1853 (vol. 2) | contents | 1864
Centre College Board of Trustees Minutes (Vol. 3 - 1863)

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Danville June 23, 1863

Board of Trustees of Centre College met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer.

Members present: Rev. Edward P. Humphrey, Chairman, Revds. John L. McKee, Robert A. Johnstone, Aaron A. Hogue, Ezekiel Forman, Robert F. Caldwell, Messrs. Glass Marshall, William Ernst, Jeremiah T. Boyle, Levi L. Warren, Tyler T. Alexander, Charles Caldwell, George F. Lee.

The following members, not having taken the oath of office since their election, were duly qualified before taking their seats as members; viz John L. McKee, Glass Marshall, Tyler T. Alexander, Levi L. Warren, George F. Lee, and Ezekiel Forman.

The report of the Financial Agent was read and committed to Messrs. Ernst and Warren for examination, with directions to report to the Board.

Messrs. Boyle and Alexander were appointed a committee to whom was referred the business connected with the Markey estate.

To the same committee was referred the business relating to the Overton estate.

Messrs. Johnstone and Forman were appointed a committee to examine and compare the bonds, certificates of stock, evidences of claims, etc., belonging to the College with the report of the Financial Agent.

The Board then adjourned to meet at half past eight o'clock tomorrow morning, at the residence of Mr. Jacobs.

Wednesday June 24, 1863

Board reassembled, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Robert F. Caldwell.

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The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The resolutions of the Synod of Kentucky relating to Centre College, adopted at their late meeting in Paris, were also read. Also a report from the Faculty and a letter from Prof. Matthews asking a renewal of his leave of absence on the same conditions as heretofore.

The following is the report of the faculty.

In a report which the Faculty laid before the Board of Trustees at their meeting in April last, they presented everything relating to the internal condition of the College during the academic year about closing which they deemed of interest.

Since that period nothing of importance has transpired, except the sudden death of Dr. Green, which occurred after a brief illness on the 26th day of May. By this sad event the College has now again, after so brief a period, been a second time deprived of its Presiding Officer.

While it is not becoming in the Faculty to make any suggestion to the Board in regard to supplying the vacancy thus created, yet it may not be improper to call attention to the fact that two members of the Faculty are absent on leave of the Board & that it may become necessary, in making arrangements for the next year, to consider the propriety of recalling at least one of them.

The Faculty beg leave to recommend the following young gentlemen for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, viz Thomas Bell, Thomas Hamm Cleland, John Levi Cleveland, William Cutter Condit, John Duncan Goodloe, Andrew January Grundy, &

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William Henry Weedin

In addition to the liberal benefaction of Mr. David A. Sayre in erecting a Library Building, he has now added a small box of books containing volumes for the Library itself.

For any additional information we respectfully refer to our report, spread, as we learn, upon the minutes of the Board.

After the reading of the resolutions of the Synod, Messrs. Boyle & Alexander were appointed a committee to examine, in accordance with these resolutions, and report to the Board whether there are any legal difficulties in the way of taking from the income of the Building Fund and restoring to the ordinary income fund of the College the amount of this latter fund, which was consumed in the support of Mr. Strahan while engaged in raising the Building Fund.

By a resolution of the Board, no permanent appointment of a Professor can be made except by a vote of two thirds of the Board. At the time of the appointment of the Rev. William J. McKnight, the requisite number of members was not present to make a permanent election, and his election was only temporary.

The requisite number being now present, it was moved to go into the election, whereupon he having received the unanimous vote of the members present - thirteen in all - the Rev. William J. McKnight was declared duly elected to the Chair to which he had been temporarily appointed.

The Building Committee were directed to take steps, by petition or otherwise as might seem most expedient to them, to protect if possible, the College

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grounds from injury, which it was reported to the Board might occur by their occupation & use for the purposes of a Rail Road tract through them.

