 | Board of Visitors minutes July 2, 1863 |  |
REGULAR MEETING
Present Thos. J. Randolph, Rector, John B. Baldwin,
Douglas H. Gordon, Allen T. Caperton & Franklin Minor.
The Board was called to order at one o'clock by the Rector.
The Proctor handed in his annual report of the disbursements
& neceipts from July 1st 1862 to July 1st 1863
On motion of Mr. Minor.
Resolved That Dr. Cabell & Dr. Davis be requested to
furnish the Board of Visitors, as soon as convenient , a report
of the amount & condition of the funds belonging to the
Infirmary.
The Chairman of the Faculty made his annual report,
with the usual special reports from each school - which was
passed over for the present.
John R. Tucker appeared & took his seat at the Board
at 2 o'clock.
Dr. J. L. Cabell attended the session of the Board,
& submitted a report on the funds of the Infirmary.
The Rector appointed the following annual committees.
On Finance Baldwin & Tucker
On Philosophical & Chemical Apparatus Caperton & Tucker
On Buildings & Grounds Gordon & Minor
On Library Caperton & Baldwin
The following resolutions were offered by Mr. Minor &
on his motion laid on the table for the present.
1. That the Rector be requested to attend the sale of
Widderfield's property, adjoining the precincts of the University
& advertized for sale on the 7th inst., & purchase
the same for the University at any price not exceeding $
2. That, in the event of this purchase being made by
the Rector, the Executive Committee be authorized to borrow
the money necessary to make the first payment.
Other matters of importance were discussed informally
until a late hour, & the Board then adjourned to meet at ten
o'clock tomorrow.
The Board met pursuant to adjournment; present the same
members as on yesterday, except the Rector, who was detained
at home by the illness of a member of his family.
On motion of Mr. Minor Col. Baldwin was appointed Rector,
pro temp. & called the Board to order.
The question of opening the University for another year
was considered & discussed, & every member present declared
his opinion to be that the Institution ought to be kept in
operation, notwithstanding the small number of students likely
to attend during the war.
The Rector came to the meeting at 2 o'clock, & presided
over the session.
Mr. Wm. H. Terrell arrived at the University by the
train from Richmond, at 2 1/2 o'clock, & came to the session
of the Board.
The Rector presented a letter from James Neeson, assigning
sickness as his excuse for not attending this meeting.
The Board took up & considered at great length the
question of meeting the necessary expenditures of the next
session - many schemes were suggested, discussed & abandoned-Col.
Baldwin at a late hour proposed a plan which seemed to
meet the views of the Board- he was requested to reduce it
to writing, & submit it in the morning.
The Board then adjourned at 10 o'clock at night, to
meet at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Present the same members as on yesterday.
Col. Baldwin presented the following resolution, which
was adopted by the Board - to wit -
The Visitors being satisfied that it is proper & expedient
to continue the operations of the University for the
next session, feel it at the same time to be their duty to
reduce its expenditures within its income, & upon the best
consideration they have been able to give the subject have
agreed upon the following plan, as being in their opinion
the best approximation in their power to what is just to the
University & to its Professors & officers. It is therefore
resolved that the said plan be adopted & that it be communication
with this resolution to the Chairman of the Faculty.
Plan for paying the Professors for the year beginning
on the first day of July 1863, & ending on the first day of
July 1864.
| Income | |
| Annuity from the state [rents from officers, students & others of the |
$15, 000 |
| University buildings, except such as are allowed as part of compensation] |
|
| Matriculation fees for use of public buildings |
|
| Expenses | |
| Annual interest on University debt | |
| Commutation rent, Prof. Gildersleeve | 300 |
| Salary of Chairman of Faculty | 250 |
| Salary of Proctor | 1000 |
| Salary of Janitor | 300 |
| Salary of of secretary of Faculty | 50 |
| Repairs & improvements | 3000 |
Any balance remaining from the income so derived, after
paying the expenses above stated & any other expenses attending
the conduct of the schools for the next session, shall
be divided equally among the Professors in full payment of
their salaries from the University.
On motion of Mr. Tucker
Resolved That Prof. T. Maupin be & is hereby appointed
chairman of the Faculty for the ensuing year.
On motion of Col. Baldwin
Resolved 1. That Wm. A. Pratt be appointed Superintendent
of Buildings & Grounds for the year beginning July 1st
1863 & ending June 30th 1864; upon such terms as the Executive
Committee shall deem just, the salary to be paid out of the
three thousand dollars appropriated to repairs & improvements.
