Centre College Special Collections - Board of Trustees Minutes (1890)

Centre College Board of Trustees Minutes (Vol. 4 - 1890)

Danville, Ky., 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, 1890

Pursuant to adjournment the Board of Trustees of Centre College convened in the Session Room of the 2nd Presbyterian Church. In the absence of the Chairman, Dr. Blayney, the Board was organized by calling Dr. Yerkes to the Chair, and the meeting was opened with prayer by Dr. Yerkes. The following members were present: Rev. Stephen Yerkes, D.D., William Ernst, Esq., Rev. Claud B. H. Martin, D.D., George Nicholas, Esq., Rev. William C. Young, D.D., Edward W. C. Humphrey, Esq., James A. Curry, Esq.

Mr. James A. Curry, re-elected at the last meeting of the Synod, took the prescribed oath of office.

Reasons for absence were sent by Rev. J. McCluskey, D.D., James Barbour, Esq., Rev. William C. Condit, D.D., William H. Kinnaird, Esq., Rev. Edward L. Warren, D.D., Rev. Thomas H. Cleland, D.D., and Rev. Heman H. Allen, D.D.

The Treasurer, John A. Cheek, Esq., read his report for the thirteen months ending April 30, 1890. This report, bearing the certificate of the Auditing Committee that it had been examined by them and found correct, was receivedd and approved, and ordered to be put to record

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in the Financial Statement book.

In connection with the Treasurer's Report the following paper was adopted:

The minutes of the Financial Committee were read, giving an account of the collections, investments, etc., of the funds of the College. The minutes were approved and the investments of the Committee sanctioned.

The Board commends the Commitee for keeping a careful record of their acts in a strongly bound volume, which is directed to be safely kept among the records of the College.

The following communication was received from the Treasurer:

Danville, Ky., June 17, 1890
To the Board of Trustees of Centre College:

In accordance with the order of the Board passed in October 1889, the Treasurer visited Louisville in April last and received of Edward W. C. Humphrey all the securities belonging to the College in his hands, and gave him proper receipts for the same. Box No. 308, with two keys, in the vault of the Fidelity Trust & Safety Vault Co. was rented and all the securities belonging to the College were placed therein, and one of the keys is now in the hands of Edward W. C. Humphrey and the other in the hands of the Treasurer. Instructions were left with the Vault Co. to allow the box to be opened in the presence of these two only, or by representatives of this Board duly accredited.

Very respectfully, John. A. Cheek, Treasurer, Centre College

On motion the following resolution was adopted:

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Resolved that the Faculty be and are hereby authorized, to arrange for such additional instruction as they may deem advisable during the coming year.

The Faculty Report, including Reports on Museum, Library, Scientific and Mathematical Funds, was read and approved. The Faculty Report is as follows:

The Faculty of the Centre College of Kentucky would submit to the Board of Trustees and the Synod of Kentucky the following report:

With the exception of Prof. Redd, who was absent for several weeks on account of his father's death, the Faculty have all been able to discharge their duties during the whole collegiate year without intermission. About one-half of the President's time has been spent in the field soliciting money; during the other half he has been at his post giving instruction to the Senior and Junior classes, and personally directing the government of the College.

As to the work done by the President while in the field, the progress made in enlarging the endowment, the present prosperous financial condition of the College, the Board is referred to the report of the Treasurer and the detailed oral statement made by the President.

In compliance with the action of the Board at its last regular meeting, Mr. John D. Epes, from Johns Hopkins University, was employed by the Faculty as a special instructor in English. At the close of the first term of the session Mr. Epes was released from his engagement in order that he might take a special course in English in Johns Hopkins University in which he had been offered a scholarship. His work while here seemed to be faithful and efficient. The Faculty would report that he has been re-engaged at an advanced salary for the coming year.

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The Faculty would also state that, with the permission of the Board, the funds justifying such an enlargement, they think it advisable to employ still another instructor to take charge, probably, of the department of modern languages.

The reports on the Museum, Library, Scientific and Mathematical Funds, and a copy of the Catalogue for 1889-90, are made a part of this report and are herewith presented.

The College Home has continued during the year under the management of Mrs. Farrand and has been more largely patronized than for years past. The Faculty understand that the control of this department of the College work is placed by the Board in their hands, and their earnest desire and efforts will be directed toward making it as helpful as possible to the class of students which it was established to benefit.

Mr. J. B. Walton still continues at the head of the Preparatory Department, and with two efficient assistants has done faithful, efficient service during the year, so far as we are able to judge.

The Faculty strongly recommends that a Home Boarding Department in connection with the Preparatory Department, be established by the Board.

There has been a marked increase in the number of students in college over that of last year. One or two students have been suspended for idleness & failure to attend their classes, but the conduct and industry of the overwhelming majority have been good.

