[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. In 1836 the trustees received a second land grant in Arkansas. It was the Trustees responsibility to survey and sell the land to provide funds to help support the institution.]
[Note: John A. Jacobs functioned as superintendent of the Kentucky School for the Deaf and treasurer of the Board.]
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March 24, 1845
The Board met. Present John Todd, James Hopkins, Joseph McDowell, William Craig, Alexander Sneed, John Ford, Charles Henderson.
The Board, having learned by a communication from the Stated Clerk of Synod, that the Synod had reappointed for the term of four years as trustees of Centre College, George T. Wood, John Montgomery, John Todd, David C. Humphreys, John Ford, Robert C. Grundy, and James M. Preston, and had omitted to appoint any person in place of Nathan L. Rice, whose term of office had expired, proceeded to appoint a trustee to fill the vacancy until the next meeting of Synod, whereupon Rev. John Brown was chosen.
Mr. Jacobs was authorized to employ D. G. W. Leavitt as agent for the lands of the Asylum in Arkansas for the purpose of paying taxes, as well as redeeming some land, and to compensate him.
The Board authorized Mr. John A. Jacobs to procure the services of some person or persons to secure the interests of the Asylum in any lands which Messrs. Richard C. Allin or Romeo Lewis may hold in Mississippi or Arkansas. Mr. Jacobs was sanctioned by the Board in directing the agent in Florida, in case he took back any land from the purchases of Asylum lands, to take it back not in the name of the Asylum but in the name of Mr. Jacobs.
Mr. Jacobs presented a report of the Treasurer of the Asylum
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and stated that he had examined it, and found it to be accurate. He also presented to the Board a variety of letters received on business of the Asylum and reported the action taken on each of them - all which was approved. Mr. Jacobs presented a detailed account of his actions during the last six months as financial agent, which was approved.
Mr. Jacobs, after stating to the Board that the funds of the Asylum were not adequate to meet its annual expenses, proposed to relinquish $400 per annum of his salary, whereupon the following resolutions were unanimously adopted. Resolved that while the Board concur in the proposal of Mr. Jacobs, and reduce his salary to $500.00 per annum in accordance with his own request, they cannot express their gratification with his ability and fidelity in the discharge of his duties as a teacher, as well as his disinterestedness in relinquishing part of the salary to which he is so fully entitled.
Resolved that, while the Board agree to reduce for the present the salary of Mr. Jacobs agreeably to his wish, they will raise it to its former amount as soon as the circumstances of the institution will render it prudent, or as soon as Mr. Jacobs shall express his desire that it should be done.
The report of the Secretary
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of the College and the Secretary of the Asylum on the unsettled accounts between the College and Asylum was read and approved by the Board, and the same committee was authorized to make such arrangements for paying over from the College $1,200, the amount found due to the Asylum, as they shall deem most expedient, and to report to the Board at its next meeting a detailed statement of the mode in which this amount shall be paid.
A petition was presented by the president from the Deinologian Society [Deinologian Literary Society] for the use of the north half of the room [in Old Centre], the south half of which had been granted to the Chamberlain Society [Chamberlain Literary Society] for the use of its library. The petition was granted.
The petition of Daniel Brown to have his subscription released was granted.
The Board appointed Rev. J. D. Matthews agent to raise the endowment of the College, with the option of taking for his services, at the rate of $1,000 per annum, or ten percent on all the funds raised by him, to be paid in the funds raised.
The Board Resolved that the College societies [Chamberlain and Deinologian literary societies] hereafter must meet only in daylight and that they may have an opportunity of doing so conveniently. The Board direct the President of the College to hold no exercises in chapel on Saturday morning.
John C. Young, Secretary
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September 24, 1845
The Board met. Present John Todd, John Montgomery, Joseph McDowell, James Hopkins, Charles Henderson, Alexander Sneed, John Ford, Jacob Price, Daniel B. Price, William Craig. Rev. Edward P. Humphreys, having been appointed by Synod as a member of the Board of Trustees, appeared and having been duly qualified before Mr. Henderson, Justice of the Peace, took his seat.
