University of Virginia Library

At a called meeting of the Board of
Visitors Tuesday, March 27, 1883.

Present: Wyatt M. Elliott, Rector; and Mess: Blair, Paul,
Bell, Ruggles and Ruffin.

Whereas, it has been announced to this Board by Mrs.
Anne Eliza Gordon by her letter of March 24, 1883, that the

will of her late husband, Douglas H. Gordon, Esquire, of
Baltimore, Maryland, contains a legacy of Five Thousand
Dollars to the Rector and Visitors of the University of
Virginia; and with the view that the executors of said
Douglas H. Gordon may receive such instructions as to the
payment of said legacy as may be proper - which bequest is
in the following language-

"I give to the Rector and Visitors of the University
of Virginia five thousand dollars to be held by them as
a principal fund, the interest therefrom to be devoted
to purchasing books for the Library of the said University."
And whereas, it appears that Anne Eliza Gordon is the executrix,
and Basil B. Gordon and James Pleasants are the
executors of the last will and testament of said Douglas
H. Gordon, deceased, which was admitted to probate March
20, 1883, in the circuit court of Rappahannock county,
Virginia; And whereas, it is represented to this Board that
the representatives of said decedent desire to pay the said
five-thousand-dollar legacy to the proper authorities of
the University of Virginia, the said representatives only
wishing to do so with safety to themselves; And whereas,
there is a tax on the collateral inheritance of said estate,
incumbent on the same, which must be removed; And whereas,
it is necessary that there be some duly constituted agents
of the Board, to whom payment of said legacy shall be made,
which we hereby accept on the terms and conditions named
in said will: - Therefore, for the purpose of carrying out
the provisions of said legacy under said will, Resolved

that the Rector be and he is hereby authorized to appoint a
committee of three members of this Board, who shall carry
out the purposes of this resolution, and accept said legacy
from the representatives of said Douglas H. Gordon, deceased;
and receipt to them for the same, and make deposit thereof
in such State Depository as the Rector may designate, to
remain there as other public funds are kept and held until
the next meeting of this Board, when said committee will
make a full report of their proceedings: -

Resolved, further, that said committee be directed
to draft and present to Mrs: Anne Eliza Gordon and her
co-executors proper expressions of the - grateful thanks of
this Board for the munificence of the donor, the late Douglas
H. Gordon, Esquire.

The Committee appointed to execute the aforegoing resolution
are the Hon: F.S. Blair, Judge John Paul and Wm:Roane Ruffin,
Esqr:

R.H.Fife having this day tendered to this Board his resignation
as Bursar of the University of Virginia,

Resolved, That the said resignation be accepted, and that
said Fife be directed to turn over at once to J.K. Campbell,
Proctor of said University, all funds in his hands due to
said University; and that said Proctor be directed to settle
at once with said Fife his account as late Bursar so as to
present to this Board the financial status of said Bursar with
the said University.

It having been communicated to this Board that the monthly
accounts of the Bursar of the University for January and

February, 1883, have not been settled and so reported by the
said Bursar, either by the Commissioner of accounts or by the
said Bursar himself: Therefore,

Resolved, That this Board require the presence of the
said Bursar in person, or otherwise, to report and explain
why he has not made his said monthly settlements before the
said commissioner of accounts.

Resolved, That William L. Maupin is hereby declared to
be unanimously elected Bursar of the University of Virginia,
vice R. H. Fife resigned; and that his salary shall be at the
rate of $600.00 a year from the date of his qualification
as such Bursar.

Resolved, That the Bursar be required to settle his
accounts monthly before the commissioner of accounts.

Resolved, That the Proctor be empowered to employ a
suitable person to assist him in the care of the University
and the property thereof, and to perform such duties as he
may be called upon to perform by said Proctor; and that his
pay      may be at the rate of $400.00 per annum:

And thereupon James S. Garrison was unanimously
recommended to the Proctor as his assistant.

Resolved that, after the present session, no person
within the bounds of the University shall furnish board and
accommodations for pay to any student of the University, except
such as shall have been regularly authorized by this Board
to keep a boarding house, or mess-hall.

Resolved, That John W. Bell and Wm: Roane Ruffin be
appointed a special committee to confer with the trustees in

the deed of Samuel Miller, deceased, donating certain funds
in said deed mentioned, of date March 10, 1869, to and for
the benefit of the University of Virginia, and request them
to nominate to the Board of Visitors of the University a
fit and suitable person to be manager of the Experimental
Farm of the University.

