| |
| |
Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1922
This is a reduced-resolution page image for fast online browsing.
EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:
1922] UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 185 WILLIAM 8t VASHTI COLLEGE (15) At the meeting of the Board a month ago certain petitioners appeared from Aledo, Illinois, asking that the University take over the property and endowment of the former William & Vashti College at Aledo. You directed me to make a report on the matter at this meeting of the Board, and I hereby do so. I asked the Vice President and Dean of the College of Agriculture, the Provost of the University, the Comptroller, and one or two others the general question whether they could think of any use to which the University could put these buildings at such a distance from the University. The answer of all was in the negative. I submitted the statements made by the petitioners at the last meeting to Dean Davenport with a request for his opinion on the matter as presented to the Board. He reported that of the two plans proposed by the petitioners, the first one in his opinion is not at all feasible—namely, to use the institution as a branch of the University of Illinois. Dean Davenport is of the opinion that it would not be practicable to do one year's work away from the University, and is also of the opinion that a student of Mercer County who is bent upon a university course in agriculture would go to the University of Illinois, to Ames, or to Wisconsin "unless an inordinate amount of money were spent on the local institution." Dean Davenport further points out that if the two-year proposition were adopted and a junior college established, " i t would at once arouse geographical demands on the institution that it seems to me would go far toward bleeding the resources of the University. Any attempt to establish its^ teaching service locally will not only result in a lower grade of work and inordinate expense, but it will also result in demands on the institution which will be practically impossible to meet." Dean Davenport points out that the amount of land (thirteen acres) now in possession of the institution at Aledo would be entirely inadequate for conducting a junior college of agriculture, and that in his opinion if this project were to be undertaken, it would require from #38,000 to #50,000 a year to conduct the work if it could be maintained at all. The Comptroller of the University, replying to my request for his opinion on the whole matter, reported: " I t is my opinion that there is not occasion, nor is the University ready at this time to undertake the establishment of branches at separate centers." The Comptroller further points out that the maximum income from a capacity enrollment at fees equal to those of the regular University fees in Arts and Sciences and Agriculture, plus the income from the present endownment fund at Aledo, assuming that that would be turned over to the University, would not exceed $20,000 per year. He adds, " I t is therefore likely that the University, if it undertook to operate this school, would have to put #50,000 a year out of its state appropriations into the work. In my judgment the University cannot at the present time release that amount of its funds for such a purpose without embarrasment." I am in full accord with these opinions and think it would be inadvisable for the University to try to do any part of its work at Aledo. It is with much regret and with high appreciation of the fine spirit of the petitioners that I have reached this conclusion and recommend that your Board decline with thanks the kind offer of the people concerned. On motion of Mr. Noble, this recommendation was concurred inP E T I T I O N OF W O M E N S T U D E N T S FOR WOMAN'S DORMITORY (16) A petition signed by 1034 young women of the University, asking for additional dormitories for women. On motion of Mrs. Evans, this petition and for due consideration when the building to the next General Assembly is made up. quested to express to the young women the their interest in this matter. was received for record program for submission The Secretary was reBoard's appreciation of
| |
