[Note: the "Asylum" or "Institution" for the Deaf and Dumb would later become the Kentucky School for the Deaf. Centre's Trustees administered the school until 1870. In 1826 the federal government granted the Trustees one township of land in Florida. It then became the Trustees responsibility to survey and sell the land to provide funds to help support the institution.]
[Page 85]
Danville January 23, 1835
The Board met. Present Barbour, Green, Hopkins, Tod, Barnes, Rice.
A letter from Dr. Price to Mr. Young was read, offering to convey to the Board for the endowment of three professorships his right to the sales of a patent truss for as many states as may be necessary to raise the requisite funds.
Resolved that the offer be accepted, and that Messrs. Tod and Green be appointed a committee to confer with Dr. Price, and receive the conveyance of the offered right, and also to procure agents for the sale of the right.
John C. Young, Secretary pro tem
[Page 84]
Danville March 25, 1835
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Centre College held this day, present Doctor John Todd, Chairman pro tem, John Green, James Barbour, Phineas G. Rice, James G. Birney, Charles M. Cunningham, James S. Hopkins.
The committee heretofore appointed to receive from Doctor John L. Price a conveyance of the right to construct, use, and vend to others the said Price's improvement in the construction of a metallic truss for the cure of hernia, reported that they had received from Doctor Price a conveyance accordingly for the states of New York and Pennsylvania, which conveyance was accepted by the Board, and it is thereupon ordered that said conveyance be recorded in the Clerk's office in the county of Jessamine. [Kentucky] And it is further resolved that Dr. Barnett and Samuel D. Burchard be appointed by this Board their agents and attorneys in fact, for the purpose of constructing, using, and vending to others to be used the aforesaid metallic truss; and that the aforesaid committee be authorized by this Board to assign to said agents and attorneys in fact their respective fields of labor, and to prescribe to them the rules by which they are to be governed in acting and reporting to this Board; and to furnish them with powers of attorney accordingly.
It is ordered that the salary of Mr. Graham for the ensuing year as tutor in the grammar school be increased to the sum of $250 per annum. And it is further ordered that John B. Huston be appointed an assistant teacher in the grammar school, with a salary of $150 per annum.
On motion, it is ordered that James G. Birney, James Barbour, and Phineas G. Rice be appointed a committee to report generally upon the best measures to be taken to promote the interests of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum.
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On motion, it is ordered that after the Commencement of the next session of the Kentucky Asylum in October next, the price of boarding and tuition in the Institution shall be $80 per annum for each pupil, and that the same sum be thereafter received from the state for each of the indigent pupils received on its support.
Resolved that the Secretary of this Board be instructed forthwith to address a letter to Colonel Richard C. Allin, the agent for the Kentucky Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Florida, requesting him to collect and transmit as speedily as possible all moneys due in that quarter to this Board.
Adjourned to the regular meeting of the Board.
Luke Munsell, Secretary
(N.B. A copy of the power of attorney given to Burchard and Barnett, in accordance with the foregoing resolution, is on file, which see.)
Danville March 26, 1835
The Board met. Present Messrs. Green, Barbour, Todd, Cunningham, Hopkins, Rice.
Resolved that the committee for appointing agents to dispose of the metallic truss be also empowered to authorize any of those agents to solicit and receive funds and donations for Centre College.
John C. Young, Secretary pro tem
[Page 86]
Danville April 10, 1835
The Board of Trustees met. Present Doctor John Todd, Chairman pro tem, John Green, James Barbour, James S. Hopkins, Phineas G. Rice, James G. Birney.
James G. Birney handed in to the Board a certificate in favor of the Trustees of the Centre College of Kentucky for fifty shares in the stock of the Maysville, Washington, Paris, and Lexington Turnpike Company, with a letter from Thomas P. Smith, surviving trustee of John and Elizabeth Moore, representing said stock to be a legacy from Elizabeth Moore deceased. Whereupon it was resolved that this Board accept said legacy, and bind themselves and their successors in office to refund to said Smith or his successors such part of said stock as may be necessary to pay any debts or demands which may hereafter appear against the said John and Elizabeth Moore, and the costs attending the recovery of such debts. Resolved that the certificate above mentioned be filed by the Treasurer, and the letter enclosing it by the Secretary.
Mr. Birney, Chairman of the committee appointed on the 25th instant to report on the general interests of the Asylum, presented the following report, viz.
