Centre Faculty | 1861
Centre College Faculty Minutes (Vol. 1 - 1860)

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In opening a new minute book the Secretary of the Faculty states with report, that all the previous minutes of proceeding, and all the papers in his hands as secretary of the Faculty relating to matters which had been before them, were consumed with his own private papers, manuscripts, & library in the great conflagration of February 22, 1860.

James Matthews

March 1860

Resolved that Mr. Bradley's father be written to and advised to with draw his son from College on the ground that he is making no progress whatever in his studies, and that it is the clear judgment of the Faculty that this is the wisest course. Resolved that the examination of Messrs. Jacobs & Maury in Mathematics be sustained. Resolved that the examinations of Messrs. Hunter, Bartlett & Wing in Mathematics be sustained.

Mr. Edward Hughes, acting at the request of Mr. James Carson, having laid before the Faculty an application for them to revise their decision by which on the 16th day of January last they directed his son Mr. Charles Carson to be dismissed from the College, and to restore him to the position he held before his dismissal, the following minute was adopted by the Faculty, - spread on their records, and a copy directed to be sent through Mr. Hughes to Mr. Carson.

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Statement of the facts. Mr. Charles Carson, a student of the College at the time, in the latter part of November 1859 (precise date unknown) did, as is well known, and as acknowledged by himself, drink, in contravention of College laws, to such excess as to become completely intoxicated. This fact reached the ear of one member of the Faculty in the form of a rumor at as early a period as, according to his recollection, about the 22nd of December. At this time the classes had been dismissed for the recess which occurs at Christmas. The Professor himself left town, and had no opportunity either to inquire further in the case himself or to report to the Faculty until after his return early in January. After reaching home, however, he received additional information, and reported the case to the Faculty at their first meeting after reassembling on the 9th day of January. The Faculty, observing abundant caution and deliberation in the matter, laid the case over for consideration at their next meeting (16th) and directed the member who had reported it to make still further investigation in regard to the facts & circumstances. His report was made at the next meeting: (16): the facts appeared to be undoubted. Mr. Carson having been cited, was examined and confessed. In view of all the circumstances: & for the sake of the [unclear: personal?] welfare of the other students connected with the Institution, the Faculty felt they could do no less, however hardly it might bear on the individual, and how-

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ever tender might be their feelings towards him, than carry out in this case the rule on which they had uniformly acted for a great many years. They accordingly in conformity with their uniform practice in similar cases, passed sentence of dismissal upon Mr. Carson, giving as little publicity to it as possible, and doing nothing either to add to the pain or deepen the stigma, which might naturally attach to the action of the Faculty, or to the offence itself; but on the contrary, endeavoring to deal as tenderly with the case as they supposed the welfare of the College would allow.

In viewing their action the faculty can see no reason to suppose that they have committed any error which they need to correct.

They deem it, however, proper, in further justification of their action to say that it was not based, as they have heard alleged, upon confidential communications made by Mr. Carson himself to the Faculty or any member of it. Mr. Carson made no confession of his fault which it appears was committed in November, until January 7, and until after his case had been brought to the notice of the Faculty. It was not a voluntary confession to those who had no knowledge of the offence, but an acknowledgment to those to whom it was already known. In this the Faculty make no complaint of Mr. Carson; they do not condemn him for making confession; but they do not see that it constituted a sufficient reason for passing over the original offence. None would condemn more

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strongly any violation of confidence than the Faculty themselves.

It is also alleged, as they understand, that the offence was long past and never repeated. In about one month after the occurrence the knowledge of it reached the ears of a member of the Faculty. The case was issued as soon after this as a due circumspection & deliberation would allow. The Faculty would certainly feel the weight of an objection of this kind if the time elapsed had been sufficiently great. It may be difficult always wisely to determine when the principle of limitation ought to apply. In this case they could see no sufficient ground for its introduction; nor can they now see that the lapse of one month or two ought to exclude all notice of an offence. Nor have they reason in their experience to believe that the law which prohibits intoxication absolutely, under penalty of dissmission, works badly, and ought to be dispensed with. They have in more than one instance felt the pain of enforcing it, but have not shrunk when duty impelled them to this course.

It has been further alleged that Mr. Carson did not know for what purpose he was cited to appear before the Faculty. He was distinctly informed by the member of the Faculty who cited him. But supposing the allegation to be true, the Faculty see in it no reason for altering their decision. The authority which the Faculty exercises professes to be fraternal and moral.

