[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.]
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February 5, 1840
Present Hopkins, Bell, Barbour, McDowell, Todd, and Dr. Craig, who presented his certificate of appointment and qualification as a Trustee.
Messrs. Hopkins, McDowell, Todd, and Bell were appointed a committee to examine and report upon the claim of George Caldwell.
Messrs. Bell, Barbour, and Craig were appointed a committee to examine the Treasurer's accounts and report to the Board.
Mr. Bell was empowered to purchase from Matthew O'Brien the strip of ground lying between the College lot and the turnpike road.
March 24, 1840
Present Messrs. Todd, McDowell, Alexander, Hopkins, Craig, Price.
Messrs. John S. Berryman and Nathan Rice having appeared and produced testimo-
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nials of having been elected and duly qualified as Trustees, took their seats.
Messrs. Jacobs and Young presented a report on the account of Mr. Harlan - the report was received and approved, and Mr. Bell was added to the committee, who were directed to settle finally with Mr. Harlan and not to allow him more than $75 per annum for his services as Secretary to the Board. The committee were further directed to pay over to the Asylum whatever might be due to the College from Mr. Harlan.
The Board do hereby sell to John A. Jacobs [superintendent, Kentucky School for the Deaf] the land belonging to the Asylum in Florida, that may yet remain unsold by the agent, for the sum of $2.00 per acre, half the money to be paid at the end of one year from this time, and the other half at the end of two years from this time. Messrs. Bell and Cunningham were appointed a committee to draw up the papers in reference to this sale.
Messrs. Bell, Craig, and Barbour were appointed a committee to advise with Mr. Jacobs in his correspondence with Mr. Allen, agent of the Asylum.
A copy of the will of Mr. Dannah Pyke, of Bourbon County [Kentucky], was laid before the Board by the Secretary, and he was directed to ascertain whether there could be any arrangement made with the executor for securing any proceeds from the legacy of $10,000, before
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the period should expire during which the executor was to have the use of the legacy without interest and without security.
Mr. Jacobs was allowed $25 per annum as Secretary to the Asylum.
Mr. Kerr's [instructor, Kentucky School for the Deaf] salary was raised to $900 per annum.
Ordered that the building committee, Messrs. McDowell and Hopkins to whom Dr. Craig was added, proceed forthwith to have wings constructed to the College edifice. [Old Centre]
Resolved that as the number of recitations in the College and Preparatory Department is not sufficient to employ the faculty and teacher of the Preparatory the number of hours assigned to each by the resolution of the Board at its last meeting, the Board direct the Faculty not to increase the number of recitations, but to divide the existing recitations between themselves, in conjunction with the teacher of the Preparatory, in such a way as they shall agree on among themselves.
John C. Young, Secretary
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September 23, 1840
The Board met in the College library. Present Price, McDowell, Breckinridge, Hopkins, Barbour, Nathan L. Rice, Craig, Alexander. Messrs. George T. Wood, Rev. Jacob F. Price, and James K. Burch appeared, and having exhibited their certificates of having duly qualified as Trustees appointed by Synod, took their seats. The meeting was opened with prayer, and the minutes of the last meeting were read.
The Secretary reported a donation from Mr. James Hill, of Bath County, Kentucky, of three notes, amounting in all to $1,000. The Board directed the financial committee to take immediate measures for collecting the two smaller notes, and for collecting or additionally securing the larger one.
The Secretary reported that he had seen the executor of Mr. Pyke, and ascertained from him that he would in a few weeks be ready to make a proposition to the Board in relation to the payment of the legacy in his hands.
The building committee reported that during the present session of the Board they would hand in a full report of their contract for the erection of the wings.
Resolved that the Treasurer be required to report at every semi-
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annual meeting on the state of the funds.
Whereas the Board have learned that some of the students of the College during the present session had formed a political club without the approbation or knowledge of the Faculty, resolved that the Board express their strong disapprobation of all such proceedings; at the same time that they express their gratification with the conduct of the students in cheerfully and immediately dissolving their political organization as soon as they learned that it met with the disapprobation of the Faculty.
Resolved that the societies or students be not permitted to invite any persons to deliver an address to them without obtaining the approbation of the Faculty.
