 | Board of Visitors minutes July 4, 1840 |  |
The stated annual meeting of the Board of Visitors of
the University, in obedience to the commission of the Governor
of the state conferring their appointments, was held at the
University on the 4th day of July 1840: Present Chapman Johnson,
Joseph C. Cabell, John H. Cocke, Ths. J. Randolph, and
Wm. C. Rives.
Mr. Johnson was unanimously chosen Rector.
The Reports of the Bursar & Proctor were handed in.The
following resolutions were passed.
1. Resolved that the Book of the Chairman be referred
to Mr. Rives to read and note such parts of it as may require
the action of the Board.
2. Resolved that the Book of the Faculty be referred to
Mr. Randolph to read & to note such parts of it as may require
the action of the Board.
3. Resolved that Messrs. Cabell & Cocke be appointed a
committee of Inspection.
4. Mr. Rives was appointed a committee of Finance,
5. Resolved, that in consequence of the Board having
granted to Mr. Tucker leave of absence from the University in
order that he might make a trip to Europe, which could not be
accomplished with certainty in any precise number of days, the
abatement made from Mr. Tucker's Salary of one hundred & forty
four dollars, be remitted.
6. Resolved that the application of Smith Bankhead contain'd
in his letter of July 1st 1840 to be excused from the
observance of the Uniform Law, be rejected.
7. Resolved that the application of Th: H. Watts to be
permitted to take the Degree of A. M. without the required
graduation in the Greek language & Literature, be rejected.
The Board then took a recess to attend the Exercises of
the Public Day.
They met again in the Afternoon; but, that the several
committees might have time to prepare their reports, adjourned
to meet again on Monday.
Monday, July 6th. 1840. Present as on Saturday.
In consequence of Mr. Cabell's indisposition Messrs. Rives
& Randolph were added to the Committee of Inspection.
The Committee of Finance reported.
The committee of the Faculty, to whom was referred the
subject of a supply of water for the University made a report,
which was ordered to be laid upon the Table.
The following resolutions were passed:
1. Resolved that Doct: Henry Howard be appointed Professor
About 12 O. C. M. Mr. Randolph retired from the Board.
2. Resolved that Professor Davis be appointed Chairman
of the Faculty for the ensuing year.
3. The Proctor having appointed A. C. Grimm Hotel Keeper,
and having submitted to the Board his Bond with the endorsement
thereon of an agreement between himself & Mrs. Margaret
Ward- Resolved that the arrangement indicated by the endorsement
aforesaid be approved by the Board.
A letter from the professors of the Medical school to the
Visitors on the subject of the disadvantages of the site of
the present Infirmary, & recommending to the Board to authorise
another Building to be rented for the purpose between the
University & the town of Charlottesville having been laid before
the Board: Messrs. Cabell, Rives, & Randolph, the Committee
on the preceeding resolution.
4. Resolved that a Committee of Visitors be appointed and
charged with the duty of confering with the Professors of the
Medical School as to the details of the most expedient plan
of an Infirmary to be attached to the Medical School of the
University, & of making enquiries as to a suitable site for
said Infirmary, and that the Committee make report to the
next annual meeting of the Visitors: Messrs. Cabell, Rives,
& Randolph, the comm'ee on the preceding resolution
5. Resolved that the sentence of Expulsion pronounced
by the Faculty against Henry C. Chambers and John W. Pope
sentence of the Faculty and it's execution, do not intend to
cast the shadow of censure on that Body, who could not have
done otherwise than apply the penalty of the Law to a manifest
violation of it. But an application by those Students to
the Board, praying a remission of their sentence presents an
array of circumstances & considerations strongly and respectfully
urged in extenuation of their transgression, which, in
the opinion of the Board, should make an effectual appeal to
their favorable consideration.
A letter from the professor of Natural Philosophy having
been read wherein application is made to the Visitors to augment
& improve the means of illustration in his department:
6. Resolved that the said Professor have authority to
procure, on account of the University the list of Instruments
specified in his letter, and such others as he may deem essential,
provided the whole cost thereof do not exceed three
hundred Dollars, and that the proctor shall be authorised
to draw on the Bursar for the requisite amount.
7. Resolved that the Proctor refund to professors Tucker
and Cabell without Interest the sums which are or shall be
severally advanced by them for the improvements and additions
heretofore authorised to be made in the pavilions respectively
occupied by them.
8. Resolved that the accounts of the Proctor, Patron &
Bursar, during the periods for which they may not have been
of Commissioner Watson on the accounts of the Patron for the
Session of 1838-9 be referred to a committee of two members
of this Board, and that the said committee be authorised to
employ an accountant to aid them in the investigation if they
shall deem it necessary to do so:- Messrs. Rives & Randolph
were appointed a Committee to carry the preceeding resolution
into effect.
About dinner time Mr. Rives withdrew from the Board,
which being thus left without a quorum, adjourned till tomorrow.
Tuesday July 7. The board met. Present Messrs. Johnson,
Cabell, Cocke & Randolph.
