10:30 a.m., Monday, January 3, 1881
Faculty held a called meeting with all present. Dr. Hitchcock being with us for the first time since his recovery from his long illness. Wagner, a former student of the College, in pursuance of his request, is to be allowed to make a recitation once a week with [blank] class, it being his purpose to enter college regularly at the beginning of next session. Stodghill's case was considered again, with the result that he is to be allowed a further short trial. Another complaint against him will cause the immediate execution of the sentence of suspension now hanging over him. The case of Sam. McKee, who was summoned before the holidays for too frequent absences from his recitations, was turned over to his father to be dealt with as he thought best. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
3 p.m., Friday, January 7, 1881
Faculty met with all present. Opened with Prayer by Dr. Hitchcock. The semi-annual examinations were fixed on January 26, 27, and 28. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Friday, January 14, 1881
Faculty held a meeting with all present but Dr. McKee. No business.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Friday, February 11, 1881
Faculty met with all present but Dr. McKee. Opened with prayer by the Secretary. The order of suspension in reference to Stodghill, (and whose execution was delayed see whatever he would change his course,) passed Jany. 3 and it was ordered to be carried into effect immediately. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Thursday, February 17, 1881
Several meetings of the Faculty were held recently in order to investigate some alleged irregular acts on the part of the literary societies of the College. At the meeting to-day the following paper was adopted unanimously.
The Faculty, having had under consideration recent proceedings of the Chamberlain and Deinologian Societies of Centre College, direct the President to read to the students the following statements and resolutions:
lst. While there are some differences between the acts of these two societies, yet the cases are so similar and involve, to a great degree, the same fundamental principles, that the Faculty feel justified in dealing with them together. They may notice some points of difference, and distinctly reserve to themselves the right to consider and determine any questions of disorder or violations of College law, by any one engaged or connected with these proceedings.
2d. The substantial facts in the case of both societies are these: 1. A meeting, or what purported to be a meeting, was called by the President, or by the President assisted by other officers, in each society. 2. A meeting of a portion of the members of each society was held in obedience to this call, and business properly belonging to a legal and constitutional meeting, was there and then transacted. 3. A large proportion of the members of both societies, some of whom were present and others not, have protested against these proceedings as illegal and void. 4. The actual business transacted at these meetings was the election in both societies of certain members, some of whom were also immediately initiated.
Great excitement has been caused by these transactions, complaint has been made on the part of certain students, hard feelings have been engendered, much evil is threatened by this condition of things, and the peace and good order of the College endangered. Under these circumstances the faculty feel that they cannot remain silent while such evils are impending. They therefore have resolved that lst. In their judgement these meetings were unconstitutional, and their proceedings are null and void, because in both societies the meetings were illegally called, and the proceedings in one at lease (the Chamberlain) were conducted in an illegal manner. The calls were illegal because due notice of the meetings was not only not given, but was intentionally withheld from members who had a right to be present and to share in their proceedings. That such was the fact is made clear by the times and circumstances of these meetings.
In our society the meeting was held at the extraordinary and unusual hour of midnight. No notice whatever was given to a large number of the members. Important business was transacted so hastily that one of the members who participated in the proceedings had no time to cast his ballot. Other members of the society, who had no notice of the meeting but who, suspecting that something of the kind would be attempted, had secreted themselves in an adjoining room, either had no time to enter the room, or if they entered before the business was completed, were denied their constitutional right of voting.
In the other society no notice of the meeting was posted up until a large number of the members had gone home after their recitations were over. The meeting was to be held at one o'clock: the notice was not posted till about 12 o'clock and was not seen by a large number of the members at all, and could not have been seen by them if found in their usual places at that hour.
In order to understand the full significance of these proceedings it must be stated that the societies are divided into what they call parties. Now in the case of both these societies notice was extended secretly or privately to one of the parties and withheld from the other. In one of the societies, we believe, no member of the party adverse to that which called the meeting, had any knowledge of it until they had actually assembled. In the other, we believe, two or three members learned of the meeting a few minutes before it assembled.
But another fact removes all possible doubt. Persons in both societies whose duty it was to give the proper notice of these meetings, confessed that the notice was given in such a manner as to inform members of their own party of the meeting and to withhold all knowledge of it from the other party. The same acknowledgment is made by others who instigated the call, and also by others who, while taking no part in instigating the call or in giving notice, yet participated in the proceedings. The Faculty are then forced to believe that the call was not a call for a meeting of the societies but of a fragment of the societies; that the notice was not to the members of the societies but to the members of parties; that all notice of the meetings was intentionally withheld from members whose constitutional right to participate in these meetings was undisputed and indisputable. All this was done intentionally to deprive the absent members of their constitutional rights. A call of the society is not, in the opinion of the faculty, is not a call whispered in the ears of a few members, or even of an entire party, but of the society; and a call of anybody else than or less than, the society, is not a call of the society; and a notice given intentionally to mislead is not a legal notice. And it makes the case still stronger when the object of the meeting is to deny their constitutional rights to a large number of the members.