The committee to whose consideration were referred the general interests of the Asylum, beg leave respectfully to report that they would recommend
- The erection of a school room and four lodging rooms for the accommodations of the male pupils, all separate from the present dwelling house, and of such plan and construction as the building committee would approve. In addition to the above named buildings, it is recommended that a large and well arranged necessary for the males be erected.
- The digging of a well on the Asylum lot, and the procuring of water there, for the use of the establishment, on such terms as the Board may think reasonable.
- That the present lodging rooms be converted into shops for the prosecution of some of the mechanic arts, in which the mutes, under the general direction of the Superintendent, may be instructed.
- That the mutes be distinctly informed in the presence of the Board of Trustees, that it is required of them not to leave the Asylum premises, unless it be by the consent of the superintendent or matron, to whom they are to submit in everything pertaining to their deportment and conduct whilst members of the Institution, and while not under the control of the teachers in school hours.
- It has been thought worthy of presenting to the consideration of the Board, in the view of future action, how far it might conduce to the prosperity of the Asylum and the harmony of all who are engaged in its management, to have a part, at least, of the remuneration of its officers dependent upon the number of pupils who may be in the Institution at some given period of the Session or year. The committee are strongly inclined to believe that this mode of recompense is equitable in principle, and that, generally speaking, it will be found in practice beneficial to all parties concerned.
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James C. Birney, James Barbour, Phineas G. Rice
The above report was received and unanimously adopted, except the 5th recommendation, the consideration and determination of which was postponed to a future meeting.
A building committee, consisting of Messrs. Todd, Hopkins, and Barbour, was then appointed, whose duty it is to carry into effect as speedily as possible the other measures recommended and approved in the report.
Resolved that Messrs. Green, Barbour, and Hopkins be appointed a committee to prepare an address to the public, duly attested by the Secretary, on the subject of the Asylum generally, to be circulated throughout this and the adjoining states.
Resolved that Mrs. John Green and Mrs. Buchanan be appointed to fill the vacancy in the Visiting Committee of Ladies of the Asylum, occasioned by the removal of Mrs. C. Breckinridge, and the refusal to serve of Miss Lucy Ann Kerr.
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Resolved that Messrs. Green, Barbour, and Todd be appointed a committee to confer with the Rev. J. C. Barnes on the subject of his undertaking an Agency for Centre College.
Resolved that Messrs. Barbour and Green be appointed a committee to subscribe the funds of the Asylum, to any amount not exceeding $5,000, to the stock of the Northern Bank of Kentucky, if they deem proper.
Adjourned.
Luke Munsell, Secretary
Danville June 30, 1835
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Centre College, present Doctor John Todd, Chairman pro tem, James G. Birney, James Barbour, James S. Hopkins, Phineas G. Rice, John Green.
Resolved that James Barbour be authorized to say to Mr. Thomas of Florida that this Board will receive $2.50 per acre, payable in installments of one, two, and three years, for the balance of the land, both located and unlocated, belonging to the Kentucky Asylum. And if the said Thomas should accede to the proposition, that Colonel Richard C. Allin, the agent, will be authorized to close the contract with him.
(See memorandum signed by the Trustees July 11, 1835, on file.)
Luke Munsell, Secretary
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Danville July 23, 1835
Board met. Present Barnes, Todd, Birney, Barbour, Hopkins, Rice.
Mr. Young was requested to take into his possession all the books and papers of College, and as speedily as possible to draw up and present to the Board a complete statement of the present pecuniary conditions of the Institution.
An honorary degree of A.B. was conferred on the Rev. Morrow of Somerville, Alabama.
Philip Yeiser requested of the Board that they would accept of his payment of the original subscription given by him to Centre College, and abate the interest. In consideration of Mr. Yeiser's change of circumstances his request was granted.
Resolved that thereafter the regular semi-annual vacations commence and terminate with the commencement and termination of the respective months of October and April; and that after the ensuing commencement, the time of holding the Commencement be fixed on the last Thursday in September of each year.
Resolved that Mr. Young be authorized to engage the services of two tutors, in the room of the two whose term of service expires with the present session.
John C. Young, Secretary pro tem
[Page 90]
Danville August 8, 1835
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Centre College, present Barbour, Tod, Green, Hopkins, Rice, Birney.
A letter was received from Dr. Munsell resigning his charge of the Asylum, the resignation of the latter to take effect from the 20th of September instant.
