 | Board of Visitors minutes June 25, 1846 |  |
On Thursday June 25th 1846 the stated annual meeting of
the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia commenced;
and there were present on that day, Joseph C. Cabell, Rector,
John H. Cocke, Thomas J. Randolph, & James M. Mason.
The following Committees were appointed.
Of Inspection, Messrs. Randolph & Cocke.
Of Finance Messrs. Rives & Mason.
The Board, after receiving the several reports from its
officers, adjourned 'till tomorrow morning.
Friday June 26th 1846. The Board met pursuant to adjournment.
Present as on yesterday with the addition of Wm. C.
Rives & Andrew Stevenson.
The Committees being for a great part of the day engaged
in the duties with which they were charged; & the Board when
in session employed in discussion of several subjects on which
they were expected to act, took no definite action on any
subject, &
Adjourned 'till tomorrow morning.
Saturday June 27th 1846. The Board met pursuant to adjournment.
Present as on yesterday.
The following resolutions were adopted.
Whereas Lewis Commodore the faithful and valuable servant
of this University, with the exception of Drunkeness, which
had well nigh ruined him, having seen his error, & for five
months last past, maintained the steady and consistent course
of a reformed man, be it therefore
1. Resolved, that the Proctor be requested, that during
the vacations in future, Lewis shall not be required to work
out in the grounds with the other laborers of the University,
but be confined only to the performance of such a reduced portion
of the duties of his station as the absence of the Students
& professors will permit, so long as the said Lewis
Commodore faithfully maintains his pledge of total abstinence
from all intoxicating drinks.
The Committee of Inspection made a report accompanied by
the following resolutions which were adopted.
2. Resolved that the services of the Overseer be dispensed
with & the duties of Janitor and attention to the Ice House
&c be devolved on John Smith the machinist, & he be allowed
a salary of $150 per annum.
3. Resolved that the Proctor & Patron be allowed $200
in addition to his salary of $1000 for the employment of a
clerk.
4. Resolved that so much of the report of the Committee
of Finance as respects the proctor & his duties be communicated
to him by the Secretary, & he is hereby requested to govern
himself thereby & to make the report indicated, embracing in
his department, which in his judgment may be proper.
5. Resolved that so much of the report of the Committee
of Finance as refers to the time up to which the annual accounts
of the Bursar & proctor should be stated be communicated to
them respectively by the Secretary.
6. Resolved that so much of the report of the Committee
of Finance, as directs the application by the Bursar of $2000
or less as there provided, to the extinguishment of as much of
the debt of the University be communicated to him by the Secretary
& he is hereby requested to comply therewith.
7. Resolv'd that the sum of four hundred & fifty dollars,
being the interest for five years on the Legacy bequeathed by
Mr. Madison to the University, be appropriated to the purchase
of books of stanard Character & permanent value, to be added
to the Library: And Messrs. Rives & Randolph be a committee
to select such books and direct the purchase thereof.
8. Resolved that two thousand copies of the revised enactments
reported to the Board by Professor Minor, under the
resolution of last year, be printed in a pamphlet of convenient
form, under the superintendence of that professor for the use
of the University, & the expenses of printing the same be defrayed
by the Proctor.
The Rector having submitted to the Board a letter from
Alexander Garrett Esqr. on the subject of the late reduction
ordered in the Commission allowed him as Bursar of the University
It is
9. Resolved that the Rector be requested to communicate
to him the sentiments of respect & confidence entertained
towards him as an officer of the Institution by the Board of
Visitors, with an assurance that the reduction spoken of in
his commission as Bursar was ordered as part only of general
system of retrenchment in the expenses which the affairs of
the University rendered necessary.
10. Resolved that Wm. L. Kemper be & he is hereby appointed
Proctor & Patron of the University.
11. Resolved that the building designated as Hotel F.
within the precincts be, and the same is hereby assigned to
him as his residence with the grounds appropriate, or which
may be added by arrangement with the Executive Committee; &
that the same be repaired & fitted up under the regulations
prescribed by the enactments.
12. Resolved, that Geo. W. Spooner be continued in office
as Proctor & Patron pro tempore & until Wm. L. Kemper shall
enter upon the duties of his office.
13. Resolved that the Faculty be authorised, & they are
hereby requested to assign to the "Washington Society" some
room in the buildings appropriate & convenient to the purposes
of the Society in lieu of that occupied by it in the building
now assigned to the Proctor.
The Board then adjourned over to Monday next the 29th Inst:
Monday June 29th 1846. The Board met: present as heretofore.
The following proceedings were had.
1. Resolved that it shall be the duty of the proctor to
make out a complete schedule of all the personal property belonging
to the University, except the scientific apparatus, or
other things appropriate to the schools of professors and under
their charge, & to return a copy of the same to the Visitors at
each annual meeting. And the proctor is hereby directed to dispose
of any stock belonging to the University, except such
horses as may be required for it's use.
2. Resolved that the Proctor be authorised to purchase on
fair and equitable terms, subject to the approval of the Executive
Committee, the unexpired term in the lease to Wm. Dunkum
for the land devised to the University by the late Martin Dawson
decd., as preliminary to any contract for assigning the
same to such person as may be engaged to board certain of the
Students, under a resolution of the present Board.
3. Resolved that two receipts presented by the late Proctor
Willis H. Woodley which he claims as not having been credited
to him in consequence of their being mislaid viz: one for
$37 14/100 dated Oct. 6th 1838 signed David Nimmo
the other for $11 72/100 dated Nov. 18th 1839 signed Ralph
Dudley, be referred to the Commissioner and if it appears that
the late Proctor has not been credited for these items on the
Books, they be allowed him & the proctor is hereby authorised & requir
to draw for the amount in his favor on the Bursar, provided
they also receive the approbation of the Executive Committee.
