 | Board of Visitors minutes June 25, 1853 |  |
The Board met pursuant to their adjournment, present
Joseph C. Cabell Rector, John Y. Mason and Thomas J. Randolph
No quorum appearing the Board adjourned until Monday morning.
Monday June 27th 1853
Jos C. Cabell, Rector, John Y. Mason, Andrew Stevenson, and
Andrew McDonald Esqrs appeared, and being no quorum
Ordered that the Board be adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Tuesday June 28th 1853
Present the same visiters on yesterday together with Thos
J. Randolph Esqr
The Rector laid before the Board his report to the last
Legislature of Virginia and thereupon on the motion of Mr Mason
Resolved that the report of the Rector & Visiters presented
to the General Assembly at the last session now laid before the
Board by the Rector & which was read & approved be recorded by
the Secretary, and it is ordered that the Secretary procure
suitable well bound volumes and make a fair record in their
order of all the reports from the Rector and Visiters to the
General Assembly from the foundation of the University to be
preserved amongst the archives of the institution for reference
and the use of the Board of Visiters
Om motion of Mr Mason
Ordered that the Rector be requested to present the petition
"praying that the interest on the loan authorized by
the act of 17th February 1852 may be paid at the Treasury &
deducted from the annuity of the University," again to the
General Assembly at its next session.
The Rector laid before the Board the resignation of St
George Tucker the present Secretary of the Board-
On motion of Mr Stevenson
Resolved that in future the salary of the Secretary of
the Board of Visiters shall be two hundred dollars per annum-
Resolved that a Commissioner be appointed as an officer of
the University whose duty it shall be to examine the Bursars
& Proctors accounts monthly and annually, and make report thereof
to the Chairman of the Faculty, & to perform such other
duties of a kindred character as may be assigned to him by
the Board of Visiters and that he have an annual compensation
of two hundred dollars.
Ordered that R. T. W. Duke be appointed Secretary of the
Board of Visiters-
Ordered that N. H. Massie be made Commissioner to examine
the accounts under the foregoing resolution.
The Rector laid before the Board the resignation of Wm.
B. Rogers Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of
Virginia, and thereupon
On motion of Mr Mason,
Resolved that the resignation be received.
Resolved that the Board of Visiters in thus dissolving
the connection between the University & Wm B. Rogers, do
hereby tender to that gentleman their high appreciation of
his exalted services, and their sincere wishes for his future
success & happiness.
The Board proceeded to the appointment of a Professor of
Natural Philosophy to supply the vacancy caused by the resignation
of Wm B. Rogers Esqr - and thereupon
Ordered unanimously that Francis H. Smith Esqr of Loudoun
County be and he is hereby appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy
in the University of Virginia-
The Rector laid before the Board the resignation of Dr J.
Laurence Smith Professor of Chemistry at the University of
Virginia, and thereupon,
On motion of Mr Mason
Resolved that the resignation of Dr Smith be received
The Board proceeded to the appointment of a Professor of
Chemistry to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation aforesaid.
Whereupon it is
Ordered unanimously that Dr Socrates Maupin of Richmond
be and he is hereby appointed Professor of Chemistry & Materia
Medica in the University of Virginia
The Rector appointed the following Committees-
On the Committee of Finance, Messrs Randolph & Mason
On the Committee of Inspection Messrs Stevenson & McDonald.
On motion of Mr Mason the Board adjourned until this
evening at four o'clock.
Evening Session
Present the same visiters as this morning together with
T. B. Miller Esqr
On motion of Mr Randolph,
Resolved that with a view of inducing the Alumni to visit
the University and to afford them facilities not now to be had,
the faculty may at their discretion attach as a condition to
the occupancy of the dormitories on the lawn by students the
obligation to vacate them on the two last days of the session
and to allow the Alumni the use of the rooms so vacated with
permission to take their meals at the hotels
The Rector laid before the Board the Communication from
Dr Gessner Harrison presented at the last meeting of the Board
asking that certain charges for the recent addition to his
pavilion be refunded to him
Thereupon it is ordered that the actual cost of the addition
made to the Pavilion occupied by Professor Harrison be
paid by the Proctor, and any money advanced by the Professor
in discharge of such cost of construction be refunded to him-
A communication from Alexander Carrett late Bursar of
the University asking that his accounts from the year 1845 to
the day of his resignation be settled by a Commissioner, was
read, and it is ordered that the Commissioner of the University
be directed to state & settle said accounts and report to the
next meeting of the Board.