The question of fixing a permanent relation between the salaries of the President of the College and the Professors was raised in the Board, and after some discussion the Board determined not to bind themselves by the establishment of any fixed rates, but to reserve the liberty of acting according to their judgment in every case as it might arise.

Mr. Boyle, from the committee on the Markey estate, presented a report, which was received, adopted and is as follows.

Resolved, That the Financial Committee be directed to call on Robert P. Kenney for a settlement of the estate of Nancy Markey & to demand the money devised to the College; and on his refusal to settle and pay, the Financial Agent is authorized and directed to institute suit for the final settlement of the Markey estate, and for the payment of the money to the Trustees of the College, or to require Robert P. Kenney to give security as Trustee for the money - and the payment of the interest - held in trust under the will of Nancy Markey. The Financial Agent is authorized to employ an attorney to aid him in the settlement, and to bring suit if necessary. The Financial Committee is further ordered and directed to ascertain if there is anything due the Trustees from, or on account of, the devises to the slaves mentioned in said will, either by the death of either of them or their refusal to go to Liberia.

Dr. Humphrey & Mr. Johnstone were appointed to

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prepare a suitable minute in relation to the death of Dr. Green.

The Board then held a conference in relation to the election of a President of the College.

Recess until two o'clock this afternoon.

2 o'clock pm Board reassembled

The Committee appointed to prepare a minute in relation to the death of Dr. Green presented a report, which was received, adopted and is as follows,

It becomes the painful duty of the Board to record the death of the late President of the College the Rev. Lewis Green, D. D. He died in Danville after a severe illness of five days on the 26th May last. Dr. Green was one of the two students who formed the first class that graduated in the College. He became a few years afterwards Professor, and subsequently Vice President of the Institution. He left the College in the year 1840, and on the first of January 1858 returned to enter upon the Presidency.

His life was therefore identified in large measure with the past history of the College, having first received his education within its walls, and then devoted the vigor of his early manhood, and finally the last years of his mature learning and wisdom to its service. The Board returns thanks to Almighty God for all the important services that He has enabled Dr. Green to render to the cause of good learning & true religion, here & elsewhere, while it bows with profound resignation to his Holy will in the bereavement now laid upon the College.

The Financial Committee is directed to

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pay to Mrs. Green the regular salary of the President as fixed at the last meeting of the Board up to the 1st of October next & she is invited to occupy the President's House until the first of January next.

The undersigned the Committee to whom was referred the question, "Whether there are any legal difficulties in the way of taking from the income of the Building Fund and restoring to the ordinary income fund of the College, the amount consumed in the support and pay of the Rev. M. Strahan, while engaged in raising the Building Fund", submit the following:

The Trustees of the College have control of both funds, and inasmuch as the amount paid to Mr. Strahan was by order of the Board, we do not see any legal difficulty in this appropriation, but in order to obviate any trouble, and for the purpose of keeping the two funds entirely distinct hereafter, your committee recommend the adoption of the following resolution, viz.

That out of the profits and interest of the Building Fund, the Financial Agent be directed to pay over to the ordinary income fund of the College the amount consumed & paid to Rev. Mr. Strahan, and that hereafter the two funds be kept separately and paid out by appropriations respectively for the expenditures of each fund.

[signed] Jeremiah T. Boyle, Tyler T. Alexander

The resolution was adopted.

The Committee appointed to examine the stocks, bonds, etc., presented a report which was received, adopted and is as follows:

The Committee appointed to examine and compare

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the bonds, stocks, notes & evidences of claims of Centre College with the report of the Financial Agent, report that they have made this examination and comparison and find perfect agreement between the bonds, stocks, notes and evidences of claims contained in the tin box now kept in the safe in the office of the Financial Agent, and the statement in the report of the Financial Agent in paper B.

The report was signed by Robert A. Johnstone, Ezekiel Forman

and the Board directed the Financial Committee to cut off the coupons falling due within a year & then to place in the care of Mr. Ernst the box containing the bonds, certificates of stock, etc., belonging to the College to be kept by him in the vault of his bank in Covington.