The following resolutions were passed
1. Resolved that all favorable recommendations for admissions
of Students under age by the Faculty be referred to
the Executive Committee, who may admit such as they deem within
the equity of the enactments.
2. Resolved that the sum of $256.42 be allowed professor
Blaetterman for the alterations and additions to his premises
in 1835 as per the statement of G. W. Spooner of July 3d 1837,
and James Lobban's account of Nov. 1st. 1835, the sum of seventy
two dollars for paving having been stricken from Lobban's
account.
3. Resolved that the Executive Committee report to the
Board at their next meeting the proper appropriation of the
lecture rooms directed to be fitted up in the Gymnasia.
4. Resolved that the 2d & 3d branches of the communication
of Professor Davis in his letter to the Board of July 6th
1840 be referred to the Executive Committee to be acted upon
according to their discretion.
5. Resolved that the proctor be directed to pay to Professors
Rogers & Harrison the proportion of fees & salary
witheld in consequence of their absences during the past session.
6. Resolved, that the consolidated report which the Chairman
is now required to prepare, be dispensed with; and that
instead thereof, it shall be his duty to prepare and lay before
the Visitors, at the commencement of every annual meeting,
a report, founded on the weekly class reports of the professors,
showing the number of times on which every professor shall have
fail'd to meet his class on the days & hours prescribed by Law,
or fixed by the Faculty, together with the reasons of such
failure when appearing in the reports; and also the number of
times that each professor shall have failed to make his
weekly class reports, as required by the Enactments.
7. Resolved, that two orations may be hereafter delivered
by Students of the University, at the close of the Session as
a part of the Exercises of the public day; who shall be thus
selected. The Chairman, shortly after the commencement of
every session, shall give a general invitation to the Students
to prepare orations, under such restrictions as to
length & subject as he shall deem expedient to be submitted
to him on or before the 1st of May ensuing, accompanied each
compositions, the Faculty shall select the two best, which
shall be spoken on the public day; & return the others to their
respective authors, with the seals unbroken.
8. Resolved, that the Faculty be authorised to confer on
those Students who obtain distinction in the several schools
a certificate to that effect, signed by the professor of the
school.
9. Resolved, that a suitable form of certificate of proficiency,
and of the Diploma to be conferred upon those Students
who obtain the degree of Master of Arts of the University,
& the necessary plates for the purpose be provided by the
Chairman.
10. Resolved that the graduates in the School of Law
shall have the title of Bachellor of Law.
11. Resolved that the proctor be instructed to sell or
hire out Lewis the property of the University and to purchase
or hire a suitable servant in his place.
12. Resolved, that the proctor be directed to pay the
account of Wm. B. Rogers amounting to 80 dollars for 8 cases
for the preservation of shells presented to the University
by John A. Carr.
13. Resolved, that no Student residing out of the University
shall, without leave of the Faculty, keep a servant,
horse or dog, upon pain of any of the major or minor punishments.
It appearing that the new book presses recently placed
in the Library are improperly planned and defectively constructed:
14. Resolved, that the Chairman of the Faculty be requested
to ascertain and to report to the Visitors at their
next meeting the cause of the error in the plan & the authority
by which so large a number of presses was procured and
paid for; & by what means, if there be any by which the defects
may be remedied.
15. Resolved, that the plan for converting the Gymnasia
into two apartments for lecture rooms submitted by Genl. Cocke
be adopted; and that the proctor, under the supervision of
the Executive Committee, in order to have the same executed,
be directed to advertise forthwith for contractors to undertake
the work, and the proposals be accepted which may be
offered upon the best terms, & under circumstances which may
afford the best hope of the fulfilment of the wishes of the
Board in getting the job done of the best materials, faithfully
put together, and at fair & reasonable prices, & to be
compleated as soon as practicable: including the excavation
of a space at least four feet wide parallel with the South
walls, of the said Gymnasia, & extending from the steps of
the Rotunda to the porticos of the Pavilions 1 & 2 respectively.
This excavated passage to be sunk six inches below
the level of the floors of the new rooms, to be faced with
a brick wall laid in hydraulic cement up to the level of the
inclining from the walls of the rooms half an inch to the
foot, with a graduated blind drain at the base of the outer
wall to deliver the water by a continuation of the drain beyond
the arched entries at the east & west ends of the said
lecture rooms. And
16. Resolved further that the sky light of the Rotunda
be altered agreeably to a plan at the same time submitted by
Genl. Cocke and that it be executed under the arrangements
already directed in the case of the alterations in the Gymnasia.
The Committee of Inspection submitted a report, accompanied
by the following resolutions which were adopted.
17. Resolved that it shall be the duty of the Librarian
to cause the floor of the Hall and galleries of the Library
to be scoured immediately preceeding the opening of each session
of the University and at the commencement of each succeeding
quarter thereafter, and as much oftener as may be
necessary to keep them in a clean & neat condition; and that
he be authorised to call upon the Proctor for the hirelings
of the University to perform that service.