Mr. Young was appointed Secretary, and Mr. John A. Jacobs Principal of the Asylum. The Board requested Mr. Jacobs to visit different parts of the state during the present vacation to diffuse information relative to the Asylum, Mr. Jacobs' expenses to be defrayed by the Board.
Resolved that no tutor or teacher in the Preparatory is hereafter to absent himself from his duties in College, unless with the consent prior procured of four members of the Board.
John C. Young, Secretary
Danville September 23, 1835
Board met. Present Barbour, Barnes, Hopkins, Rice, Green, Tod, Birney, Cunningham.
The degree of A.B. was conferred, on the recommendation of the Faculty, upon Ormond Beatty, William M. Hill, Samuel H. Woodson, John Montgomery, William N. Tod, and Thomas Walker Fry. The degree of A. M. was conferred upon William W. Hall, John B. Huston, John G. Miller, and Joseph Bullock.
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The degree of L.L.D. was conferred upon George Robertson, Chief Justice of Kentucky.
John Montgomery was appointed tutor in College, at a salary of $300 per annum; and William N. Tod teacher in the Preparatory, at the usual salary of $250 per annum.
A letter was received from Judge [George] Robertson resigning his seat in the Board. Mr. [James] Birney also tendered his resignation. A letter was received from Professor [James] Buchanan tendering his resignation [as professor of mathematics].
John C. Young, Secretary
Danville November 19, 1835
The Board met. Present Green, Barbour, Tod, Rice, Hopkins. Joseph McDowell, appointed Trustee by Synod at its late meeting in room of James G. Birney, resigned, appeared, and having taken the oath of office before the Board, took his seat as a member.
Mr. [William L.] Breckinridge appeared, and desired the Board to accept of his resignation to take effect at Christmas. The Board postponed the consideration of this request until its next meeting.
John C. Young, Secretary
Danville December 1, 1835
The Board met. Present Rice, Barbour, Hopkins, Green, Tod, McDowell.
Professor [William L.] Breckinridge's [professor of Latin and Greek] resignation being taken up, the following resolutions were adopted unanimously.
Resolved that the Board accept the
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resignation of Mr. Breckinridge to take effect on the 24rd instant.
Resolved that the Board express their regret that Mr. Breckinridge's views of duty have compelled him to relinquish his professorship, and that they record their satisfaction with the ability and faithfulness he has exhibited in the discharge of his duties as a professor.
Resolved that the Secretary and Treasurer be directed in settling with Mr. Breckinridge, to rectify a mistake as to the period from which he was to draw his salary as a professor, so that the commencement of his salary may date from his departure from Maysville to enter upon his duties.
Mr. Thomas Nichols was appointed Professor of Languages pro tem, and Messrs. Green and Hopkins were appointed a committee to inform Mr. Nichols of his appointment. The salary of Mr. Nichols to be at the rate of $750 per annum.
Mr. Michael G. Youce, one of the Trustees recently appointed by Synod, sent to the Board his declination of his appointment, whereupon it was resolved that Joshua F. Bell be appointed to fill the vacancy in the Board occasioned by Mr. Youce's declination.
Resolved that the resolution prepared by this Board at their meeting on the 25 day of March 1835
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reducing the sum heretofore received from the state for support and care of indigent pupils in the Deaf and Dumb Asylum from $150 to $80 per annum be and hereby is repealed, and that from and after the [date not shown] day of October last, the amount against the state be made out by the Secretary at the rate of $100 per annum for each pupil supported on account of the state, and that the committee shall make out the account report to the next Legislature recommending a change of the law, so as to reduce the pay of state pupils to the sum of $100, and also that they state the reasons why more is asked for the state pupils than for those supported by individuals.
John C. Young, Secretary
Danville December 8, 1835
The Board met. Present Green, Barbour, Hopkins, Rice, Tod, Bell.
General James Shelby, having proposed to become the purchaser of that portion of the lands granted to this corporation for the benefit of the Kentucky Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, which remains unlocated, at the price of $2.75 per acre, and this Board being unapprised of the amount of lands so granted which remains unlocated, therefore it is resolved by the Board, that the sale be referred to Colonel Richard C. Allin, an agent, and that he be directed to sell to General
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Shelby all such portion of said land as may be unlocated and unsold, when said Allin may be applied to by said Shelby or his agent, at the price above mentioned.
John C. Young, Secretary
Joshua Bell presented his certificate of qualification, which was filed.