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They seldom find it necessary to require the attendance of witnesses. A student called before them is usually thrown upon his honour as a gentleman, and is allowed to make his own statement. If innocent he need never fear being entrapped. If guilty he may feel it alike difficult to confess, to deny, or to be silent. The way of the transgressor is hard. How to deal wisely with such cases and indeed with all cases, may be difficult to determine. The Faculty certainly confess that they need, and as they trust, seek Divine guidance as they endeavour earnestly & faithfully to discharge the responsibilities which are laid upon them.

The Faculty feel called to say that under all the circumstances of the case, & with all the facts well known to Dr. Green, the advice first given by him to Mr. Carson and communicated in a letter to his father, an extract from which is contained in the letter addressed by Mr. Hughes to the Faculty, was both wise & kind, and offered the only possible method of escaping the penalty assigned by our law to such offences.

That after this advice had been declined, it was his imperative duty, and the only course remaining, to summon the offender before the Faculty, and have the case to their united decision.

March 26, 1860

Mr. [Owen] Glass cited to answer for insubordination in refusing to occupy the seat assigned him in Prof. Matthews' room - said he could not consistently with his code of honour occupy said seat. Informed that he must return to the

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room & take the allotted position. The Faculty agreed to meet on Wednesday to determine further in the case.

March 28, 1860

It appearing that Mr. Glass had receded from his determination, & had returned to his place in the room, he was admonished against any repetition of the offence, & respecting his declension in study generally.

Read in Faculty meeting up to this point & approved. - April 2nd 1860.

James Matthews Sec.

April 4, 1860

Resolved that all the members of the College who have examinations pending upon any portion of their previous course, be required in future to stand such examination by the 1st of April at the latest. Resolved that Dr. Green request Messrs. Barclay, Frazier, Muse & Thompson to appear before the Faculty on Monday in reference to their examinations on previous studies. Vanmeter allowed until the first of next session to prepare for examination on the Odes of Horace.

A communication from a secret society announcing their existence to the Faculty and requesting their approval was laid over until next meeting.

In the case of the Messrs., Green resolved that a note be inserted in their circulars calling attention to their frequent absences, & saying that unless their health improves so that they can attend more regularly, they had better be taken home. A note to be inserted in the circular of Mr. Dunlap to the effect that he cannot possibly go on with his present class.

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Resolved that a note be inserted in the circular of Messrs. Bell, Boyle, Humphrey, Lee, Rochester, Smith, Talbott, call in attention to their low grade in their class in the case of Boyle in Mathematics especially.

Resolved that we have one thousand blank forms of circular printed in Cincinnati.

Morrison A. Smith was directed to enter the Freshman class in Latin.

April 9, 1860

Faculty met - Present Messrs. Beatty, Matthews, & Patterson. Prof. Beatty, senior professor, in the chair. Minutes of previous meeting read & approved. Muse & Thompson came before the Faculty to consult respecting their examination, & the case was laid over until next meeting. Dr. Green appeared & took the chair. Barclay appeared & assigned reasons for not being prepared for examination: allowed until the 1st of May to prepare on a portion of his studies, & the Senior vacation for the remainder.

The communication from the secret society answered, that it has been the invariable custom of the Faculty to require the constitution & bylaws of every secret society to be submitted to some member of the Faculty, before they can give to it their sanction.

Thompson to be again informed that in the judgment of the Faculty it is utterly impossible for him to graduate with the present Senior class. Muse, in consideration of his bad health, allowed until the close of the session to make up his deficiencies. Bradley allowed until the 1st of May, to make trial of his dis-

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position & ability to improve his standing as a student. Minutes read & approved.

James Matthews, clerk

April 16, 1860

Faculty - all present. Chamberlain summoned on account of disorder in Prof. Patterson's room. Admonished seriously of the impropriety of his conduct, as well as his low grade in his studies, and warned of the serious consequences of a repetition of the disorder.

McRoberts applied for a delay until next session in his examination in Horace. Request granted on account of ill health. McKee summoned for absenting himself from Prof. Patterson's room to be informed that, owing to the misapprehension under which he laboured, no censure will be inflicted upon him. In reference to his request to be excused from the Mathematics for the remainder of the term, to be informed that his request is granted, with the understanding that he loses his standing in his class, and must make up in private what the class has gone over before he can enter it again in regular standing.

Minutes read and approved.

