First day, May 4, 1875
According to previous notice the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina met at the Executive Office in this
City on the 4th inst. Present
- His Excellency Gov. C. H. Brogden Chairman ex
officio
- Messrs. W. A. Graham
- " B. F. Moore
- " C. B. Hassell
- " Rev. Dr. Neil McKay
- " Paul C. Cameron
- " John Manning
- " J. J. Davis
- " R. L. Patterson
- " Jas. A. Graham
- " Dr John McIver
- " K. P. Battle
On motion of Mr John Manning, the Trustees elect now in the city,
viz. Hon W. H. Battle and Major Seaton Gales are
invited to honorary seats in the Board, which invitation was
accepted.
The Secretary reads the proceedings of the last meeting, which are approved.
Mr P. C.
Cameron from the committee on repairs makes a verbal report,
stating that the work is in a fair state of progress and will be pushed to
completion as rapidly as the means shall be supplied; that accommodations
for 200 students can be furnished by July 1st.
Mr Kemp P.
Battle moves that all receipts from distributive shares and
unclaimed dividends shall be loaned or invested under directions of the
Executive Committee, and the interest only
used until the principal shall become the absolute property of the University, which motion was accepted.
The Secretary lays before the Board various schemes for the reorganization
of the University prepared by men who have given
this matter their special attention, having due reference to carrying into
effect the provisions of the act of Congress of July 2nd
1862, donating Land Scrip to the several States for the establishment of
Colleges for teaching branches of learning relating to Agriculture and the
Mechanic arts; whereupon after considerable discussion, Rev. C. B.
Hassell submits the following as the proper programme to be
adopted by the Board.
- 1
st Agree to revive the University on its original basis.
- 2 Appoint a committee to designate the number and character of
Professorships, including agriculture and mechanic arts.
- 3 Fill those Professorships at once, by elections, including a a
President.
- 4 Name the day on which the doors shall be open and the exercises
commenced.
- 5 Appoint one man to each county in the State to solicit donations
to the Institution and transmit the collections to the Treasurer on
or before a certain day to be named.
- 6 Appoint, now, the time for the next meeting of the Board to determine the salaries of the Faculty, and
adopt By-Laws for the government of the Faculty and students.
On motion of Mr P. C. Cameron the folling resolutions are adopted
as a substitute.
Resolved
That a committee consisting of Messrs Kemp P. Battle, John Manning,
Jas. A.
Graham, J. J. Davis, and Rev. C. B.
Hassell consider the various schemes offered for the
re-organization of the University and report tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock.
The Secretary and Treasurer lays before the Board a a certified
copy of the act of the General Assembly
authorising a certificate of indebtedness for $125,000 to be
issued to the University in replacement of the Agricultural
College Fund which had been invested
partly in special tax bonds as heretofore reported, and likewise the bond
received from the Treasurer in execution of said act.
On motion of Hon W. A. Graham
Resolved that the Secretary and
Treasurer in accordance with the act entitled "an act in relation
to the Land Script Fund for establishment of a College for the benefit of
Agricultural and Mechanic arts" ratified March 20th 1875, in the presence of three members of the Board shall learn the Special Tax bonds belonging to the Land Scrip
Fund, and they shall report their proceedings to the Board at the next
meeting.
The Secretary and Treasurer reports that he had endeavored to have a
settlement with Mr R. W. Lassiter late Treasurer, that
there seemed to to be little difficulty in the way except his claim for
$300 salary for the year 1874, that Mr Lassiter had pledged
three bonds of $1000 each amounting to $3000, issued
for the North Carolina Rail Road Company, belonging
to the Agricultural College Fund and had lodged two other like bonds of
$1000 each, amounting to $2000, with said Bank, taking
a receipt, showing that the Bank was authorised to sell them, that Mr Lassiter
claims that it was subsequently agreed that they should not be sold but held
as a pledge, that the President of the Bank agrees to deliver these
$5000 bonds or payment of a balance of about $380 due
Mr Lassiter, of which amount $300 is the salary for 1874,
the validity of which the Board has not admitted.
The Secretary and Treasurer lays before the Board a communication
from Mr Lassiter, alleging that he had performed valuable services for
the Board during 1874. Whereupon the Board instructs the
Secretary and Treasurer to request Mr Lassiter to state in detail such
services in order that the Board may know to what extent equitable
grounds exist for awarding compensation for that year.
The Secretary and Treasurer further reports that he had not brought suit
against the Bank because by the act of the General
Assembly recently passed it is provided that all the bonds, not
special tax bonds, reported as belonging to the Agricultural College Fund
shall be held by the Trustees subject to the disposition of the
General Assembly. Whereupon the resolution
passed atthe last session of the Board is suspended until further orders of the Board.
The Secretary and Treasurer reports that he had notified Mr James B.
Mason to meet him for the purpose of settling his accounts as
Agent of the late Board, but had not heard from him it is
ordered that another effort be made to accomplish such settlement.
The Secretary and Treasurer lays before the Board, sundry papers
bearing on the claim of the late Charles Manly former Treasurer of the
Board for extra compensation as Escheater General, stating that
Mr Manly
retained $900 City of Wilmington bonds as indemnity on
account of said claim, and asked for instructions. Whereupon the Board, being of the opinion that the claim is not valid, directs
that the Secretary and Treasurer lay copies of the papers bearing on the
case before the Executors of Mr Manly, and endeavor to induce the surrender of
the Bonds without suit.