A communication was received from John B. Minor Esqr,
enclosing the following resolution of the Faculty:
At a meeting of the Faculty June 27, 1853
Resolved that the Faculty recommend to the Board of Visiters
to assign for the use of the Moot Court the South Eastern room
on the second floor of the new building-
On motion of Mr Mason,
Ordered that the room be appropriated for the purpose set
forth in the foregoing resolution-
The Rector laid before the Board a communication from
Dr Ernest Volger asking that his compensation as Instructor in
the School of Modern Languages be paid to him- and thereupon
Ordered that the Proctor be and he is hereby authorized
& directed to pay to Dr Ernest Volger as assistant instructor
in the School of Modern Languages the amount due him from the
first day of April to the end of the present session-
On motion of Mr Mason
Resolved that the Board of Visiters highly appreciate the
learning, zeal & ability of Dr Ernest Volger who for some time
acted as Assistant Instructor in the school of Modern Languages
in the University of Virginia and deeply regret as well the
his official employment in the institution as the loss of his
valuable services.
A communication was received from Dr Schele de Vere asking
that the amount of compensation still unpaid to Dr Volger
be applied to the purchase of maps for the purpose of teaching
Geography in the School of Modern Languages-
Ordered that the said communication be laid on the table
The Rector laid before the Board a communication from
James P. Holcombe asking that the surplus fees in the school
of law for the present session, amounting to six hundred dollars,
be applied to the further compensation of Mr Holcombe
as adjunct professor of law-
Ordered that the said application be rejected
On motion the Board adjourned until tomorrow morning at
half past eight o'clock.
Wednesday Morning June 29th 1853
Mr Mason from the Committee of Finance presented the following
report-
The Committee of Finance have had under consideration the
matters referred to them and submit the following report-
They have found the accounts of the Proctor & the Bursar
duly audited & examined by P. E. Bacon Esqr who was appointed
Commissioner for that purpose, & certified by him to be correct
and that each item of disbursment is sustained by a proper
voucher, and your Committee have regarded that certificate as
evidence of the fact
| The receipts during the fiscal year ending May 31st ult amounted to |
$60310.52 |
| Disbursments during same period | 56777.17 |
| Leaving on hand unexpended the end of the year | $ 3533.35 |
| The receipts include the proceeds of the loan authorized by the act of February 17th 1852 & the disbursments embrace expenditures on the addition to the Rotunda which are extraordinary and not to be regarded as regular annual charges. The large amount of receipts & expenditures is thus explained. On an analysis of the accounts it appears that the ordinary current revenues of the University for the past year from the annuity allowed from the Literary fund, from rents, surplus fees, assessments & other regular sources of income amounted to |
$31282.17 | |
| Ordinary annual disbursments | 25606.46 | |
| Which if not affected by extraordinary demands would have left a bal: unexpended of |
5675.71 | |
| The actual balance remaining unexpended in the hands of the Bursar on the first of June inst was |
$ 3533.36 | |
| Assuming that the same number of students may be expected as have attended the present session and the same amt of revenues will be accrued which is |
31282.17 | |
| There will be available for current year | 34815.53 | |
| The regular expenditures of the University for the current year may be estimated at |
$26,606.46 | |
| By report of Superintendent it appears there will be |
||
| payable to the contractors on the new building for reserved percentage & estimates according to the stipulations of their contracts |
11,301.25 | |
| And that officer estimates as necessary to complete the building & grade the grounds around it at the further sum of |
3,000.00 | |
| $40907.71 | ||
| Deficit | $ 6092.18 | |
These estimates provide for all the regular expenditures
of the University for the payment of interest on the debts to
Mrs Randolph & to Mr Cocke and for a disbursment of near two
thousand dollars for repairs of the buildings. The periodical
payment of the annuity with the Balance on hand will probably
enable the Bursar to meet the claims of the contractors on the
new building & although a deficit will exist in the fiscal year
the surplus revenue of the next year will meet it & the completion
of the new building, superseding necessity for further
expenditure on that account will leave that surplus applicable
to the desirable object of liquidating the floating debts of
the University.