The Committee to whom was referred the report of the Financial Agent brought in a report which was received, adopted and is as follows, viz.

The Committee to whom was referred the report of the Financial Agent have carefully examined the report and accompanying papers and submit the following as their report thereon:

It appears from the papers that the total amount of the College fund is $104,944.40, made up as follows:

Stocks 7 bonds considered good and yielding from 5 to 7 percent annually $58,700.00
Claims against individuals considered good, and upon which, from

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$1000 to $1200 of interest is collected annually $14,778.16
Turnpike stocks, paying from 1 to 2 per cent interest annually $8,650.00
Mrs. Markey's estate upon which interest has not been paid regularly $2,697.97
Tennessee and Missouri state bonds upon which interest has not been paid since January 1861$17,000.00
Stocks considered worthless $1,150.00
Due from individuals, considered worthless $1,922.27
making $104,944.40

There is a discrepancy between this amount and the amount standing at the credit of stock account on ledger - the ledger balance being only $102,680.41. The Committee recommend that the Financial Agent be directed to make the proper entries on the books so that the stock account shall exhibit the actual amount belonging to it. The Committee counted the cash reported to be on hand and found it to be correct, viz $997.55 College funds and $194.45 belonging to the Building Fund.

The Committee did not verify the statements set forth in the report of the Financial Agent by a comparison of them with the books, not having time to do so, but assumed them to be correctly transcribed.

The fund appears to have been well managed and is in a very good condition, considering the convulsed condition of our country and the great financial changes which have resulted from that condition.

Your committee notice that nearly one half

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of the production fund consists of bank stocks, and would recommend that eight or ten thousand dollars of bank stock be converted into some other description of securities as soon as the Financial Committee can find a safe mode of investment. They would also recommend that the $9,446.59 now on deposit with the Bank of America, New York, belonging to the Building Fund, be invested in bonds of the state of Kentucky or in 5-20 bonds of the U. T., expressing a preference for the latter named securities.

The Committee have learned from the Financial Agent that, in addition to the scholarships alluded to in his report as having been cancelled during the year by purchase, certain parties, viz Jacob Vanmeter, Francis Snowdon, E. N. Offutt & wife, Alex Offutt and Miss Nancy A. Huston, have either relinquished or made provision to relinquish their scholarships as will more fully appear from the communication of Mr. Allen accompanying this report, and recommend that the Board pass a vote of thanks to the parties respectively.

[signed] William Ernst, Levi L. Warren

The following is the communication of Mr. Allen alluded to in the above report.

Names of persons relinquishing scholarships.

1. Jacob Vanmeter, in his will, donated his scholarship in Centre College to the Trustees, to take effect at the death of his wife. She has within the past year relinquished her right in it to the Board, with a reservation of the use of it in favor of two of her relations.

2. Francis Snowden has relinquished his scholar-

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ship to the Board without any reservation.

3. E. N. Offutt and E. A. Offutt, his wife, have informed me that in their will they leave their scholarships to the College.

4. Alexander Offutt has relinquished his half scholarship.

5. Miss Nancy A. Huston, now Mrs. Hall, her quarter scholarship.

[signed] Heman H. Allen, Agent

The Secretary was directed to forward, as usual, the minutes of the Board and accompanying papers to the Synod.

The Treasurer of the College was directed to pay on the order of the Secretary, salaries at the same rate as during the past year, viz to the President, should one be appointed, $1,400 and to each Professor $1,000, and $400 to the Financial Agent, in quarterly payments. The Financial Committee were authorized to arrange his salary with the Janitor.

The degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred on the seven young men recommended by the Faculty (see their names in the Faculty report page 11) and the honorary degree of Master of Arts on A. E. Sloan, Principal of the Caldwell Institute in Danville. The degree of L.L.D. was conferred on Prof. E. A. Grant, Principal of the Male High School in Louisville.