On motion of K. P. Battle
Resolved That the Board will not appeal
from the decision of the Circuit Court of the United States in the case of
Dency assignee vs. the Trustees of the University
and others, and if any action has been taken looking to such appeal, the
proceedings shall be discontinued.
On motion the Board adjourned to meet again tomorrow
morning at 10 oclock.
Second day. May 5
According to adjournment the Board convened at 10 oclock A.M.
Mr Kemp P.
Battle, on behalf of the committee on Reorganization, makes a
report which on his motion was considered seriatim, whereupon the following
resolutions were adopted:
Resolved 1st That the University
be opened for the admission of pupils on the 1st Monday
in September next, and that the term continue, with two weeks vacation at
Christmas, until the 2nd Thursday in June 1876.
Resolved 2. The charge for tuition shall be $60 for the term with
$10 for room rent, servant hire and deposit money, of which one
half shall be paid in advance, the other half on or before the opening of
the session in January.
Resolved 3 That for the present there shall be established six Colleges, at
the head of each of which there shall be a Professor (unless the Board shall decide to elect a President and place one of them under
his charge) viz.:
- I College of Agriculture
- II College of Engineering and the Mechanic Arts
- III College of Natural Science
- IV College of Literature
- V College of Mathematics
- VI College of Philosophy
Resolved 4. That said College shall be sub-divided into schools according to
the schedule annexed, over each of which be placed separate instructors, as
soon as the means of the University shall be sufficient,
viz.:
- I The College of Agriculture into, 1
st School
of Scientific Agriculture; 2nd School of
Practical Agriculture; 3rd School of
Horticulture.
- II The College of Engineering and the Mechanic arts, into 1
st School of Mechanical Engineering; 2nd School
of Civil Engineering; 3rd School of Mining; 4th School of Military Science and
Tactics.
- III The College of Natural Science into 1
st
School of Chemistry; 2nd School of Zoology and Botany; 3rd School of Geology and Mineralogy.
- IV The College of Literature into, 1
st School
of English Language and Literature; 2nd School
of Ancient Languages; 3rd School of Modern
Languages.
- V The College of Mathematics into, 1
st School
of Pure Mathematics; 2nd School of Natural
Philosophy; 3rd School of Commercial Science.
- VI The College of Philosophy into 1
st School
of Metaphysics and Logic; 2nd School of Moral
Science; 3rd School of History, Political
Economy, International and Constitutional Law.
Resolved 5 That further details in regard to the course of instruction in the
University, the granting of diplomas,
certificates of proficiency, &c shall be adjusted by the Board on consultation with the members of the Faculty to be
hereafter elected.
Resolved 6 That the Professors shall be allowed a Salary of $2000
per annum, each, payable semi-annually with house rent.
Resolved 7 The question whether a President of the University
shall be elected by the Trustees or the Faculty shall choose a
chairman of their body with executive power, is postponed to the next
meeting of the Board.
Resolved 8. That when the Board adjourns, it shall adjourn to meet
again in the Executive Office in the City of Raleigh on Wednesday the 16th of June next, and that at that meeting the Professors
shall be elected, of which fact the Secretary shall give public notice.
Resolved, On Motion of Mr K. P. Battle, that a special committee of five be
appointed who shall be authorized to adopt such measures as they may deem
advisable for raising contributions for the use of the use of the University, on such conditions and limitations as may be agreed
on with the donors. Messrs Kemp P. Battle, B. F. Moore, W. A.
Graham, Paul C. Cameron, John Manning were
appointed onthis committee.
On motion of Mr John
Manning,
Resolved, That Messrs. W. A. Graham, B.
F. Moore, and W. H. Battle be Trustees of the funds
to be raised by contributions for the maintenance of the University.
On motion of W. A. Graham,
Resolved, That the Secretary and
Treasurer correspond with N. W. Woodfin Esq. and others to
ascertain the condition of the lands in Buncombe and
other counties, belonging to the University. Likewise he
ascertain, if practicable, whether the University
has valid claim to any lands in Tennessee, and that he report all the facts he can
obtain to the Board.
On motion of Mr Manning,
Resolved That there shall be established
as early as practicable in connection with the College of Agriculture,
Engineering and of the Mechanic arts, a farm and garden of which the grounds
heretofore set apart, shall be a portion, and also a workshop in which the
different schools in the various Colleges may be illustrated. The open land
bounded by the Raleigh road in the East and that Southeast of the South
Building are included in the campus and are set apart as a parade and
play ground.
On motion of Hon W. A. Graham,
Resolved That Messrs Manning
Cameron and Battle, be a committee to meet the
commissioner under the decree in the case of Dency assignee vs. the University and others, at Chapel Hill, and lay claims to the College
Buildings, Professors' houses and tract of land on which they are situated,
as necessary for the purpose of instruction in the various departments of
the University.
On motion of Mr R. L. Patterson,
Resolved, that the
Secretary and Treasurer negotiate a loan of $5000 to be expended
for repairs of the buildings, &c. of the University
and that the first receipts unto the Treasury except from the Agricultural
Land Scrip Fund, shall be applied to the endemnity of such persons as may
become sureties for the Trustees for said loans.
On motion of Mr Cameron,
Resolved, that
advertisement be made for the return of the books and other property
belonging to the University, and the Secretary is directed
wherever practicable to enforce the same.
On motion the Secretary is authorized to publish the proceedings of the
meeting.
On motion, the Board adjourned to meet on the 16th of June next in this place.
Kemp P. Battle
Secretary