Your Committee invite your attention to the credit to the
University in the past years accounts, arising from surplus fees.
The charges to the students have not been increased, and yet
under the regulation of a maximum allowance to the Professors
of $3000 respectively the credit from that source, amounted
last year to $7514 66/100. Before the limitation of the Professors
income was fixed, they were charged with rent of
State has imposed an income tax which charges continue, and they
are still thus chargeable, while the surplus of their fees
goes into the Treasury of the University. Your Committee believe
that it was the intention of the Visiters to secure to
the Professors the sum of $3000 per annum where the fees exceeded
that sum, Under existing circumstances their receipts
do not realize so much. Your Committee recommend that the surplus
fees may be subjected to the charges above enumerated, &
report the following resolutions.
Resolved that if it be necessary in meeting pressing
demands on the University within the next six months to anticipate
the income of the University by a temporary loan, the
Executive Committee be authorized to direct the Proctor to negotiate
a loan at one of the Banks in Charlottesville of not
more than five thousand dollars for a period not exceeding
four months-
Resolved that whenever the fees of any school shall exceed
three thousand dollars per session the surplus shall go to the
University charged with the payment of dormitory rent, fuel &
lights for lecture rooms and income tax so as to ensure to the
Professors respectively three thousand dollars each-
The question being put on the resolutions recommended by
the Committee of Finance, they were severally agreed to-
Mr Stevenson from the Committee of inspection made the
following report which on motion was received, approved, and
referred to the Executive Committee
The Committee of Inspection having discharged the duty
assigned them beg leave to report:
That they found the several departments of the University
in apparently good order, and condition-
In the Library room the books appeared to be arranged according
to the order of the printed catalogue & the shelves
labelled with printed labels corresponding with each of its
chapters. There are forty or fifty engravings & prints (the
donation of the late Christian Bohn) hung upon nails driven
into the columns, and badly arranged and detracting from the
appearance and beauty of the room, and which in the opinion
of your Committee ought to be removed and placed in some other
suitable position- The museum might be used for that purpose.
The Laboratory & Lecture Room in the new building have
been filled up in the most convenient manner by Dr J. S. Smith.
It appears that the original scheme of having iron benches in
the lecture room was thought not to have sufficient advantages
to compensate for the increased expense. Two years interest
upon the cost of iron benches being amply sufficient to renew
entirely the wooden benches as they now stand. The substitution
therefore of wood instead of iron affords comfort with
easy renewal of such parts as may be defaced by the students-The
tables and other arrangements about the lecture rooms are
most convenient for the purposes to which they are applied-The
fixtures- Two small rooms have been cut off from the main room
for a store and instrument room. The tables are constructed with
reference to the future use of the Laboratory for practical
instruction; the tops of them are made of thick St Domingo mahogany,
the only kind of wood your Committee understand fitted
for tops of laboratory tables- Dr Smith who attended us, next
explained the arrangements for conducting chemical apparatus
in the Laboratory with perfect ventilation and escape of all
vapors- This seems to be happily accomplished by two pieces of
structure of glazed iron frames with proper arrangement of
furnaces, sand baths, water baths &c- The supply of the Laboratory
with water (an important consideration in view of cleanliness,
the first feature of a good laboratory) has been also
well accomplished at less expense and with vastly more convenience
than by the former plan of digging a well near the Laboratory.
