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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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288 History University of Illinois written all of the law of 1867 except the twelfth section, considered this one of the effete customs of the old system of educational institutions. Some ten years later, however, on petition of the alumni the law was altered making it permissible to confer degrees and then, following a conference of land grant colleges and state universities, the Illinois university took up the old custom of granting degrees. The regent spent busy months previous to the opening of the university, traveling about the state setting forth the aims and prospects of the new institution, directing examinations for the free scholarships, and journeying into other states to locate the lands belonging to the university. The meeting of the board of trustees held November 26, 27, and 28, was the last before the one held at the time of the inauguration and much business was transacted; among other things the selection of the first faculty. Two professors were elected, William M. Baker and G. W. Atherton, at salaries of two thousand a year, their chairs "hereafter to be named,'' and Jonathan Periam of Chicago was elected head farmer at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars. Among the preparations for the opening of the university at the November meeting one thousand dollars was set aside to purchase the nucleus of a library, and a sum not to exceed six thousand was allowed for the Bromby cabinet.23 This cabinet was in the three departments of mineralogy, geology, and conchology and was the work of Professor Bromby of Georgia who had been twenty-five years collecting it. But when Dr. Gregory inspected the cabinet in New York about January first, he found that it was in poor condition; many of the specimens had been ruined by careless packing, and the purchase wtas not made. It was expected there would be a cabinet, for an appropriation of five hundred dollars had been made to Major J. W. Powell of Normal for his "Rocky Mountain'' expedition, one of the purposes of which was to acquire a natural history collection for the university. By-laws for the government of the board were adopted which gave the rates of tuition, officers and appointees of the board, duties of the various officers, and other important matters.24 *First annual report of board of trustees, p, 122. *For the by-laws, First annual report of board of trustees, p. 70.
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