Daily chapel exercises and weekly reci-

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tations in the Bible have been regularly conducted during the whole year; the former by the President & Dr. McKee, and the latter by Dr. McKee and the other professors. We would especially note the devout behavior of the students during the morning religious service. We hope and believe that this service has been owned and blessed of God.

The Young Men's Christian Association has had its regular devotional meetings during the year. The membership of the Association is larger and its zeal & activity are greater than for years past. We contemplate with great pleasure securing for this society more commodious & attractive quarters.

(Signed) William C. Young, President

In addition to the foregoing written report from the Faculty, the President made an oral statement of his work in the field during the year in obtaining subscriptions for the endowment fund, scholarships, etc., in which he had been very successful.

The report of the Librarian showed

Number volumes at close of last year
Added during the year
Total in Library June 1, 1890

5,830
458
6,288

The report concludes as follows:

The Librarian would respectfully state to the Board that there are quite a number of Reviews, etc., which have been donated to the College Library that should be preserved by binding. A small appropriation would effect this.

He has himself also a set of the periodical entitled "Nature" which he is willing to donate to the Library provided the College is willing to pay for binding, there being some 30 volumes unbound. Complete sets are hard to obtain, and one was sold

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a few weeks ago by one of the second-hand dealers for $135.

Respectfully submitted, (Signed) John C. Fales, Librarian

On motion the sum of $50 was appropriated for binding unbound reviews, etc., in the College Library.

The report on the Scientific Fund showed:

Balance at close of last year
Appropriation for 1889-90
Expenditures
Amount paid for chemicals, etc.
Balance on hand June 1, 1890

$29.59
$130.00

$159.59

$110.39
$49.20

Respectfully submitted, (Signed) John C. Fales, Professor Natural Sciences

The report on the Museum is as follows:

To the Board of Trustees of the Centre College of Ky.:

In reference to the Museum of the College, I have no additions to report as entered on the Register. All my time has been spent on the catalogue of the Library, with some additional labor connected with the new Gymnasium building. While I regret this I feel that the work in my departments covers so much ground that I have done all that could be reasonably expected.

Very respectfully, (Signed) John C. Fales

The report on the Mathematical Fund is as follows:

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Balance on hand at close of last year
Appropriation for 1889-90
On hand June 1, 1890

$18.75
$20.00
$38.75

I would state that it is my purpose to allow this fund to accumulate till it amounts to enough to purchase a good Y-Level for the Mathematical Department, which will cost about $115.

Very respectfully, Alfred B. Nelson, Prof. Mathematics

On motion $100 was appropriated to the Scientific Fund, and $20 to the Mathematical Fund, for the coming year.

On motion the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved that the Board cordially approves the proposal to establish, under the supervision of the Faculty, a Christian home, especially for the younger boys in course of preparation for the College; such home being conducted by the principal of the Preparatory Department, or some other suitable person approved by the Faculty.

Resolved that the sincere thanks of this Board be expressed to Rev. Stephen Yerkes, D.D., and Rev. S. D. Burchard, D.D., for the generous donation of valuable books to the Library of the College; and to Prof. John C. Fales and J. A. Cheek for their faithful, self-denying labors in behalf of the College.

Resolved that the Secretary be instructed to communicate this resolution to the above-named gentlemen.

The following resolution was adopted:

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Resolved that the Secretary be instructed to cast the vote of the Board for George W. Welsh, Jr., to fill the vacancy in this Board caused by the death of his father, George W. Welsh, Sr., subject to the sanction of the Synod.

The Secretary reported that he had so cast the ballot.

On motion it was resolved that a committee be appointed to bring in a suitable minute on the death of George W. Welsh, Sr., who so long served as a member of this Board. The Chair appointed Dr. Martin & Mr. Humphrey as the committee.

The Committee on repairs was reappointed, omitting the name of George W. Welsh, deceased. This committee is as follows:

Committee on Repairs: Messrs. John C. Fales, Guy E. Wiseman, and George W. Welsh, Jr.

In the auditing committee the name of George W. Welsh, Jr., was substituted for that of George W. Welsh, deceased. This Committee is as follows:

Auditing Committee: Messrs. Robert P. Jacobs and George W. Welsh, Jr.