This was brought from the cistern back of the Chapel by
a leaden pipe & distributed in a fitting manner over the Lecture
room and Laboratory. Connected with the latter is a portion
of the north arcade, that has been enclosed and is now
used as a cellar for coals &c, but your Committee understand
that this arcade, with the portion now used by the Janitor, can
be fitted up at any time (by enlarging the windows) so as to
furnish an extension to the Laboratory, whenever required and
could be made in any respect not much behind the present Laboratory,
& when thus extended it might be made to accommodate
forty or fifty working students.
It appears to your Committee that the whole building capacity
of lecture room, Laboratory &c is not surpassed by any institution
of the kind, and equalled probably by very few. Indeed
there is nothing in the opinion of the Committee to prevent its
development for the most perfect instruction in agricultural,
manufactural & pharmacopeial Chemistry.
In examining the various parts of the University we found
great delapidation and injury to many parts of the buildings &c;
many of the doors of the dormitories have been cut & injured &
some of them actually torn down from their hinges. The glass
in many of the windows of the offices attached to the Hotels
are broken out and defaced- The plastering beneath the terraces
in many places have fallen down from leaks in the covering,
which is rotting down and which require immediate and suitable
repairs.
They found the public water closets filthy & a perfect
nuisance & endangering the health of the students.
We also found in front of many of the dormitories a part
of the brick under pinning broken down for the purpose of ventilation;
instead of having it done in the rear of the buildings.
We also found the stone steps of the Rotunda in a state
requiring attention and repair- In the present state of the
steps the bases of the columns are in danger, & the Committee
recommend immediate reparation of the same.
The Committee are decidedly of opinion that in relation to
the preservation, weakness and condition of the buildings &c
of the University, some more efficient guards should be provided
and enforced to protect & preserve them-
All which is respectfully submitted to the Board
On motion of Mr Mason,
Resolved that the Board of Visiters have during the short
period of Professor Smiths connection with the University witnessed
with gratification satisfactory proof of great learning
& earnest devotion to his duties sustaining the high reputation
which he brought here, and justifying the high confidence reposed
in him. The Board of Visiters entertaining these views take
pleasure in expressing their regret at Professor Smiths separation
from the University and especially express their sense of
Dr Smiths important services in fitting up & arranging the
Laboratory of the School of Chemistry.
The Rector laid before the Board a circular letter from
the Proctor with a public advertisement as follows:
"School at Gordonsville"
"The Subscriber will open a boarding school for boys at
Gordonsville Va on the 25th of September next.
The course of instruction will be based upon that pursued
at the University of Virginia and will afford a thorough preparation
either for college or for the business pursuits of life
The location has been selected with an eye to its unequalled
advantages being in a beautiful region of country, remarkable
for health and refined society and accessible by railroad and
stages from every quarter- The buildings have been thoroughly
repaired, & will afford comfortable accommodations for about
fifty boarders.
Instruction in the several departments will be given by
Mr John C. Pettus and Delaware Kemper graduates of the University."
And upon consultation with the Visiters of the Board they
deemed it proper to request the attendance of Col Kemper for
any explanation that he might be disposed to make upon the subject-
Col Kemper accordingly appeared before the Board & gave
an explanation of the subject contained in the circular &
advertizement & then withdrew
Whereupon the Board proceeded to deliberate on the subject
& came to the following resolution
Resolved unanimously as the opinion of the Board of Visiters
now present that under the existing circumstances the situation
of Col Kemper is such as to render it not only incompatible
but also unpracticable for him to discharge the duties of the
Proctor of the University in a manner satisfactory to the Board
of Visiters
Ordered that the Secretary communicate to Col Kemper the
action of the Board-
The Board thereupon adjourned until tomorrow morning
Thursday Morning June 30th /53
Present the same Board as on yesterday with the exception
of Mr Stevenson
The Board of Visiters being informed that Wm S. Kemper Esqr
regards the resolution adopted yesterday and communicated to him
resolution aforesaid deeming his presence and the superintending
care of the Proctor at all times especially during the vacation
as indispensable to the security of the buildings and property
of the University, and not satisfied that this attention has
been given or may be calculated on in the future, it is ordered
that his office of Proctor be hereby vacated
Ordered further that George W. Spooner be appointed to
perform the duties of Proctor until one shall be permanently
appointed and for the purpose of making said appointment when
the Board adjourn, it will adjourn to meet again on Thursday
the first day of September next.