The following order was adopted by the Board in relation to the sum of $80 with interest recently collected from Mr. Sneed, viz

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the Board being satisfied from the evidence presented by Prof. Jacob, in an oral statement, and in the letter of General J. T. Boyle to Mr. Sneed, that the balance of the judgment in favor of the Trustees of Centre College against Alex Sneed and paid by Mr. Sneed to Dr. John C. Young & by him paid to David A. Russell, then Treasurer of the College. It is ordered that the Financial Agent refund the amount received by him from Mr. Sneed in payment of the balance of said judgment and that the estate of Dr. Young be released from all liability in this case.

An application of A. M. January, Esq., of Maysville for the return of two shares of stock in the Danville & Nicholasville Turnpike road was referred to the Financial committee, with instructions and authority to settle according to their judgment in the case and report to the Board.

The following committees were appointed, viz

The Faculty are authorized, in opening a new matriculation book, to require on the part of every student who may join the College classes a simple pledge to obey the laws of the Institution.

On motion the Board resumed conference as to filling

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the vacancy in the Presidency of Centre College and after full and free interchange of views the Board came to the following conclusion.

The Board having taken into consideration the vacancy occasioned by the death of Dr. Green, and not being prepared so soon after that bereavement to enter into an election of President, adopted the following resolutions.

1. Prof. Ormond Beatty is hereby chosen and appointed Vice President of the College. He is to exercise all the powers of the President until a new President shall be appointed.

2. His salary as Vice President shall be $300 per annum, in addition to his salary as Professor, so long as he shall discharge the duties of the Presidency.

3. Prof. Cooper is requested to return to his duties as professor in the College at the beginning of the next session.

4. The faculty are requested to arrange among themselves for the instruction of the classes in the departments sustained by Dr. Green and also for the religious instruction of the students.

5. When this Board adjourns, it will adjourn to meet in the Presbyterian Church at Frankfort on Thursday after the 2nd Wednesday of October at 7 o'clock P.M.

Ordered that the President of the Board give public notice of this action at the close of Commencement exercises tomorrow forenoon and likewise advertise the same in the newspapers.

Professor Matthews' request for leave of absence was granted.

Committee in the case of the Overton Estate reported and on motion the Committee were allowed further time.

The Financial Agent was directed to

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inquire after the negroes of said estate - their number, ages, condition, etc., and report to the next meeting of this Board.

It is ordered that the rent of the house in which Professor Patterson lives be remitted to him for one year, viz to July 1st 1863, and that hereafter, and until further orders, the rent be fixed at $75 per annum.

Resolved that Prof. Beatty, Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Allen be appointed a Committee to present to this Board a historical statement of the Funds of the College; as to the sources from which derived, the manner & kind of investment, the cost of various stocks and facts of such a nature, as may be useful and interesting to the Board and to the friends of the College in future years.

Board then adjourned. Closed with prayer.

Ormond Beatty, Secretary

Frankfort October 15, 1863

At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Centre College held in the city of Frankfort, pursuant to the order of adjournment, at 7 O'clock P.M. Thursday October 15th 1863. Present Rev. Edward P. Humphrey, Chairman, R. G. Brank, Robert A. Johnstone, Aaron A. Hogue, John L. McKee,

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Sidney S. McRoberts, Ezekiel Forman, Glass Marshall, Esqr., Robert F. Caldwell, William Ernst, Esqr., Tyler T. Alexander, Esqr., George F. Lee, Esqr., Levi L. Warren, Esqr.

Opened with prayer.

Tyler T. Alexander was elected temporary Clerk.

The Board then on motion took up the question of the election of President, and after a full and free interchange of views among the members, Dr. William L. Breckinridge having received the unanimous vote of the Trustees is declared duly elected President of Centre College, and Dr. Edward P. Humphrey is directed to inform said Breckinridge of his election.

