competent to profit by it. And I will add further that the establishment of such patriotic scholarships at our universities will, I am sure, cause a spirit of emulation in the service, will raise our own standard of education in the Army to meet the requirements, and will result in mutual good and mutual respect of great value to the Country at large. "I wish to make it clear that the beneficiaries of such scholarships shall be at liberty to take any course available at the institution, that they are to be entirely free from any further military control or discipline in this choice, or in their lives at the institution, except in so far as the law may apply to members of the Enlisted Reserve Corps."

On motion of Mr. Blair, action was deferred.

UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA COURSE FOR 1920-21 (5) A request from the Director of the School of Music and the Comptroller that the University Symphony orchestra concert course be continued for 1920-21; that the usual appropriation of $5,000.00 be made for its expense; and that season tickets be sold as usual at $2*50 each.

On motion of Mr. Abbott, this request was granted, by the following Vote: Aye, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Blair, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Busey, Mr. Carr, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Hoit; no, none; absent, Mr. Lowden, Mr. Trimble, Mr. Ward-