The Board took a recess.
Afternoon Session
Joshua F. Bell appeared and took his seat.
The building committee reported that they had contracted with Messrs. Crutchfield and Russel for completing the improvement of the College buildings according to a plan exhibited and an agreement read by the committee. The sum to be paid to the contractors was $5,466. The report was approved.*
The accounts of the Treasurer were referred to a committee of three, Messrs. Burch, Alexander, and Hopkins, for examination.
*see 2 pages in advance [i.e. page 116]
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September 24, 1840
The Board met according to adjournment. Present Craig, Hopkins, Price, Breckinridge, Wood, Burch, Jacob F. Price, McDowell. Rev. James Hawthorn, having presented his testimonial of having duly qualified as a Trustee elected by Synod, took his seat.
The degree of A. B. was conferred on the recommendation of the Faculty upon the following young gentlemen, members of the present Senior class, viz William Alexander, Daniel Breck, William T. Martin, Thomas H. Cleland, Jr., Lyman B. Crittenden, Presly W. Ewing, John D. Meek, John R. Parkhill, Thomas Turner, James Weir, Joseph W. Wallace, Robert C. Wickliffe, James D. Elder, Thomas D. Tilford, Richard J. Brown, Michael Meyer
The resignation of Professor Green was laid before the Board, upon which the following resolutions were adopted. Resolved that the resignation of Lewis W. Green be accepted, and that the Treasurer be directed to pay his salary to the 1st of November next, which will close his collegiate year.
Resolved that the Board express their regret that Mr. Green's views of duty have compelled him to relinquish his professorship with the ability and faithfulness he has exhibited in the discharge of his duties as a Professor.
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Resolved that the building committee be directed to have the buildings put into thorough repair, and that the Faculty be directed to have them kept in good order and to enforce upon the students by every means the observance of propriety and decorum, and that the Faculty be empowered to hire a man to devote his whole time to keeping the building and ground in good order, and attending to such other services as may be required about the College. The Faculty are directed to assess any damages that may be done to the building, and if the individual offender can be discovered he must be required to pay fourfold the amount necessary to repair them; if he cannot be discovered, an assessment is to be laid on all the students to cover the repairs.
Resolved that the Faculty prepare and lay before the Board at its next semi-annual meeting a set of laws for the government of the College.
The tuition in the Grammar School was raised to $30 per annum.
On motion of Daniel B. Price, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon the Rev. Lewis W. Green.
John C. Young, Secretary
The following part of the minutes was omitted owing to their being taken by a different hand in consequence of the absence of the Secretary; they are part of the proceedings on the 23rd of September: [page 114]
The President of the College made a detailed
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report in writing as to the condition of the College. The report was referred to a committee (after being received) consisting of Messrs. Daniel B. Price, Jacob F. Price, Grundy, Breckinridge, and Wood. The report of the committee was received and approved. The report is as follows:
- Resolved that there be a speedy collection and judicious investment of all notes and subscriptions, not exceeding $500.
- Resolved that the Synod be urgently requested to take into consideration the importance and necessity of adopting speedily some efficient measures to enlarge the endowment of the College - and that the Board cause to be laid before the Synod, through their Treasurer or otherwise, such a detailed statement of the pecuniary condition of the College as shall enable them to judge correctly of its real wants.
The contract heretofore made by this Board with John A. Jacobs touching the sale of the Florida land owned by the Board for the benefit of the Asylum, is hereby cancelled and held for naught, Mr. Jacobs having expressed an anxiety to have it cancelled.
John C. Young, Secretary
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December 8, 1840
Board met. Present Barbour, Daniel B. Price, Hopkins, Todd, Bell, Craig, McDowell.
The Board appointed Rev. J. Montgomery as agent to visit the church within the bounds of the Transylvania Presbytery, for the purpose of raising funds for the endowment of the College, agreeably to the resolutions of Synod.
The salary of Mr. Montgomery during the time he was to be engaged in the service of the Board was to be at the rate of $1,200 per annum, he bearing his own expenses.
The salary of Prof. Ormond Beatty was raised to $900 per annum.
John C. Young, Secretary