The Building Committee of Centre College submitted a report with plan of Building specifications, etc., which report is in terms and figures following.

The Committee first endeavored to obtain a suitable plan for a Building by soliciting competing designs. In this they signally failed. Most of the Architects to whom application was made declined to enter into any contest of this kind. The designs which were offered were altogether unsatisfactory. The Committee, in accordance with the suggestions of several Architects, then determined to employ some competent man who might work under the direction of the Committee until a suitable design should be secured. Mr. Vogdes (of the firm of Vogdes & Hancliffe of Louisville) was finally employed, and under written instructions

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carefully prepared by the Committee, presented two designs, one of which (No. 2) your committee thinks is admirably adapted to our wants, and which we, herewith, submit to the judgment of the Board, and if it meet their approval recommend its final adoption.

The design will itself sufficiently exhibit the general character of the building.

It may be proper to add that the size of the rooms is in accordance with the written instructions of the Committee, prepared after much careful reflection upon the subject, and consultation with all the members of the Faculty of the College, including the late venerable President.

With the design we also submit specifications, estimates and letters of explanation by the Architects. It will be seen that the total cost of the erection of this Building will be according to these estimates:

Work, materials, etc. $28,000
Compensation of Architects, about $1,500
Seating, warming, furnishings, etc. $2,000
Two cisterns - improving lot, etc. $500
Total $32,000

The Committee are of course compelled to take the estimates of the Architect, as far as it was in their power, to compare the prices in the estimates with the known prices of labor and materials in Danville; at the time these estimates were made, nothing was developed to induce the belief that the actual would exceed the estimated cost.

Since that time the price, both of labor and

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materials have, no doubt, been enhanced, but we see no reason to suppose that this will be permanent. It rests with the Board to say, and the Committee now ask specific instruction, whether they shall proceed at once with the work, or wait longer for more quiet and safer times, and for a reduction in the cost of labor and materials.

In connection with this subject the Committee desire to say that, in the erection of a new College edifice, they do not suppose that the present building will be rendered altogether useless. If it be thought advisable, it may be fitted up for the use of the students, and is sufficiently large to accommodate forty or fifty comfortably. Every year it has become more and more difficult to find suitable Boarding Houses for the students, where they might be entertained at reasonable rates. The citizens of the town and vicinity do not open their houses for their reception so universally as they once did. And there is a tendency on the part of those who take Boarders for the sake of gain, to put the price of Boarding so high as to prove a serious detriment to the best interests of the College. The friends of the Institution in the town have for some years felt the necessity of doing something to counteract this tendency and to keep down the price of Board. The only remedy, which has occurred to us, is to furnish rooms for at least a portion of our students where, if they were lodged, it is believed that day boarding could be procured by them at much more moderate rates than are now charged, and that the whole effect of this would be to relieve the pressure and lower the rates of boarding everywhere through the town. The present College building contains ten rooms, besides the

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Chapel. Most of these rooms could be divided into two each, and the Chapel into four rooms, furnishing thus accommodation for forty-eight persons, two in a room or where undivided four in a room who might be comfortably lodged in this building. As it was not originally intended for this purpose, it could hardly be expected that the building would be as conveniently arranged as if it had been designed for this object, but we think that it might be put to this service if deemed advisable at comparatively moderate cost. The necessity for some provision of this kind, we think, is pressing, and as the new Edifice, in connection with the Library Hall erected by the Liberality of Mr. Sayre, will, as we suppose, afford ample accommodation for many years for all the classes, we have ventured to suggest one of the possible uses to which the old building might be appropriated.

(signed) Ormond Beatty, Chairman

Adjourned to meet at 7 P.M. tomorrow.

Friday P.M. October 16, 1863

The Board met pursuant to agreement. Present Rev. Edward P. Humphrey, Chairman, Rev. Robert A. Johnstone, Ezekiel Forman, Aaron A. Hogue, Robert F. Caldwell, Robert G. Brank, Messrs. George F. Lee, Levi L. Warren, Glass Marshall, Tyler T. Alexander.