Ordered that N. H. Massie as Commissioner be authorized
& required to examine & certify to the Chairman of the Faculty
such accounts as may be due & payable on account of work or
materials done or rendered about the new Building or addition
to the Rotunda, until a Proctor shall be appointed, and the
acting Proctor is hereby authorized to pay said bills on the
certificate of said Commissioner under the direction of the
Chairman-
On motion of Mr Randolph
Resolved that the Superintendent of the New Building be
directed forthwith to cause strong and substantial shutters to
be put to the sub-basement windows of the building.
The Rector laid before the Board a communication from Professors
Cabell and Howard asking for a transfer of certain duties
now pertaining to the school of Chemistry to the Lecturer of
were agreed to-
Whereas the Board of Visiters are satisfied that the interests
of both the academical & the Medical departments of
the University would be promoted by assigning to the Lecturer
on Anatomy the duty of teaching Materia Medica & Therapeutics
and by requiring the Professor of Chemistry in consideration of
the relief thus afforded him to give a more extended course of
instruction to the Academic students on Agricultural Chemistry
and to the Medical students on practical Pharmacy it is resolved
1. That the Professor of Chemistry be relieved from the
duty of teaching Materia Medica & Therapeutics & that these
subjects be assigned to the Lecturer on Anatomy
2. That in consideration of the relief thus afforded to
the Professor of Chemistry he be required to give a more extended
course of lectures on agricultural chemistry and to furnish
practical instruction in Pharmacy according to the plan pursued
in the Philadelphia school of Practical Pharmacy as set forth
in an announcement laid before this Board by the Medical Professors,
3. That the fee to be paid by each medical student to the
Lecturer on Anatomy and Materia Medica be twenty five dollars
And if the aggregate amount should exceed two thousand dollars
the surplus shall be appropriated to the purchase of specimens
for the cabinets of Anatomy & Materia Medica
4. That the Lecturer on Anatomy and Materia Medica be relieved
from the duties of the Demonstratorship & that of lecturing
on Pathological Anatomy and that he be authorized to nominate
of Anatomy to be paid as heretofore-
5. That the annual appropriation of fifty dollars now allowed
to the Professor of Materia Medica be continued to the
Professor of Chemistry to carry out the provisions of the foregoing
resolutions with reference to the instruction to be given
in Practical Pharmacy
On motion of Mr Mason
Resolved that Professor Cabell be authorized & permitted
at his own expense to take down the brick wall in rear of his
Pavilion & rebuild it so as to include the ground appropriated
as a garden to the building in rear of said Pavilion used by
the Moot Court
On motion of Mr Randolph
Ordered that the salary of the Librarian be four hundred
and fifty dollars per annum & that the Library be kept open
at least four hours a day, two in the forenoon and two in the
afternoon, the hours to be prescribed by the faculty.