To diffuse as far as practicable through the State the
its usefulness, the Board of Visitors have determined to receive
such number of meritorious young men at the Institution for
gratuitous instruction as it's circumstances will admit, to
be distributed equally with reference to the Senatorial Districts:
4. Resolved therefore that one Student from each Senatorial
district, qualified to enter the University according to the
enactments shall be received at each session hereafter, without
payment of the Professors fees, & without charge for any of the
University dues, fines & penalties excepted; & that a sufficient
number of Dormitories shall be appropriated to their use,
assigning two to each Dormitory. (For the ensuing Academic
year the selection shall be made by the Faculty upon such
testimonials as may be laid before them on behalf of the applicants;
hereafter in such manner as may be appointed by the
Board of Visitors, unless otherwise directed by Law.
In making such selection the Faculty shall regard as well
the capacity, as the moral fitness of the Candidate, and shall
have satisfactory evidence, that the applicant his parent or
guardian is not in a situation to incur the expenses of his
education.)
Such Students when admitted shall stand in all respects
on a footing with other Students of the University, and in
assigning them their classes the Faculty shall regard the preferences
they may indicate or the recommendation of judicious
friends.
The term of their admission shall be for two years, subject,
as other students, to expulsion or dismission as well as
to the minor punishments - But in cases of great proficiency,
such term may be extended by the Visitors.
Should vacancies occur, they will be filled at the first
annual meeting of the Board thereafter: and notice of such
vacancies shall be published in the Senatorial districts in
which it may occur.
And for the purpose of reducing as far as practicable the
expenses of such Students it is
5. Resolved that the price of Board paid by them shall
not exceed sixty dollars for the session; to effect which authority
is hereby given to the proctor to make the following
contract- He shall have power and is hereby directed to contract
with some fit & suitable person to board said Students,
in the same manner and subject to the same regulations with
the Hotel Keepers, at a price for each not exceeding sixty dollars
for the session; for which sum the same accommodation is
to be provided, as by the Hotel Keepers to Students, subject
only to such modifications, should any be found necessary, as
may be approved by the Faculty- Provided that sleeping apartments
shall be furnished by the contractor to at least twelve
of such Students-
To enable the University to reduce the price of Board as
above ordered, to such Students, the proctor is hereby authorised,
in consideration of furnishing the same at such price to
the House & land attached thereto, known as the proctor's
house;- and also the land belonging to the University called
the "Dawson Farm". And shall on behalf of the University enter
into a written contract with such person, in nature of a
lease, for the use and occupation by him of said House & lands,
for one year, to expire on the 1st day of August 1847- but with
a covenant that such contract may be renewed from year to year
by endorsement of such renewal thereon signed by the Proctor.
Such contract shall provide for the Board of such Students,
under the regulations above prescribed, at the price that may
be agreed on not exceeding sixty dollars for each for the session.
And it shall contain covenants on the part of the Contractor
against all waste on the premises, for the preservation of
fencing, & for the return of the whole on the expiration of the
term, in as good condition as received- But he shall have liberty
to open or clear land by permission of the Executive Committee,
& to cut fire wood from the "Dawson Farm" for his
own consumption; & to take dead wood or wood cut in judicious
thinning from the Proctor's Farm- The contract before it is
executed to be approved by the Executive Committee.
Should it happen that the full number of thirty two Students
are not admitted, the proctor may allow the contractor
to fill up that number from other Students at the same price
of Board: but such additions shall not be exempt from the
ordinary University dues:
Applications for admission of such Students must be addressed
to the Chairman of the Faculty, accompanied by such
testimonials as the Candidate may offer.
The Chairman shall prepare an advertisement embodying
full information to such as may desire to enter the University
under the foregoing regulations, announcing the same by order
of the Board of Visitors, & annexing to the same the probable
cost of the necessary text books- Which advertisement, separate
from the annual advertisement of the University shall be published
for 4 weeks in the newspapers at Richmond, & in one
paper of most circulation in each Senatorial district- And
hereafter for 4 weeks prior to each annual meeting of the
Board of Visitors.
6. Resolved that the professor of Law shall be allowed
to give opinions or advice in any professional matter.
The Rector absented himself from the Board when it was
unanimously
7. Resolved that Doct: James L. Cabell be appointed Chairman
of the Faculty for the ensuing year.
That portion of the preceding scheme, for the education
of State pupils, in the 4th resolution which is placed between
brackets ( ) commencing with "For the ensuing academic year"
& ending with "expenses of education", was moved by Mr. Stevenson,
to be stricken out and the following substitute inserted,
which, being rejected by the Board, was directed, at his request
to be spread upon the record, in the following words viz:
The first selection shall be made in the following manner
- The counties composing each senatorial District shall be
arranged by lot into classes according to the number of the
counties composing such District. The first admission shall
be from the County drawing No.1 & the succeeding admissions
from the other Counties of each Senatorial district in rotation,
& in case there should be no applicant from the county entitled
to make it, then the selection may be made from the next county
in the district entitled to precedence. And the selections &
recommendations shall in all cases be made by the school
commissioners of the Counties within which the applications
may reside.
In making such selections the Board of Visitors would respectfully
recommend to the appointing power the expediency
of regarding as well the capacity as the moral fitness of the
applicant, & upon satisfactory evidence that the parent or
guardian of the nominee is not in a situation to incur the
expenses of his education.
It shall be the duty of the Faculty to arrange the Counties
of each Senatorial District into lots, and publish the same
in the advertisement directed to be made by a previous resolution
of the Board.
The Board then adjourned sine die.
| Board of Visitors minutes June 25, 1846 | |