James Matthews

April 30, 1860

Faculty all present. The Chamberlain Society nominated for speakers on the 22nd February 1861, Messrs. Hays, Hunter, Rule and wing. Of these the Faculty selected Hays & Wing.

A petition for holiday on the 1st of May, on the ground of the Anniversary address to be delivered in the evening, signed by most of the students, was laid

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before the Faculty; on motion the request was granted but Wednesday the 2nd of May was given instead of the 1st. Resolved that the examination of the Senior Class begin on Monday 28th of May.

Barclay examined in Cicero de officiis & Political Economy - Examination sustained.

Minutes read & approved.

James Matthews

May 14, 1860

Faculty all present. It was resolved that Mr. Robert E. Dunn, who had been called home by the sickness of his father, be granted a diploma with his class. Mr. Muse allowed to be absent for the remainder of the session on account of ill health, but required to stand his examination with his class. Holt allowed to leave College for the remainder of the term on account of ill health, but required to stand his examination at the opening of next session. Mr. Wooley allowed to recite with the Sophomore class on probation for the remainder of the term, with the understanding that before attaining regular standing he must undergo an examination on the previous studies of the class.

Resolved that the grades at the close of the session be for the preceding three months. But in doubtful cases the average for the entire year be struck.

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Order of Senior Examination

Monday Morning
Tuesday Morning
Wednesday Morning
Thursday Morning		 Prof. Beatty
Dr. Green
Prof. Matthews
Dr. Green		 Afternoon
Afternoon
Afternoon		 Prof. Matthews
Prof. Beatty
Prof. Cooper

Messrs. Matthews, Patterson & Cooper appointed a committee to prepare a scheme of study for a Preparatory Department, to report at next meeting.

May 31 [1860]

Faculty met. All present.

In distributing the honours, the 1st honour and the Valedictory were assigned to Mr. Waring.
The 2nd honour & Latin Salutatory to Mr. Montgomery.
The 3rd honour & Philosophical oration to Mr. Marvin.
The 4th honour & Greek Salutatory to Mr. Trimble.
The 5th honour & Eng. Salutatory to Mr. Guerrant.
In awarding honours, the names of Messrs. Dunn & Barkley were not considered, owing to the fact that they passed from the Sophomore into the Senior class, and were not graded in the Junior year.

It was determined that the twenty men, first in scholarship, should be selected to speak on commencement. Wheeler's name was omitted owing to his having joined the class at so recent a period. The speakers according to this arrangement, in the order of their standing are, besides the five honour men, Dunn, Barclay, Bullitt, McCall, Pickett, Douglass, Wentworth, McKinney, Crockett, Lyle, Rankin, Price, Hughes, F.O. Anderson, and Palmer provided he returns

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in time to stand his examinations. Minutes read & approved.

James Matthews, clerk

June 4, 1860

Faculty met. Prof. Cooper absent. Adjourned to avoid a storm.

June 11, 1860

Faculty met. Dr. Green absent. Mr. Thompson appeared and asked to be examined in Horace & Alcestis. After deliberation, the Faculty agreed, though not their usual method to examine on a part of the studies in one department, to grant the request with the understanding, however, that in his future applications Mr. Thompson must be prepared to finish an entire subject at one time. On proceeding to the examination it was found that he was not prepared even on the books which he asked to be examined upon having read but certain portions of each. Whereupon the entire examination was dismissed until he is prepared to stand a trial upon his entire deficiencies in each Department. The following order was agreed upon for our closing examinations.

Wednesday 20
Thursday 21
Friday 22
Monday 25
Tuesday 26		 -
8 a.m.
8 a.m.
8 a.m.
8 a.m.		 -
Junior
Sophomore
Junior
Sophomore		 -
Latin
Greek
Geology
Latin		 -
-
-
10 a.m.
-		 -
-
-
Freshmen
-		 -
-
-
Mathematics
-		 3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.		 Juniors
Sophomores
Freshmen
Freshmen
Freshmen		 Mathematics
Mathematics
Latin
Greek
Greek

Minutes read & approved.

James Matthews clerk

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June 18, 1860

Faculty met. Dr. Green absent. Palmer who had been absent at the examination of his class examined and passed. Muse examined on the differential calculus & passed. Montgomery at his own request was excused from speaking on Commencement.

The committee on a scheme of study for a Preparatory Department reported two plans: one on a scale of three years, the other of four. The Faculty referred both schemes to the Board of Trustees, with the expression of their preference for the four years course.