18. Resolved, that it shall be the duty of the Librarian
to cause the hall and galleries of the Library to be swept
once every day, & that he shall be authorised to employ the
servant who attends at the Rotunda and rings the Bell to
perform this service.
19. Resolved, that the Proctor be required to cause the
20. Resolved that, there being various volumes in the
Library, inclusive of a portion of books in Mr. Bohn's donation,
which it is expedient to have immediately bound, the
annual appropriation of tharty dollars for binding books shall,
for the next year be augmented, if necessary, to one hundred
and fifty dollars, and it shall be the duty of the Librarian,
under the superintendance and direction of the Faculty to
cause the aforesaid volumes to be properly bound, and to draw
upon the Proctor for the sum necessary to defray the Expense.
21. Resolved, that the 8th section of the 5th Chapter of
the Enactments be amended so that all books which may have
been taken out of the Library shall be returned thereto on or
before the 30th of June in every year, and every person whether
professor or other individual who shall violate this injunction
shall be liable to a fine of twenty five cents for
every day that any book or number of a periodical may be unlawfully
withheld.
22. Resolved, that the 12th section of the 5th Chapter
of the Enactments be amended so that any professor of the University
who shall take any book or books, or one or more
numbers of periodicals from the library without leaving with
the Librarian a note of such books, or periodicals shall, for
every such book or periodical so unlawfully taken pay a fine
of one dollar.
23. Resolved, that it shall be the duty of the Librarian
fines incurred by withholding or taking books or periodicals
from the Library in violation of the provisions of either of
the preceeding resolutions and it shall be the duty of the
Proctor forthwith to collect such fines.
24. Resolved, that the professor of natural philosophy
be authorised to procure a press for holding such of the objects
in Mr. Jefferson's donation as cannot otherwise be properly
preserved, and also to have such objects in the Philosophical
and astronomical apparatus repaired as he may think require
repair, and that he be authorised to draw upon the Proctor
for the money necessary to pay for such press & such repairs
provided it shall not exceed in the whole, the sum of one
hundred dollars.
25. Resolved, that the proctor be required to cause to
be made in the backyard contiguous to the pavilion of professor
Bonnycastle & at the expense of the Professor the enclosure
referred to in his letter to the Board of Visitors
of the 4th July; it being understood that the portion of
ground to be embraced in said enclosure shall not extend further
from the South wall of the Pavilion than the length of
two Dormitories.
26. Resolved, that the proctor be authorised to cause
the cellar under the Dormitory occupied as a study by Professor
Bonnycastle to be fitted up for the accommodation of
his Domestics, on condition that should such improvement
shall be at the charge of the Professor.
27. Resolved, that the proctor cause Venetian Doors to
be annexed to the passage of Professor Bonnycastle's pavilion
on the side thereof next the Lawn, at the expense of the
University.
28. Resolved, that the proctor be required to place a
new superstructure over the porch in the rear of Professor
Roger's pavilion & to cause to be made a neat painted plank
enclosure in the backyard contiguous to his pavilion and
parallel to the north wall of the same, embracing a breadth
of ground equal to the length of the adjacent Dormitory;
provided that said plank enclosure shall be erected at the
charge of the professor.
29. Resolved, that a circular, painted plank enclosure
extending from the S.E. corner of the garden wall to the
nearest corner of Professor Howard's pavilion be caused to
be erected by the proctor provided it be done at the charge
of the professor.
30. Resolved, that permission be given to continue the
plank enclosures in the backyards on the south sides of professor
Cabell's & Blaetterman's pavilions, and in the backyards
on the north sides of professor Bonnycastle's & Harrison's
pavilions, provided that the old planking, wherever requiring
repair, be taken down & neatly renewed & that the
whole shall be painted; and the expense charged to the respective
professor's.
31. Resolved, that in all cases where glass has been
broken and still calls for renewal in the windows of the pavilions,
that the proctor cause the glass to be replaced as
soon as practicable, at the expense of the respective professors.
32. Resolved, that the proctor be required, as soon as
practicable to cause to be replaced all the glass broken in
the buildings of the University where, by the enactments the
expense of glazing is at the charge of the University.
33. Resolved, that the proctor be required to cause the
slate roofs of the University to be search'd with a view to
replace any defective slate, and that it shall be his duty
to cause to be corrected as soon as practicable, the leaks in
the said slate roofs, or in the other roofs of the University.
34. Resolved, that the large hall in the basement story
of the Anatomical Theatre occupied as a lecture room by the
Professor of Medicine being insufficiently warmed in winter
by the small stoves on the sides of said apartment, the proctor
be required to procure and caused to be fitted up a
large additional stove in the centre of said lecture room.
35. Resolved that the proctor be required to remove all
trees now growing within twelve feet from any wall at the
University which appear to be doing injury to such wall unless
objection should be made by the occupant of the ground enclosed
in which case he shall report such objection to the Board of
Visitors; and it shall be his duty to prevent the planting in
future of any tree within fifteen feet of any of the walls.
The Board then adjourned sine die.
Frank Carr Secty.
| Board of Visitors minutes July 4, 1840 | |