[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.]
[Note: the Refectory was built in 1824 to provide boarding for Centre students. In 1831 it became the home of the college's president.]
[Page 104]
January 10, 1839
Present Joshua Bell, Charles Cunningham, Joseph McDowell, James Barbour, Thomas Rice, James Hopkins.
Mr. James A. Jacobs [superintendent, Kentucky School for the Deaf] laid before the Board the correspondence between himself and Mr. Allen, the agent of the Asylum in Florida. The Board thereupon directed Mr. Jacobs to request the Rev. John Rice to obtain from Mr. Allen a detailed statement of the present condition of its business in his hands, to obtain also and forward all information which may assist the Board in the settlement of their Florida transactions. Mr. Jacobs was further directed to inform Mr. Rice that the Board would compensate him for any time and trouble which it may cost him to comply with the above request.
Messrs. Hopkins and Jacobs presented a report on the funds of the Asylum which was accepted and filed. Resolved that Mr. Jacobs be appointed accounting secretary to the Asylum, and that he hereafter be authorized to check on the Treasurer of the Asylum for all moneys to be paid out by the Treasurer and to keep an account of all moneys checked for.
John C. Young, Secretary
[Page 105]
March 26, 1839
Board met. Present Messrs. Joshua Bell, James Hopkins, Joseph McDowell, James Barbour, John Todd, William L. Breckinridge.
The Treasurer of the Asylum was directed to pay to the Treasurer of the College the amount of money collected by Mr. Harlan on his agency for the Asylum, from Mr. Lapsley on his College note.
The Treasurer of the Asylum tendered his resignation to the Board to take effect on the 1st of July. Messrs. Barbour, Hopkins, and McDowell were appointed a committee to procure a Treasurer in the room of Major Barbour.
Messrs. Bell, Barbour, McDowell, and Cunningham were appointed a committee to examine the accounts of David Cowan with the College and Asylum, and take such legal steps to secure the balance due to the institution as may be necessary.
The Board directed Mr. Bell to collect, forthwith, the money due on the note of Knox, Harlan, and others.
The Board directed the financial committee to invest to the amount of $5,000 of the College money in stock of the Bank of Kentucky.
Messrs. Young and Jacobs were appointed a committee to examine Mr. Harlan's account and report to the Board.
Messrs. McDowell and Hopkins were appointed a committee to superintend the building of wings to the College. [Old Centre]
Messrs. Hopkins and Barbour were appointed a committee to settle an account of Mr. Williams in Refectory stock.
Mr. Graham's [instructor, Grammar School] salary was raised to $700.
The Board determined (see 5th page in advance for the balance of the minutes for this meeting [i.e. page 108])
[Page 106]
June 20, 1839
Board met. Present Joseph McDowell, Charles Cunningham, John Todd, James Barbour, James Hopkins, Thomas Rice.
Mr. Jacobs [superintendent, Kentucky School for the Deaf] was directed to obtain assistance from Mr. Harlan in corresponding with Mr. Allen and procuring from him a statement of his agency and a final settlement.
September 26, 1839
Board met. Present Joseph McDowell, Daniel Price, John Todd, James Hopkins, William L. Breckinridge, Thomas Rice, Joshua Bell, Charles Cunningham, James Barbour.
A memorial from the president of the College [John C. Young] touching his salary was received and ordered to be filed.
The degree of A. B. was on recommendation of the Faculty conferred on the following young gentlemen of the present senior class, viz. Adam Beatty, Levi Carr, Septimis R. Caldwell, Joseph Cogswell, Joshua Green, Francis Lee, Henry Thompson, James Lapsley, Jacob Parsons, William Venable, William H. Wood, Samuel Williams
It was then moved and seconded that the salary of the Rev. John C. Young as president of Centre College for the ensuing year be $1,500, with the use of the house [Hillcrest] he now occupies. Upon this question the yeas and nays were required, which having been taken, stand as follows, viz., yeas - Todd, McDowell, Price, Barbour, Bell, Hopkins and Cunningham; nays - Breckinridge and Rice. And so the resolution was adopted.
[Page 107]
Resolved that the Board decline permitting Mr. Young to withdraw the portion of salary relinquished by him at the meeting of March 26th 1839 and mentioned in the minutes.
On motion of Mr. Breckinridge it was resolved that Lewis Green be appointed Vice President of Centre College and Professor of Belles Lettres, Political Economy and Rhetoric, and that he receive for his services a salary of $1,200 per annum, commencing at the end of one year from the termination of his former salary in College.
Resolved that the dispersion of the students of College before the regular close of the session, including the Commencement exercises, is in the opinion of the Board improper and disorderly, and that the Faculty be directed to take the proper steps for the due observance of this resolution.*
Resolved that the students be required to attend the examination of the classes and the exercises of the Commencement.
Resolved that Hopkins and McDowell be a committee to rent the house now occupied by Prof. William Dod, and that they be instructed to give preference to a renter connected with the College or Asylum.
Resolved that Mr. Green be requested to regulate the order of exercises for tomorrow, and to
*In the sickness of the President and his congruent absence, as well as that of one other professor, many of the students had left College without permission.
[Page 108]
(this is the conclusion of a minute commenced five pages back [i.e. page 105]) that the salary of the president of Centre College should be from this time at the rate of $1,500 per annum, house rent inclusive, Mr. Young expressing his consent to this arrangement and voluntarily relinquishing his claim to the amount due to him from last session above what would have been received had the present resolution been passed at the last full meeting of the Board.
John C. Young
[Page 109]
preside over them in the absence of Mr. Young.
Resolved that in the opinion of this Board, the Bible Class ought to be kept up among the students of College, including the Grammar School, and that said class ought to be under the immediate supervision of the President and Vice President.
Resolved that hereafter no compensation shall be allowed to any assistant in the Grammar School.
Resolved as the sense of the Board, that the President of the College should hear two recitations each day, and devote also a portion of his time to the supervision of the Grammar School, and that each of the professors of College ought to hear four recitations each day, and the number of recitations in College not being sufficient to allot, they ought to devote a degree of service equal to it to teaching in the Grammar School.
Resolved that hereafter the salary of Prof. Ormond Beatty be $800 per annum, payable as heretofore.
Resolved that the President and Vice President be a committee to take the necessary steps to procure contributions to the funds of Centre College, either by the employment of a suitable agent for that purpose, or by devoting themselves such portions of their own time to that service as
[Page 110]
they may be able to spare from their other duties.
Resolved that the Secretary of the Board be instructed to prepare and forward to Synod, at its approaching session, a report of the condition of Centre College, including the state of its finances, and that Mr. Breckinridge be charged with the duty of presenting said report to Synod.
Charles Cunningham, Secretary pro tem, by John C. Young, Secretary