Resolved that, in the matter as to the investment of
the Observatory Fund this day brought to the attention of
the Board, Profs Venable and Stone and the Proctor constitute
a committee to investigate the subject and report to the
Executive Committee.

Resolved, That the Board of Visitors and the Faculty
of the University of Virginia, who represent the University,
which was founded by Thomas Jefferson, shall attend in a
body at the unvailing of the statue of that distinguished
patriot at his home at Monticello on the fourth of July,
1883.

Resolved, That the Degrees of Bachelor of Letters and
Bachelor of Science be restored in the form the Faculty
recommend.

Resolved, That a Proficiency in the Class of the
English Language and one in that of Rhetoric and English
Literature in the School of English be granted.

Absent; Gene Daniel Ruggles.

Whereas, by a Resolution, adopted September 6,1882,
it was resolved that with a view of expanding the sphere of
usefulness of the University of Virginia in conformity with
the intention of its eminent founder, Thomas Jefferson, it has

become expedient to appoint a special agent and to impower
him to solicit endowments, benefactions, donations and contributions,
in every available form, from the liberal and
philanthropic at home and abroad: -

Resolved, unanimously, That General Daniel Ruggles be
and he is hereby appointed such agent to carry out the objects
of said resolution of September 6, 1882: And this Board of
Visitors do most heartily and ernestly commend General Ruggles
to the public as a gentleman in every way worthy of their full
confidence, respect and regard.

Adjourned till tomorrow morning at 9 O.C.

Wm. A. Winston,
Secretary

Wyatt M. Elliott
Rector

Memorandum:

After the aforegoing minutes had been read Colo: Lamb
requested the Secretary to note as a fact that he had both
written and telegraphed to him that he would be prevented
from attending this meeting of the Board by imperative
business that admitted of no delay.

Teste:

Wm A Winston, Secy:

Wednesday, March 28,1883

Present: The same members as on yesterday

Resolved, That regulation No 1 of Abstract of the Enactments
of the University of Virginia be amended so as to
read as follows:

"The Chairman shall be the chief executive officer of
the University so far as the management and control of the
conduct of the Students of the University are concerned;

and as such shall be charged with superintending the execution
of all laws made for the government of said students
in their education. But this shall in no way interfere with
the power and right of the Proctor, which is hereby conferred,
to superintend, control and regulate the business of the
University, which shall embrace the control and management
of all the business affairs of said University: And the
Proctor shall be especially charged with the duty of assigning
rooms to the Students of said University - the purpose
of this resolution being to declare specifically that the
Chairman of the Faculty shall have charge of the educational
and the Proctor of the business department of the University."

The application of the citizens of Charlottesville
asking that the men and officers of Genl[1] Fitz Lee's Brigade
of Virginia Volunteers may be allowed to occupy quarters in
dormitories of the East and West ranges and in the rooms of
Dawson's Row is hereby granted on condition that each soldier
deposit with the Proctor one dollar to cover any damage done
to the rooms occupied by said brigade; which shall be refunded
if no damage is committed. And the boarding-house keepers
may furnish table board to the soldiers of said Brigade on
such terms as may be agreed upon.

Resolved, That Mrs. J. Woods Garth be permitted to paper
the dining - room of boarding - house, No 2, and deduct the
expense thereof from the rent payable by for said house.

Whereas, this Board, not being informed as to the expenditures
of the finances of this Institution by the previous
Boards of Visitors through their officers: Therefore Resolved,
That the committee of Finance be requested to report to this

Board, at its regular meeting, the expediency of investigating
said expenditures.

Judge Bell, Genl. Ruggles and Mr. Campbell were
appointed a committee to examine the account of the late
Bursar, R.H.Fife, for the months of January and February, 1883.

The Rursar, R.J.Fife, this day, March 28, 1883, turned
over in checks on First Nat: Bk: Richmond, and on Peoples
Nat: Bank and Brennan & Co., Charlottesville, the sum of
eighteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty-three66/100 dollars,
for which I have receipted to him.

J. K. Campbell,

Proctor & Supt:

Resolved, That regulation No 12 of Abstract of the
Enactments of the University of Virginia be amended so as
to read as follows:

"No hotel - keeper shall furnish any entertainment
in the tenement used by him as a boarding-house for pay
or compensation of any kind to one who is not a student of,
or attached to, the University of Virginia, or a member of
his own family, except by permission of the Proctor. Nor shall
the tenement, or any part of it, be used for any other purpose
than the purposes of a boarding-house. Nor shall the
hotel keeper suffer any game of chance to be played; or any
ardent spirits, or wine, or spirituous liquors to be drunk