The secretaries reported the mode in which the amount due to the Asylum from the College had been liquidated, and their accounts fully settled, all which was approved by the Board.
The Financial Agent made a report in detail of his proceedings in collecting and securing the debts of the Board. He was authorized to compromise with J. Brikenmeyer for half the amount of the principal and interest of his note, if it can thus be collected without a suit. The Board further directed the Financial Agent to settle the doubtful claims in his hands according to his best judgment, abating with the interest or a portion of the principal as the good of the College may seem to demand.
The following persons on recommendation of the Faculty received from the Board the degree of A.B.: William C. Anderson, George O. Barnes, Robert L. Breck, Thomas Brown, William B. Craig, William L. Green, William L. Harlan, Aaron B. Knight, Joel K. Lyle, David K. Newell, James B. Patrick, William H. Pawling, Robert C. Sneed, Samuel D. Ward.
The Board conferred the honorary degree of A.M. on Rev. Samuel W. Cheney, and the degree of A.M. in course on the following persons, graduates of former years [names not shown]
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The degree of D.D. was conferred on the Rev. James Thornwell, Professor of Rhetoric and Sacred Literature in the South Carolina University, and on Rev. John D. Paxton of Kentucky.
Resolved that in case the number of indigent pupils in the Asylum shall exceed twenty five, the representative from this county and the senator from the district be requested to use their influence to procure a law increasing the number of the pupils to be supported by the state to thirty, and to obtain their support from the beginning of the session.
The Financial Agent was directed to collect the interest due on Dr. Pawling's note, and also to require that this note be paid within three years in equal annual installments, or that he bring suit upon it.
Messrs. Henderson and Price, having been appointed a committee to examine the Treasurer's report, reported that it was found to be correct on comparing it with the vouchers. Their report was approved.
The Board directed that Messrs. Bullock and Price be allowed ten percent on the amount of notes and moneys collected by them for the College, to be paid in the
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same kind of funds which the Board received from this agency - ten percent in money on money received, and ten percent in notes on notes received.
The Board received and accepted Rev. J. D. Matthew's resignation of his agency.
The Rev. John Brown appeared, and having been qualified as a Trustee appointed regularly by Synod, took his seat.
The Financial Agent was instructed to present to Synod a full exhibit of the pecuniary condition of the College.
A motion was made to instruct the Faculty to receive again into the institution Mr. McNickle, a student who had
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been dismissed at the close of the spring session, the Faculty having referred Mr. McNickle's application to the Board. The motion was lost, and the Faculty was directed to act in the case according to their own discretion.
Adjourned till tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m.
Resolved that the Board request the Synod to express their concurrence in the relinquishment of the notes held by the College on the following persons, viz., Rev. R. A. Lapsley, Rev. A. Todd, Rev. Nathan H. Hall, Rev. Jeremiah Chamberlain, Rev. John Hudson, Rev. L. Finley, Rev. Samuel Taylor, Rev. James C. Barnes, and Rev. Dewey Whitney. On some of these notes more than the principal had been paid, viz, Todd's, Finley's, Taylor's and Barnes'.
Messrs. Humphreys, Brown, Grundy, and Montgomery were appointed a committee to confer with the Faculty on the course of studies, and report to the Board at its next meeting.
Resolved that the agents of the College be directed to present the wants of the College in respect to its library, apparatus, and cabinet, as well as the endowment of professorships, and to take subscriptions or donations for each of these specific objects wherever they can be procured.
John C. Young, Secretary
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November 25, 1845
The Board met at Mr. Bell's office. Present John Todd, Joseph McDowell, John Ford, James Hopkins, William Craig, Charles Henderson. Charles Caldwell having been appointed by Synod and having qualified as a member of the Board, took his seat.
Resolved that the Board of Trustees, on the petition of the two societies [Chamberlain and Deinologian literary societies] of the College, deem it expedient to suspend the operation of the law for the present session requiring these societies to meet on Saturday, and that they be permitted, during the present session, to meet as heretofore, with the proviso that they shall never hold their meetings later than eleven and a half o'clock at night, and that the President is requested to enforce this provision.
John C. Young, Secretary