University of Virginia Library


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Pursuant to action taken at a meeting of the Board held November 7, 1934, an
adjourned meeting was held on this date at 10 o'clock A. M., in the office of the President
for consideration of the report of the Special Committee appointed to study and report upon
the physical training and athletic situation here, which report was submitted at the meeting
on November 7th, and for consideration of such other business as may be presented.

There were present Visitors Corbitt, Garnett, Hall, Munford, Rinehart, Lewis C.
Williams and R. Gray Williams, and President Newcomb. (Mr. Goolrick came in at 4:50 o'clock.)

Mr. Corbitt, elected Rector pro tem. at the meeting last evening, presided.

Mr. Lewis C. Williams having been recorded as voting for the resolution approving
the loan from the Public Works Administration for addition to the University Hospital, adopted
at the meeting last evening, though opposing it, he being the only one opposed, moved a reconsideration
as follows:

I move to reconsider the resolution approving the loan from PWA for hospital
building because the loan puts a burden on the University of an annual payment
of nearly $11,820 for some years and has no redemption clause;

That the hospital is needed but the conditions, circumstances and restrictions
of this loan make it inadvisable;

That the money can probably be obtained to better advantage elsewhere, and

That it does not appear that the Board of Visitors has studied the plans for the
building and approved.

The motion was lost.

The President stated the enrollment to date to be 2401, and presented the following
list of gifts:

           

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From Mrs. Lucy W. and Miss Mildred N. Page, Deed of Gift conveying
to the University of Virginia the residence on Chancellor Street
in which the donors now reside. 
From the Rockefeller Foundation, for research in the Natural
Sciences, over a five-year period beginning with the academic
year 1935-36 
$ 35,000 
From the Rockefeller Foundation, for research in the Social
Sciences, over a five-year period beginning July 1, 1935 
30,000 
From the International Cancer Research Foundation, to aid Dr.
Albert J. Casey in his work 
1,800 
(Payable monthly, $150 per month) 
From the Josiah Macy Junior Foundation, for Dr. Alfred Chanutin  500 
From the National Research Council, for Dr. Jesse W. Beams, to
be used for material and equipment 
$ 100 

From Mr. Alfred Akerman, Professor of Forestry in the University
of Virginia, his Forestry Library and Herbarium (It would cost
several thousand dollars to duplicate this collection.)

From Mr. John Dutton Wright, (brother-in-law of Mr. J. S. Galban,
Instructor in the School of Romanic Languages) more than 1000
mounted and named photographs of famous foreign and American
subjects in art, architecture and landscape.

From the Yale University Press, twelve etchings of Yale, by Mr. Samuel
Chamberlain.

Mr. W. Eskridge Duke, Attorney for Mrs. Julia D. S. Cameron, together with Mr.
Broadnax Cameron, appeared before the meeting requesting that the Board withdraw its objection
to the erection of a filling station at the southwest corner of the intersection
of highways 29 and 5, and expressed the willingness of Mrs. Cameron to make effective
certain restrictions with respect to the remainder of her property fronting on route 29
if the said opposition were withdrawn. Following a full discussion of the matter the following
motion, duly made and seconded, was adopted:

RESOLVED, by The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia,
That opposition be withdrawn to the erection of a proposed filling
station on the property of Mrs. Julia D. S. Cameron, located on the
S. W. corner of the intersection of highways 29 and 5, on a lot facing
80 feet on Emmett Street (Route 29) by 100 feet on Ivy Road (Route 5),
provided the proposed filling station be erected to conform, in general,
to the "Lord Baltimore" design of such buildings, and that the plans
for the said building be submitted to the Architect of the University
for his approval, and that she will agree to the following restrictions
with respect to the remainder of her property facing on Emmett Street
(Route 29):

  • 1. That no structure shall be built on any lot fronting on this street
    at a cost of less than $7,500.00 for every fifty-foot of frontage,
    and that no structure so erected shall be located nearer the western
    line of the highway right-of-way than thirty-five feet.

  • 2. That no filling station shall be permitted to be erected on said
    property.

  • 3. That these restrictions be made effective for a period of fifty years
    from this date, but such restrictions may be changed by and with the
    consent of the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

The Special Committee appointed to prepare resolutions with respect to the late
William Holding Echols presented the following which was adopted and ordered spread:

RESOLUTIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM HOLDING ECHOLS.

William Holding Echols died at his home on East Lawn at the University of Virginia
on September 25, 1934, after serving as a member of the faculty of the University for more
than forty-three years.

He came to the University in 1891 as adjunct professor of mathematics, which position
he held until 1896. From 1896 until his death he was professor of mathematics.

Mr. Echols was born in San Antonio, Texas, December 2, 1859, the son of William
Holding and Mary Beirne (Patton) Echols. In 1882 he received from the University of Virginia
the degrees of B. S. and C. E. On September 9, 1885, he married Mary Elizabeth Blakey, of
Charlottesville, Virginia, who died in 1893, and on June 15, 1897, he married Elizabeth
Mitchell Harrison, of New York, who survives him.