The financial committee was reappointed. It is as follows:

Financial Committee: Messrs. J. A. Cheek and Edward W. C. Humphrey, William C. Young, Robert P. Jacobs, and George W. Welsh, Jr.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Faculty, the degree of A.B. was conferred on the following members of the Senior Class:

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Joseph Walker Bowen
Jacob Twyman Boyer
Edward Hardy Bull
John Rice Cowan
Henry Nelson Craik
Hayden Young Grubbs
Alexander Robertson Hann
Robert Leonard Oelze
John Thomas Price
Thomas Burnette Terhune
Horace Greely Turner
John Franklin Walton
Robert Hiner Winn
Daniel Hollingsworth Yeiser

and the degree of B.S. on

William Beckner Bush
George Andrew McRoberts
John Sallee Van Winkle

and a Certificate on John Robert McRoberts

and a Special Certificate on Lee Riker Vanarsdall

The degree of A.M. in course was conferred on the following graduates:

Rev. Glenn Howard Putnam, 1878, Centreville, Iowa
Ernest Douglas Martin, M.D., 1885, Danville, Ky.
Rev. Thomas Samuel McWilliams, 1886, Chilicothe, O.
Achilles Edward Davis, M.D. 1886, New York City
Shelley D. Rouse, Atty. at Law, 1886, Covington, Ky.
Edward Melville Green, M.D., 1887, Danville, Ky.

On motion a ballot was taken and the degree,of L.L.D. was conferred on

Hon. John Young Brown, '55, Henderson, Ky.
Judge Alexander Pope Humphrey, '66, Louisville, Ky.

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On motion the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved that the Faculty be authorized to reduce the tuition fees in the Preparatory Department, if they shall deem it expedient to do so; and, if necessary in their judgment, to supplement the salary of the Principal of the Preparatory Department out of the College funds.

On motion the Secretary was instructed to call Mr. Jacobs' attention to bill against town of Danville for repairs on wire fence on east side of Campus.

On motion the Secretary was authorized to issue a duplicate certificate for scholarship (marked duplicate) to George W. Welsh, Jr., to replace last certificate belonging to George W. Welsh, Sr., said duplicate to be void in case the original certificate is found.

On motion an adjournment was taken till 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.

9 a.m., Wednesday, June 18, 1890

The Board reassembled, with the following members present: Messrs. Ernst, Nicholas, Martin, Curry, Humphrey, Jacobs, George W. Welsh, Jr., Dr. Yerkes being in the Chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by Mr. Curry.

George W. Welsh, Jr., qualified by taking the prescribed oath of office.

On motion the following paper was adopted:

The Board records with sorrow the death of George W. Welsh, Sr., whose decrease occurred October 15, 1889.

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Mr. Welsh was a thoroughly good man, and his sound judgment, rare tact, and large experience of affairs made him a valuable counsellor in the deliberations of this Board. Every duty to which he was called as a member of the Board was discharged with conscientious fidelity, and his interest in the welfare of the College continued unabated till his death.

The memory of Mr. Welsh will be tenderly cherished in our hearts, while his service for Christ and the Church will continue to bear fruit in the growing usefulness of the College, with whose history, in prosperity & in adversity, he had been so long & so closely identified. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."

(Signed) Claud B. H. Martin, Edward W. C. Humphrey

On motion the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved that in approving the report of the Faculty, the Board records its high appreciation of the President's diligence & success in carrying forward the work of raising funds for the College.

A motion was carried to appoint a committee on the erection of a new Theological Seminary building and dormitory on the College Campus, with full power to act. This committee was appointed and consists of Messrs. Jacobs, Welsh and Martin.

On motion the following resolution was adopted:

The Board of Trustees having been informed that the Boards of Directors & Trustees of Danville Theological Seminary voted to pay $1,000 toward the erection of the Boyle-Humphrey Gymnasium now being built upon the grounds belonging to Centre College, on condition that the students of said

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Seminary up to the number of twenty (20) should always enjoy all the privileges of said Gymnasium without charge, therefore

Resolved, that in consideration of the sum of $1,000 paid by the treasurer of the Seminary into the Gymnasium fund of the College, this Board orders & directs that the students of the Seminary up to the number of twenty (20) shall enjoy without cost all the privileges granted to the College members of the Gymnasium.

A vote of the cordial thanks of the Board was tendered to Judge A. P. Humphrey and Hon. John Boyle for their large-hearted liberality in contributing the greater part of the fund for building the Boyle-Humphrey Gymnasium.

On motion the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved that the sincere thanks of this Board be expressed to Dr. Beatty for his self-sacrificing devotion to the interests of the College in doing for the last two years an amount of teaching far in excess of what he stipulated to do.

On motion a committee was appointed to report to the Board at its next meeting in regard to the advisability of shortening the College session one week in June. This committee consists of the Faculty of the College.

The minutes of the present meeting were read and approved for the record.

On motion the Board adjourned to meet 2:30 p.m. Tuesday preceding next Commencement in the Session Room of the 2nd Presbyterian Church, Danville, or at the call of the Chairman.

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The meeting was closed with prayer by Dr. Martin.

Alfred B. Nelson, Assisant Secretary