Resolved 2d. The Faculty in view of these facts cannot allow the occasion to pass without expressing their strong condemnation of what the societies have allowed themselves to do. And while we do not undertake to judge any mans' motives, we can not hesitate to declare that the whole proceedings are an injustice and a wrong which can not fail to awaken the strongest feelings and provoke acts of retaliation which will make the College a theatre of strife, of quarrel, and possibly of bloodshed. Were we to be silent now we might expect similar things to be repeated in the future.
Resolved 3d. That the Faculty do not and will not feel themselves bound to recognize the validity of acts and proceedings that seem to them so plainly subversive of the principles of justice and constitutional right.
Resolved 4th. That we enforce upon every student a careful avoidance of every form of violence and of everything provocative of violence. Since there is danger of disturbances, the Faculty will enforce with the utmost rigor all laws whose object is to suppress and restrain them.
Resolved 5th. That the Faculty most earnestly urge upon all, of both and of all parties, to deal with this whole matter in a spirit of forbearance and mutual respect. Let every one, in a spirit of candor, endeavor to remove every just ground of complaint. Let a spirit of conciliation and compromise be exhibited by all. Most cordially will the Faculty unite with the societies in a fair, amicable and satisfactory adjustment of these troubles.
The Faculty then adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
3 p.m., Friday, March 25, 1881
Faculty held its weekly meeting with all present. Opened with prayer by Dr. H. Roll of students was called. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Monday, April 3, 1881
Faculty held a called meeting with all present. Prayer by Dr. H. No business requiring record.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Friday, April 8, 1881
Faculty held its regular meeting with all present but Prof. de Soto. Opened with prayer by the Secretary. It was ordered that Edwards' and McEwans' names should appear in the catalogue in the sophomore class with the C annexed. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Friday, April 15, 1881
Faculty met with all present. Opened with prayer by Dr. H. Chapel to commence at 8:35 a.m. and 5 minutes to be deducted from each recitation. It was ordered that Tyler should be conditioned in the catalogue.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
8 p.m., Thursday, April 29, 1881
Faculty held a meeting in Dr. Beatty's study, with all present but Prof. de Soto. Opened with prayer by Dr. Mckee. A list of books to be purchased for the College Library, was made out. A thorough discussion of the merits and demerits of our curriculum was had and it was generally agreed that our chief deficiency was in the department of the English language. Dr. Beatty and Prof. Fales were appointed a committee to draft a provisional scheme for English studies to be submitted to the Faculty at an early day. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Tuesday, May 3, 1881
Faculty met with all present but de Soto. Bedford, Cowan, Metcalfe, Newman, Read, Thomas, and W. N. Vaughn of the Senior class were excused from speaking on Commencement day. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
4 1/2 p.m., Friday, May 6, 1881
Faculty held a meeting after Dr. McKee's examination in Evidences of Christianity, with all present but Profs. de Soto and Hitchcock. The question of appropriating something to aid the Senior class in meeting expenses of Commencement was referred to the Board of Trustees with the request that they adopt some fixed principle which will furnish us a rule for the future. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Friday, May 13, 1881
Faculty and with all present but Dr. McKee. Opened with prayer by the President. Lap. McKee appeared to answer for disorder in Dr. Hitchcock's room. It was ordered that he be brought before the faculty and reprimanded by the President and warned that a repetition of the offence will result in his suspension. The Secretary reported that he had had 1,000 catalogues printed through the Danville Tribune Office at a cost of $37.50. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Monday, May 23, 1881
Moore, Smoot and Todd were summoned to answer for absenting themselves from College on Friday in order to play a game of baseball in Nicholasville. It was ordered that they be suspended for the rest of the term. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Tuesday, May 24, 1881
Faculty held a called meeting at which were present except Drs. McKee & Hitchcock. Rankin was admonished by the President in the presence of the Faculty for absence from recitation on a flimsy pretext. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12 noon, Wednesday, May 25, 1881
Faculty met with all present but Dr. McKee and Prof. de Soto. Grant appeared to answer for a long series of petty disorders in Prof. Hitchcock's room. It was ordered that he be reprimanded by the President in the presence of the Faculty, and warned that a repetition of the offence will result in his suspension. Adjourned till 12 noon, Thursday. On his petition, Smoot is to be allowed to be examined on the studies of this time.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
9 a.m., Monday, June 13, 1881
Faculty met in Dr. Beatty's study, all being present except Profs. de Soto and Hitchcock. The Boyle Sophomore Prize was awarded to John Burgin. The following students of the Senior Class were recommended to the Board of Trustees for the degree of A.B., viz
| Benjamin F. Bedford Robert L. Blakeman Logan W. Caldwell Joseph W. Caldwell Harry J. Cowan Alfred C. Downs James F. Greer William W. Irwin Jospeh A. Knox |
George W. Metcalfe Edgar C. Newlin John M. Newman Francis S. Read William M. Shaw William B. Thomas Benjamin V. Tyler William P. Vaughan |