In 1882 he was assistant engineer in the construction of the Vicksburg, Shreveport &
Pacific Railway, in 1883 he was resident engineer in charge of location, construction and
bridge work of the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railway; in 1884 he was mining engineer
and superintendent of the N. & O. Mining Company, in Colorado; in 1886 he became first
resident engineer of the Memphis & Birmingham Railway; from 1887 to 1891 he was professor of
mathematics in the Missouri School of Mines, being director from 1888 to 1891, and from the
latter position came to the University of Virginia in 1891 as adjunct professor of mathematics.
At the time of his death, in point of service, he was the oldest member of the faculty.

He attended private schools in Huntsville, Alabama, then went to the University of
the South, at Sewanee, Tennessee, and to the Episcopal High School, Alexandria, before he
attended the University of Virginia 1878 to 1882, where he took his B. S. and C. E. degrees.
He was the author of one book, "Differential and Integral Calculus", which is widely used
throughout the country, and wrote many papers on pure and applied mathematics.

He was a member of the American Mathematical Society, of the Eli Banana and of Phi
Beta Kappa from this University, Chi Phi, Lambda Pi and Tau Beta Pi fraternities.

Mr. Echols was affectionately known by the professors and many of the older students
as "Reddy". He was not only the head of the school of mathematics, but he was also active
in every phase of University life. As has been well said of him, "he gave expression to the
ideals and the aspirations of the University", these ideals being "honor and truth, high-mindedness
and the courage to fight against odds, fair dealing with men and scorn of a petty
spirit". Mr. Echols was the embodiment of these things. "He never formulated any creed of
living, but his spirit naturally dwelt on a high plane. His character, to say nothing of
his scholarship, was one of the mightiest forces in the life of the University. No student
was so callous as not to respond to the uplifting influence of his personality".

IN CONSIDERATION WHEREOF, BE IT RESOLVED, That this memorial be spread upon the
minutes of this Board, and that copies be sent to the members of Mr. Echols' family.

James H. Corbitt,
C. O'Conor Goolrick,
Lewis C. Williams, COMMITTEE

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Application of the S. A. E. Fraternity for a loan of $17,500, to retire existing
indebtedness of $4,500 and to enlarge and remodel its present chapter house at an expense of
$13,000, was received, considered, and granted subject to the approval of the Finance Committee.

Application from the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity for a loan of $25,000 to retire in
full the existing first mortgage on the Omicron Chapter House, located on Madison Lane, was
received, considered and granted, subject to the approval of the Finance Committee.

The President brought up the question of the establishment of a R. O. T. C. unit of
field artillery at the University, which matter was discussed at the November 7th meeting
without action. After consideration of the matter the following motion by Mr. Rinehart was
adopted:

RESOLVED, That we are favorable to the establishment here of a unit of
field artillery, provided the War Department furnish the money for erecting
the necessary buildings to house the said unit.

The routine business being disposed of, the Report and Recommendations of the Committee
appointed by the President to study and report upon a plan for coordinating Intercollegiate
Athletics, Intramural Sports and Physical Education here, submitted to the Board at
its meeting November 7th, 1934, at which time they were read in full, discussed at some
length and referred to this meeting for final action, were taken up.

A number of alumni and delegations from alumni chapters were granted the privilege
of the floor to express their views, either as individuals or as representatives of certain
groups with respect to the recommendations of the President's Committee. Among those appearing
was a committee composed of Messrs. Julien Hill and Claude Bain, representing the Board
of Managers of the General Alumni Association, who presented the following resolution which
had been unanimously approved by the said Board of Managers at their meeting held on this
date:

It was moved, seconded and unanimously carried, that the Board of Managers
recommend the adoption of the report of the President's Committee in principle,
but with the following specific reservations.

First. No person who is employed as a coach or instructor in the department
of intercollegiate athletics shall be a member of the faculty.

Second. No credit shall be given for courses in coaching except toward
the degree of bachelor of science in education.

Third. That the title of the head of the department of athletics and
physical education be director rather than dean.

Fourth. That the 3-3-3 advisory council proposed by the report shall
have not less than four meetings regularly each calendar year, and make
recommendations to the President of the University.

Following the hearing, the hour being late, a special committee, consisting of Mr.
R. Gray Williams, Mr. Garnett and the President, was appointed to draft suitable resolutions
covering the Report and Recommendations of the President's Committee, having due regard for
the opinions expressed by the alumni at the hearing and for the resolutions of the Board of
Managers of the General Alumni Association. The committee was also requested to prepare a
statement setting forth the policy of the President and Board of Visitors with respect to
subsidizing atheletes at the University, and to report on both matters at an adjourned meeting
to be held on the following morning, January 13th, at 11:30 o'clock.

The meeting then adjourned.

James H. Corbitt
Rector Pro Team
E. I. Carruthers
Secretary.