Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1938 [PAGE 590]

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588

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[December 18

and properly treated periodically, in order to keep them in first class condition. This conditioning must be done by the Art Institute of Chicago or by some competent person or firm designated or approved by it. 5. T h e collection shall be known as the "Emily Nichols Trees (class of 1905) and Merle Jay Trees (class of 1907) Collection." 6. If our proposal is accepted by the Board of Trustees and if for any reason the Board shall not be prepared to accept immediate delivery of an installment of the entire collection, the pictures may be left in our custody at the risk of the Board, which risk must be fully insured at the donee's expense. W e believe the paintings that will be offered are of good quality—many of them having been selected and purchased under the advice and counsel of the director of the Art Institute of Chicago. T h e University, however, shall have the right to decline acceptance of any picture or pictures submitted from time to time. Will you please advise, as promptly as convenient, whether the President is prepared to recommend acceptance of this gift to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois? If so, and providing the recommendation is approved by the Board of Trustees at its December 3, 1937, meeting, we will supply the Board, prior to December 31, 1937, with a list of the paintings we are prepared to give to the University of Illinois through your organization at the present time. Very truly yours,

E M I L Y N. TREES MERLE J. TREES

Before acting on this offer, the Board desired further information concerning the terms and conditions specified by Mr. and Mrs. T r e e s ; and as they are anxious to settle the matter before the end of the present calendar year, it was referred to the Executive Committee. T h e questions raised at the last Board meeting are stated in the accompanying copy of a letter to Mr. Trees of December 6, 1937 (Exhibit A ) . Copies of Mr. Trees's letters of December7 and 17,1937 (Exhibit B ) , a r e also submitted. T h e University Statutes provide that no object of art shall be accepted until its artistic quality has been passed upon by competent judges appointed by University authorities. P u r s u a n t to that requirement, Dean Rexford Newcomb of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, and Chairman of the standing Committee on W o r k s of Art, was requested to inspect the Trees collection, and a copy of his report is submitted as Exhibit C. Under the University Statutes the Comptroller is required to keep an inventory record of all movable property. If the Trees collection is accepted by the University and Mr. Trees is asked to keep it in his custody, the Comptroller will need to have a specific record of each painting which becomes the property of the University. H e has submitted a memorandum of what such a record should include which is attached as Exhibit D. Copies of all these exhibits are hereby filed with the Secretary of the Board for record.

This matter was discussed. On motion of Dr. Meyer, the offer was accepted and the following resolution was unanimously adopted.

Whereas, T h e University of Illinois Foundation has transmitted to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois a proposal by the Honorable Merle J. Trees and Emily N. T r e e s to give the University of Illinois a number of oil paintings, upon certain terms and conditions, which the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois interprets, in substance, as follows: T h e University agrees to exhibit the entire collection of paintings in one room, or in rooms which adjoin in such manner as to be reasonably regarded as one r o o m ; the collection shall be known as the "Emily Nichols Trees (Class of 1905) and Merle Jay Trees (Class of 1907) Collection"; title to the paintings shall pass to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois immediately upon the approval by the University of each and every painting offered by the donors, and delivery of paintings which are approved and accepted by the