A certificate was awarded to each of the following students: Ezra F. McKee, William N. Vaughan
Honorable mention was awarded to the following students:
Senior Class
Mental Science - Joseph W. Caldwell
Moral Science - Joseph W. Caldwell, Harry J. Cowan, James F. Greer, William M. Shaw
Elocution - William B. Thomas
Greek - James F. Greer
Physical Science - James F. Greer
Junior Class
Political Science - Albert G. Collins, Alexander M. Irvine, Dwight N. Marble, William T. Overstreet
German - Albert G. Collins, William T. Overstreet, Bethel B. Veech
Natural Science - Dwight N. Marble, William T. Overstreet
Mathematics - Dwight N. Marble
Sophomore Class
Greek - Benjamin F. Blakeman John Burgin Clarence K. Crawford James F. Vanarsdall
Mathematics - John Burgin Clarence K. Crawford James F. Vanarsdall Frank L. Winn
Latin - Clarence K. Crawford David T. Edwards William L. McEwan Frank L. Winn
Elocution - Robert A. Burton David T. Edwards Samuel McKee
Freshman Class
Greek - John I. Cleland John F. Walton
Mathematics - Henry K. Bourne John I. Cleland James W. Stevenson Arthur M. Joplin John F. Walton Andrew H. Rice
Latin - Henry K. Bourne John I. Cleland John F. Walton George Z. Dimmitt
Elocution - Henry K. Bourne Ssamuel A. McElroy
Scientific Class
German - Richard T. Collins Walter H. Fenley
Mathematics - Gabriel W. Caldwell
Latin - Richard T. Collins John B. Foster
Political Science - Walter H. Fenley
Elocution - John B. Foster
Faculty then adjourned to meet next Saturday at 8 a.m.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
8 a.m., Saturday, June 18, 1881
Faculty met in Dr. Beatty's study, with all present but Dr. Hitchcock. The reports of the students for the 5 months just ended were made out and mailed. It was resolved that in future the speeches for Class Day and Commencement shall be submitted in duplicate manuscript to the Faculty; and if in any case the speech delivered shall differ in any material respect from the duplicate submitted to the Faculty, the diploma or certificate shall be withheld from the student delivering such speech. Profs. Fales and Nelson were appointed a committee to have made to order a suitable blank (book), properly ruled, in which to record the grades of the students for permanent preservation. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
3 p.m., Friday, September 9, 1881
Faculty held its first regular meeting for the session of 1881-82 in the Faculty Room, with all the members present. The meeting was opened with prayer by Dr. McKee. It was ordered that Edwards & McEwan be not allowed to divide the hour (which they are now doing because of a conflict of recitations) between Dr. McKee and Prof. Fales, and that they each be allowed to choose which of the two studies they shall take. It was resolved that hereafter the regular weekly Faculty meeting shall be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30 p.m., Friday, September 16, 1881
Faculty held its regular weekly meeting with all present. Opened with prayer by Prof. Fales. Minutes of previous meeting were read and approved. No business requiring record. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23, 1881.
Faculty held its regular weekly meeting, with all present. Opened with prayer by the Secretary. In view of the fact that the Faculty was not fully made up till the vacation was well advanced, and the impression may have gone abroad that were are in a disorganized condition, the Secretary was directed to do some further advertising of the College. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30 p.m., Friday, September 30, 1881
Faculty met with all present but Dr. McKee. Opened with prayer by the President. The only business transacted was the calling of the roll. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30 p.m., Monday, October 10, 1881
Owing to the absence of Dr. Beatty in Louisville the meeting of the Faculty was held today instead of Friday. Opened with prayer by Dr. McKee. Bourne asked permission to recite Greek privately to Mr. St. Clair instead of regularly with his class, as he was somewhat behind in that study. The President was instructed to refuse permission in this and in all similar cases. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30, Friday, October 28, 1881
Faculty met with all present. Opened with prayer by the President. No business requiring record was transacted. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30, Friday, November 4, 1881
Faculty met with all present but Dr. McKee. Opened with prayer by Secretary. No business.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
12:30 p.m., Friday, November 18, 1881
Faculty held its weekly meeting with all the members present. It was resolved that no holiday should be given on the day after Thanksgiving. [At a subsequent called meeting, on the unanimous petition of the students and on their pledge to be promptly in their places on the following Monday, the holiday was granted]. An advertisement of the College was ordered to be printed on the cover of the minutes of the Synod of Kentucky which are to be printed at the Deaf & Dumb Institute, at a cost of $2.50. A petition of the Seniors to be excused from the study of Greek was refused. It was resolved that a scholarship for one year in Centre College be placed in the hands of the principals of schools preparing students for college, to be awarded to the student of that school obtaining the highest grade in a competitive examination. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary
A meeting was held December 2, 1881. No business.
12:30 p.m., Friday, December 16, 1881
Faculty met with all present. Opened with prayer by Dr. McKee. The renewed petition of the Seniors to be excused from the study of Greek was laid over till next Wednesday. [At that meeting the petition was refused] Prof. Cheek presented a form of certificate of free scholarship to be awarded to the best scholar in classical schools throughout the state. It was adopted by the Faculty and the Secretary was ordered to have it printed. Adjourned.
A. B. Nelson, Secretary