The unfinished business was taken up, to wit, a resolution offered in regard to the order of the Board passed 26th June 1860, limiting the cost of the new College edifice to $27,500, said resolution after considerable discussion was adopted and is as follows:

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Resolved that the order of the Board passed June 26th 1860, limiting the cost of the new College edifice to the sum of $27,500, be, and is hereby rescinded, and that the building committee be authorized and directed to proceed with the building according to the plan of Stancliff and Vogdes, submitted by the Building Committee at the present meeting, which plan is hereby adopted by the Board, and that the Financial Agent be instructed to proceed to the collection of the unpaid subscriptions.

Also the following:

Resolved that the Building Committee be requested to make a detailed report of the progress of the building at each meeting of this Board. Rev. William L. Breckinridge, D.D. and Rev. Ezekiel Forman were added to the Building Committee.

The following paper was presented to the Board, adopted, and is as follows:

1st. Resolved, the salary of the President, as fixed by the Board at its last meeting, will be at the rate of $1400 per annum for the present year. The Board will from time to time fix the salaries of the President and Professors, adjusting them to the income of the College, it being an established principle with the Board not to encroach on the permanent funds of the College for the payment of its current expenses.

2nd. The use of the Presidents house free of rent is also given to the President, the Board reserving the College campus. The President shall also receive the usual graduating fees.

3d. It is the desire of the Board that the religious instruction of the students shall form a very special and important part of the Presidents labors. The

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Professors are also expected to assist him in this great work.

4th. The Faculty, in connection with Messrs. Johnstone and Forman, are requested to submit to the June meeting of this Board a special report on the subject of the religious instruction of the students, and propose some plan of instruction in this department for the consideration of the Board.

5th. The members of the Board residing in Danville, together with the President elect, are appointed to make arrangements for his inauguration at such time as they may designate.

6th. The Chairman and secretary of this Board are appointed to inform Dr. Breckinridge of his election, and to furnish him and the Faculty with a copy of this minute.

The following resolution was adopted. The Financial Committee are instructed to enclose the campus; they will also forbid the use of it as a pasture, and report to this Board a plan for the arrangement and planting of the grounds.

The Financial Committee is instructed to use all diligence in purchasing as many outstanding scholarships as practicable, to prepare the way for an action of the Board at the next meeting raising the price of tuition.

The following paper was presented to the Board and adopted:

That the Building Committee be requested to report to the next meeting of the Board as to the propriety of erecting a new building, or buildings, for the use of the Preparatory Department of the College, with

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a view to increase its efficiency and usefulness; also, to make any suggestions which may occur to them touching the more thorough organization of the school, looking to the same end.

In regard to a change of investments the following paper was adopted:

This Board would express to the committee their judgment that an investment in government 5-20 would be a good investment provided any change is made by that committee.

A communication was received from Rev. Alex Cowan, Agent of Colonization Society, in relation to the slaves belonging to the estate of John W. Overton, whereupon the following resolution was adopted:

When it shall be made to appear to the Board's Financial Committee that arrangements have been perfected, and the balance of the necessary funds secured to remove the Overton negroes to Liberia, the Financial Agent is ordered and directed to pay over to the Society of the American Colonization Society the sum of $500 out of the funds of the College to be applied in removing said slaves to Liberia.

Vote of thanks to A. M. January and David A. Sayre for donation of stock in Lancaster, Lexington, and Nicholasville Turnpike, and of books.

The Secretary of the Board was directed to communicate this action of the Board to these gentlemen in appropriate terms.

Adjourned to meet at the Office of the Financial Agent in Danville on Tuesday before the last Thursday in June 1864 at 6 o'clock P.M.

[signed] Tyler T. Alexander, Secretary pro tem