A communication from the Faculty relative to the weekly
reports of the Professors & the modification of the law concerning
the intermidiated examinations, was read & thereupon
it is ordered that the consideration thereof be postponed-
The Rector laid before the Board a petition of sundry students
of the University relative to the charge for room rent
of licensed boarding houses without the limits of the University,
which on motion of Mr Mason was ordered to be referred to the
Faculty-
In accordance with the prayer of the Hotel Keepers of the
University and in view of the greatly increase cost of the
means of living
Ordered that in future the Board at the Hotels be increased
to $120 per session, & that the Hotel Keepers be allowed the
use of four acres of land each in addition to that now allowed
by the regulations of the Board of Visiters, to be assigned
them by the Proctor under direction of the Chairman of the Faculty
and enclosed at the cost of the Hotel Keepers respectively-
Ordered that Dr Harrison be unanimously appointed Chairman
of the University for the present session-
The Rector laid before the Board a communication from Dr
J. S. Smith in relation to certain expenses made by him
As these articles seem to have been indispensable in the
use for Lectures of the New room and Laboratory
Ordered that the balance of three hundred & fifty four
dollars and sixty three cents be paid in full discharge of bills
referred to in Dr Smiths letter-
A letter from Prof John B. Minor in relation to a all on
the University grounds for the use of the Sons of Temperance was
on motion ordered to be referred to the Executive Committee with
instructions to report to the board at its meeting in September
The Rector laid before the Board a resolution of the Faculty
in relation to the publication of an existing law regulating
the fees in the school of Moral Philosophy which was referred
to the Faculty with a request that the enactment be so published
as to prevent if possible the entire publication of the
Enactments of the University-
The Rector appointed Messrs Stevenson & Randolph as a
Building Committee for the present year-
And Messrs Stevenson Randolph & Mason as the Executive
Committee
On motion of Mr Randolph
Resolved that the dormitories attached to the Hotel occupied
by Mr Maupin be in future permitted to be occupied by his
family and that additional accommodation for his servants be
erected under the supervision of the Executive Committee
On motion of Mr Mason
Ordered that in future the accounts of the Proctor, for
his salary payable quarterly at the rate of fifteen hundred
dollars per annum and of his clerk at an annual compensation of
five hundred dollars shall be regularly audited as other salary
accounts.
Ordered that the Proctor shall be allowed a Clerk at an
annual compensation of five hundred dollars and shall nominate
to the Chairman of the Faculty the person whose appointment
he may desire and on the approval of the Chairman he shall be
regarded and paid as the Proctors Clerk.
Ordered that the Chairman be requested to advertize that
a Proctor will be appointed for the University, at the adjourned
meeting of the Board to be held on the first day of September
next
On motion of Mr Randolph
Ordered that the salary of the Hanitor of the University
be raised to the sum of one hundred & seventy five dollars per
annum
Ordered that the Board be adjourned until Thursday the
first day of September next
Circular Letter
of Col Wm S. Kemper in relation to a school in Gordonsville-
Feby 26th 1853
It has been a cherished object with me for several years
to establish a first class Boarding school for boys upon the
completion of the education of my sons at the University with
a view of placing them in a situation by which they would be
enabled to earn a comfortable & honourable livelihood
To enable me to carry into effect that object I have recently
purchased a beautiful situation at Gordonsville within
1/2 mile of the intersection of the two great leading rail
roads of the State. There is perhaps no position in Virginia
possessing nore advantages for the proposed object than the one
selected Being in a beautiful & healthy region of country in
the midst of an enlightened community, accessible from every
point by railroad & stages together with its proximity to our
noble University very justly termed "the pride of the South"
I feel great confidence that a Boarding School for Boys thus
located and conducted upon right principles, must commend itself
to the attention as I am determined it shall merit the
confidence & patronage of an enlightened public-
Although I have filled an obscure position at this seat
of learning for the last seven years, I think I may without
arrogance claim some little credit at least for aiding in
"building up her broken down walls and clothing her waste places
with verdue", and in retiring from her immediate service feel
that I could not better subserve her interests than by training
fresh & worthy recruits to replenish her ranks.
I shall engage some gentleman of experience to take charge
of the school, assisted by my eldest son together with such
other aid as the demands of the School may require. My connection
with the University gives me peculiar advantages in
procuring the best talent for that purpose.
The object of this Circular, is simply to call your attention
to the subject, and respectfully ask your friendly
cooperation
As soon as my arragements are completed I will advertize
in the papers
And obt servt
Teste
St G. Tucker S B V
| Board of Visitors minutes June 25, 1853 | |