 | Board of Visitors minutes October 17, 1849 |  |
The meeting of the Board of Visitors of the University
called for Wednesday the 17th October 1849 did not assemble
till Thursday the 18th when Joseph C. Cabell, John H. Cocke,
Thomas J. Randolph and Andrew Stevenson appeared and a Board
was organized:
The Rector presented his annual Report to the President
of the Board of Directors of the Literary Fund which having
been read was on motion of Mr. Stevenson approved.
Mr. Stevenson offered the following preamble and resolution
which were adopted.
The Rector submitted to the Board his reasons for the
present called meeting of the Visitors, growing out of the
late proceedings of the Legislature in relation to this
Institution, and more especially those portions making it
educate the 32 State Students:- This Board approving the call
of the Rector, proceeded to consider the subject and adopt
the following resolution.
1. Resolved that this Board are still impressed with the
importance & value to the best interests of the University of
the several improvements adopted by the last Board and which
were directed to be carried into effect; but in consequence
of the late legislative enactments, and the absence of three
of the Visitors, the Board deem it expedient to suspend &
postpone until their next annual meeting such of the proposed
measures as require aid from the funds of the University and
that the Rector be requested to make a supplementary report
to the President and Directors of the Literary fund setting
forth the proceedings of this Board.
The Rector submitted to the Board the following letter
of Wm. A. Bibb the Commissioner appointed to settle the
accounts of the Proctor & Bursar.
Letter.
In obedience to a resolution of the Board of Visitors
of the University of Va. I have examined the Books of Alex:
Garrett, Bursar, from the 31st May 1848 to the 1st June 1849,
and find all his charges supported by vouchers, except 25
cents paid for a blank book. I find two small errors in his
addition amounting to 5 cents. The discrepancy between his
by his not having paid and charged a warrant drawn by the
Proctor on the 14th May in fav. of P.S. Duval for $111. This
warrant he charges on the 2d June, after his Books were balanced.
When this entry is brought into his account, his books will
shew a balance on hand less than the balance shewn by the
Proctor's books of $6.78 after the Proctor gives him credit
by the 25 cents paid for the blank book. The discrepancy of
$6.78, I am told happened some years past and it still exists
as shewn by the statement on this sheet.
(signed) Wm. A. Bibb
After examination the Board direct that the discrepancy in
the accounts of the Bursar of $6.78 be placed to the account
of profit and loss & that the Bursar be credited by it.
The Rector submitted the following communication from
the Faculty.
At a meeting of the Faculty Oct: 9th 1849, a committee
consisting of Professors Schele, Courtnay & Harrison was appointed
to lay a plan before the Board of Visitors at their
meeting on the 17th Inst: to reorganize the scheme of lectures.
At a meeting held on the 16th October, the Committee
made a report to the Faculty which was adopted and ordered to
be laid before the Board of Visitors.
"The duty of arranging the lectures in the different
schools of the University so as to prevent any interference or
serious inconvenience to the Students has become from year
been found utterly impossible to make such an arrangement,
owing partly to the considerable increase of the number of
Students, and partly to the number of schools attended by each
one of them. The Faculty have, after repeated fruitless attempts,
come to the conclusion that by a radical change in
the hours allotted by law alone, time can be obtained for the
regular & so called extra hours which every school requires.
The present scheme having proved totally insufficient
they therefore propose to reduce all the earlier lectures to
one hour's time, by which room for at least one additional
lecture, daily, would be gained- Besides, they do not intend
to let this change affect the hour from 12 1/2 to 2 O.Clock
leaving two lectures daily of 1 1/2 hour (one before & one
after dinner) for those particular classes where time is
either most precious or more difficult to obtain.
The Faculty convinced of the absolute necessity of making
such a change, beg leave to lay before the Board of Visitors
a copy of the proposed scheme accompanied by one of the present
scheme, and ask most respectfully their sanction of the intended
alteration.
They beg, at, the same time, once more to lay before the
Board of Visitors the urgent want of additional lecture rooms-A
want heretofore productive of most serious inconvenience
and calculated materially to affect the usefulness of their
instruction, should the present number of Students continue
or increase- Only two schools, that of Natural Philosophy
five schools of Antient Languages, Modern Languages, Mathematics,
Moral Philosophy and Law are compelled to content themselves
with two lecture rooms only. One of which the Professor of
Mathematics requires for a considerable portion of each day.
The professors of the Medical department who do not lecture
to the Academic Students, and are therefore not likely
to suffer inconvenience from any interference with the other
professors, might be allowed to retain their present arrangement
as long as more convenient to them, and does not conflict
with the general scheme."
(signed) Wm. Wertenbaker Secty. of the
Faculty.
On consideration of the subject the Board are not prepared
to express any decided opinion upon the propriety of
reorganizing the proposed scheme of lectures, but in consequence
of the want of rooms for the purposes of lecturing, and the
representation of the Faculty, the Board deem it expedient
to consent to the scheme for the present session and until
further order can be taken upon the subject.
Resolved that the Proctor make the proper arrangements
and accommodations in the Rotunda for the exercises of the
public day, under the direction of the Executive Committee.
The Board then adjourned sine die.
| Board of Visitors minutes October 17, 1849 | |