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March 8, 1853
Board of Trustees met in Lexington according to adjournment at 3 o'clock p.m. in the session room of the First Presbyterian Church. Present Messrs. Robert J. Breckinridge, Edward Humphrey, William L. Breckinridge, Joseph Bullock, John Brown, Samuel Cassiday, James Barbour, Robert Johnstone, John S. Berryman. James Barbour, Esq., presented a certificate of qualification signed by Benjamin F. Graves, presiding Judge of Fayette County Court [of] Kentucky. Dr. William L. Breckinridge was appointed Chairman pro tem and John A. Jacobs Secretary pro tem. Rev. John H. Brown presented a certificate of qualification signed by John Henry, Justice of the Peace of Fayette County.
The following resolution was offered by Dr. Humphrey and adopted. Resolved that until the Second Presbyterian Church in Danville shall be opened for use, the President of the College is requested to call the students together in the College Chapel for the preaching of the gospel at least once on the Lord's day.
On motion of J. Barbour, resolved that the Secretary of this Board be directed to draw his warrant on the Treasurer in favor of Charles Henderson and James Barbour as a committee of this Board for a sum sufficient to pay the purchase money of $900 with its interest, agreed to be paid to Mr. Ficklin for a lot adjoining the College buildings, which sum with interest shall be returned to the Treasury out of the Williams' legacy when it shall be collected.
Ordered that the committee heretofore appointed to make purchases of houses with the Williams' legacy be directed to make no further purchases.
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Certificates of scholarship given
To M. T. Scott
A. Logan
J. M. Proctor in June 10, 1850
Dr. William Craig - September 17, 1850
J. R. Wright of Paris - July 8, 1851
John C. Young for his second scholarship the first being donated to the college) - March 15, 1853
John T. Boyle - September 29, 1853, for 2 scholarships
John T. Berryman - one
Mr. [illegible word] - one
J. R. Ford - October 18, 1854 - one
J. R. Ford - October 18, 1854 - one in transfer of claim of R. C. Grundy
Minutes continued
On motion of Mr. Brown, it was directed that the above committee be directed to sell the property now occupied by Professor Henry Snyder [professor, Latin, political economy, and history], unless he be willing to pay an interest of 6 percent on the cost of the property, keep it insured, and in repair.
On motion of Dr. Robert J. Breckinridge, ordered that the amount due from the literary department to the theological fund be paid by the Financial Agent and loaned out. In the settlement of this debt, the interest to be compounded every two years.
On motion of Dr. Robert J. Breckinridge, resolved that the Faculty of the College be requested to recommend to the Board of Trustees at their annual meeting in June two suitable persons to be appointed as tutors to instruct the lower classes in the languages and mathematics at a salary
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Form of certificate adopted by order of Board and used in case of Proctor
"Be it known, that ________ is the owner a perpetual scholarship in the Centre College of Kentucky at Danville by the payment of $500.00. This certificate is transferable by the said ____ or his attorney duly authorized in writing at the office or dwelling of the secretary of said institution [unclear: witness?] the seal of the corporation and the signature of the secretary - Danville 18th.
Minutes Continued
of $400 each, and that in place of the service now rendered by the present Faculty, they be required to increase the instruction in the higher branches of the natural and moral sciences, belles lettres, etc., it being the mind of the Board that no additional professor be now elected. At his request Dr. William L. Breckinridge's vote is entered in the negative. The Trustees in and around the town of Danville were appointed a committee to attend the annual examination in College. The Board then adjourned to meet in the College library on the day before the Commencement at 3 o'clock p.m.
John A. Jacobs, Secretary pro tem
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The Board of Trustees of Centre College have received of Samuel Laird, of Fayette County, Kentucky, the sum of $1,000 to be held and used for the College on the following conditions, viz. the principal is never to be expended, but only the annual interest accruing from it is to be appropriated towards the payment of a professor's salary; and if the control of the College shall ever pass from the hands of those who possess and hold the principles of divine truth as they are held by those commonly called old school divines or orthodox divines, and as they are plainly exhibited in the present confession of faith in the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the principal is to be paid over to the board of some other college, which shall at that time be under the control of persons who hold said principles. If the Trustees of the Centre College shall fail to pay over this sum on such a contingency, it may be recovered from them at law by any Board of Trustees who may be able to show that their institution at that time answers to description of one to which this sum is to be forfeited. The Trustees of the Centre College bind themselves to fulfill these conditions.
John C. Young, Secretary, Danville, September 29, 1836
Danville January 1, 1841
On the same conditions as those specified in the above statement and pledge on the part of the Board of Trustees of Centre College, they have received the additional sum of $10,000 in notes and stock to be added to the above $1,000, and also to another $1,000 previously given, to be invested in an Educational Society farm, which farm the Board has sold. These united sums are to be held as above specified by the Board, and are to constitute a Laird Professorship.
By order of the Board, John C. Young, Secretary
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Memorandum presented to committee of Synod on January 12, 1848
List of graduates
| 1824 | 2 | President Chamberlain |
| 1825 | 2 | President Chamberlain |
| 1826 | 2 | President Chamberlain |
| 1827 | 5 | President Proctor |
| 1828 | 3 | President Blackburn |
| 1829 | 5 | President Blackburn |
| 1830 | 6 | President Blackburn |
| 25 | Total in 7 years - averages of each year, 3 4/7 | |
| 1831 | 2 | President Young |
| 1832 | 5 | President Young |
| 1833 | 9 | President Young |
| 1834 | 5 | President Young |
| 1835 | 6 | President Young |
| 1836 | 3 | President Young |
| 1837 | 11 | President Young |
| 41 | Total in 2nd period of 7 years - average of each year, 6 6/9 | |
| 1838 | 15 | President Young |
| 1839 | 12 | President Young |
| 1840 | 16 | President Young |
| 1841 | 13 | President Young |
| 1842 | 14 | President Young |
| 1843 | 22 | President Young |
| 1844 | 17 | President Young |
| 109 | Total in 3rd period of 7 years - average of each year, 15 4/7 | |
| 1845 | 14 | President Young |
| 1846 | 13 | President Young |
| 1847 | 15 | President Young |
| 62 | Total in period of 3 years - average of each year, 20 2/3 | |
| 237 | Total graduates in 24 years | |
| 35 | ||
| 272 | ||
| 1848 | 35 | President Young |
| 1849 | 22 | President Young |
| 57 | ||
| 62 | Previous 3 years | |
| 119 | Total in period of 5 years - average, 23 4/5 | |
| Total graduates in 26 years = [blank] |
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Up to 1835 (August) there appears to have been 45 graduates, of whom 23 are ministers or are shortly to be licensed, besides a number who received an education, as N. Rice, but never a diploma. Up to July 1843, the whole number of graduates, as far as appears, is 143.