Minutes read & approved. Adjourned till tomorrow afternoon at 2 1/2 o'clock.

James Matthews

June 25, 1860

Barclay & Pickett examined in Calculus and passed.

Bartlett summoned to answer for a quarrel with a fellow student. it appearing from his own statement to the Faculty, as well as the testimony of Mr. Benjamin R. Forman, that on a Sabbath night after Church, he sought the room of Mr. Smith to call him to account for an alleged insult to a lady, that on entering he apologized to Mr. Forman, the roommate of Smith, for coming on such an errand, but saying it could not be helped as long as he had such a skulking piece of humanity for

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a roommate. Then demanding of Smith what he meant by writing insulting notes to ladies, when Smith denied that he had, & referred to Messrs. Forman & Fox who could prove that he had not. Bartlett reiterated that he had, and that it was a d--d doggish trick. Smith then said that he had no arms, when Bartlett replied that he had none except what nature had given him, & then struck Smith, when they clinched, but were parted by Messrs. Fox & Forman. It was thereupon resolved that in view of all the facts in the case, with the aggravating circumstances, Mr. Bartlett receive a public reprimand before the College when reassembled next session.

Minutes Read & Approved.

James Matthews

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September 8, 1860

Faculty met. All present except Prof. Cooper. Resolved that applicants for admission to the Senior class of the Scientific Department be required to stand an examination upon the studies of the Junior year.

September 10, 1860

Faculty met all present. Messrs Crutcher & Wisdom admitted to the Senior class upon their certificates, but required to make up the studies which they did not pursue in the Institutions from which they came. Metcalfe admitted to Senior class required to make up deficiencies. Miller & Read admitted to Junior class. Alcorn Sr. & Jr., although their examination was unsatisfactory, were admitted to the Junior class on trial. Conditioned on Spherical Trigonometry & Demosthenes. Crutcher admitted Junior conditioned on Trigonometry. Bristow, Hobbs, Mannen, Markwell, & Menyfield admitted to the Sophomore class, also Fleming.

The following persons were recommended unconditionally from the Preparatory Department and admitted to the Freshman class. McFerran, Wallace, Yerkes, Rice, Shrock, McKee, Woodson, Jacobs, Shackelford.

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The following were admitted on recommendation from Preparatory Department in Latin & Greek, & on probation in Mathematics. Boyle, Waggener, Welsh, & Young. Barbour, Caldwell, Johnstock, Sharpe, Taylor, Tomkins admitted Freshmen without conditions. Mitchell admitted Freshman, conditioned on Greek & Latin. Barnes allowed to recite Latin & Math in the Freshman class in College, Greek in the Preparatory. To make up deficiencies in Latin, King admitted to recite with Freshmen class on trial. To makeup deficiencies in Latin, Greek & Mathematics before attaining regular standing. Payne admitted Freshman conditioned on Latin & Greek. But determined to take in preference the Scientific course.

September 19, 1860

Faculty all present but Prof. Cooper. Alexander to recite Latin with the Freshman class, Math & Greek in Preparatory. Cleland admitted to the Sophomore class. Miller examined in Latin of the Sophomore year & failed. Advised to enter his former class. Montgomery admitted to the Senior class upon his certificate from Georgetown, with the condition that any deficiency in the course formerly pursued by him when compared with the ours be made up. Moore to be allowed to substitute the Latin course for the Modern Languages, the faculty agreeing to recommend him to the Board for a certificate in the Scientific Department.

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Payne required to enter the Freshman class regularly until the wishes of his father be known. Metcalfe admitted Freshman, conditioned on [illegible word]

October 26, 1860

Messrs Logan, Peck & Read were permitted to enter the German class on probation until the 1st of December.

Resolved that all the members of the faculty shall take their turn in conducting morning prayers in the chapel in the order of seniority; that only those who have recitations at the 1st hour shall be expected to attend constantly; that the others shall be excused except when it is their turn to lead.

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December 20, 1860

Moore dismissed from College for drawing a dagger & pistol on a fellow student. McClinn Sr. suspended from College for four weeks for commencing an affray with a fellow student. MeKee suspended from College for four weeks for an affray with a fellow student, being armed at the time, though he made no attempt to use his weapon.

Resolved that the Christmas holidays begin on Friday 21st & that we resume exercises January 2nd, 1861.