Resolved 2. That the Executive Committee be authorized
& instructed to apply to the Secretary of War to send to labor
on the grounds of the University such number of soldiers
sentenced to hard labor as may be conveniently & advantageously
employed in the improvement of the grounds; & that the committee
be authorized to offer in consideration of such labor a release
of all claim of the University to damages for injury
Resolved 3. That if in the examination of the buildings
& grounds of the University, the Executive Committee shall
ascertain that the sum of $3000, appropriated to repairs &
improvements is insufficient to place the buildings & grounds
in such a condition as to avoid serious injury from delay,
the said Committee shall have authority to expend in addition
to the said sum of $3000 the proceeds of all wood sold for
the year from July 1863 to July 1st 1864, & to borrow from
the Infirmary Fund the money standing to the credit of that
fund in the treasury of the University, & expend it for the
same purposes.
Resolved 4. That the Proctor be authorized to accept
the office of Collector of Confederate taxes for Albemarle
County, with the understanding that he will not allow his
office of Collector to interfere with the discharge of his
duties to the University.
Resolved 5. That the arrangement adopted at the last
meeting of the Board for selling wood from the University forests
be continued for the next session.
The Rector laid before the Board a letter from Jno. R.
Edmunds, expressing his deep regret at being prevented from
attending this meeting by the sickness in his family.
The Committee on finance submitted the following report,
which was received & ordered to be recorded - to wit -
"The Committee on finance begs leave respectfully to
report, that no report from the Commissioner of accounts has
affliction - It is therefore suggested that the Executive
Committee be instructed to make a special examination of the
finances without delay. From such examination as we have
been able to make we think the books, accounts & moneys of
University are properly kept according to the enactments.
The Committee on the Library made the following report
which was received & ordered to be recorded, to wit-
"The Committee on the Library begs leave that they have
given the Library such examination as their limited time &
the absence of the Librarian would allow. The Library has
every appearance of being kept with neatness, system & care,
& is, we think, in good condition. There is a bad leak in
the room from the sky-light which ought to be promptly attended
to. No additions are being made to the Library; but
while we recognize the propriety of a temporary diversion
of the funds for the use of the library for the general uses
of the University, it will, in our opinion be proper to keep
a fair account of all funds thus diverted, & refund them as
soon as the condition of the Treasury will allow. We are of
opinion that one hour each week will be time enough to keep
the Library open during the next session for the purpose of
taking out returning books.
July 4th /63
respectfully
A. T. Caperton
John B. Baldwin"
The Committee on chemical & philosophical apparatus offered
the following report, which was adopted & ordered to be put on
record, to wit
"The Committee on philosophical & chemical apparatus ask
leave respectfully to report— The Committee have been unable
to make any satisfactory examination of the state of the Apparatus
under the controul & in the custody & use of each of
the Professors, by reason of the failure of the Professors
to make the reports required by the resolution passed June 30th
1857, & renewed by the minutes of the Board Feb. 9, 1860. The
Committee think it proper to recommend to the Board the adoption
of the following resolution.
Resolved that the Board of Visitors again call the attention
of the Professors of the University to the necessity of their
regular & strict compliance with the requisitions of the resolution
of the Board passed June 30th, 1857, & having failed to
make their reports to this meeting of the Board, be requested
to make & return the same to the Executive Committee, to be laid
before the Board at its next meeting - All which is respectfully
submitted.
A. T. Caperton
J. R. Tucker"
The Committee on Buildings & Grounds make the following
report, which was received & ordered to be recorded—to wit—
"The committee on Grounds & Buildings beg to report,
that they have made a pretty general examination, & find that
much injury has taken place from dilapidation & other causes
which might be hereafter prevented by more active supervision
The Dawson Buildings, in addition to the injury received by
their occupation by the soldiers, are suffering from an extensive
leak in the roof of one of them, & from the destruction
of the gutters of several. The Committee would suggest that
immediate steps be taken to have these repairs attended to.
The Dormitories are many of them left open, & in the precise
condition in which they were left by the soldiers - loose
straw on the floors makes them peculiarly liable to fire. In
some instances the windows have been entirely removed, & in
many the glass destroyed. The enclosures are, we are informed,
frequently destroyed, & cattle allowed to graze on the lawns.
The trees, evergreens & shrubbery are also suffering from want
of more regular attention. The conclusion to which the committee
has arrived is that the University will suffer much loss
unless some immediate step is taken to repair the injuries already
inflicted & to prevent a recurrence of them. All which
is respectfully submitted.
July 3rd 1863
D. H. Gordon
Franklin Minor"
Mr. Minor called the resolutions offered by him on 2nd
of July, & moved to fill the blank in the first one with the
sum of 5000, which was agreed to, & both the resolutions were
then adopted nem. con.
The Board then adjourned at 5 o'clock p.m. to meet in
February on such day as the Rector may appoint.
| Board of Visitors minutes July 2, 1863 | |