Centre College Special Collections - Board of Trustees Minutes (1846)

Centre College Board of Trustees Minutes (Vol. 2 - 1846)

September 24, 1846

The Board met in the President's study.

Present Tod, Henderson, Hopkins, McDowell, Berryman, Jacob Price, Sneed, Ford, Montgomery, Caldwell.

The following persons, members of the present Senior class, on recommendation of the Faculty, received the degree of A.B., Lewis G. Barbour, George P. Bergen, Thomas C. Boston, Robert G. Brank, John R. Bright, Reuben M. Brown, John Coleman, Wellington A. Cunningham, Richard R. Evans, William P. Hockaday, Joseph A. Humphreys, Samuel P. Humphreys, Benjamin E. Johnson, Patrick Joyes, Samuel P. Little, John A. Lyle, Leonidas D. McCutchen, Volney A. McCutchen, Alexander McNickle, Blair H. Matthews, Thomas C. May, Charles W. Mitchell, Henry Nold, John B. Norton, William C. Piper, Rigdon Quinney, Robert Russel, Fouche T. Taylor, Thomas G. Taylor, David D. Thomson, Henry M. Warner, Thomas R. Welch, William L. Williams.

The honorary degree of A.B. was conferred on Christman. The degree of A.M. was conferred on James Graham, teacher of the Grammar School. The degree of A.M. was conferred in course on the following persons, members of the class that graduated in 1843. (See for this list the names of all the graduates on the minutes of the meeting of the Board on September 27, 1843) The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred on

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John C. Maxwell, of Lebanon, Kentucky.

The Financial Agent was empowered, on consultation with the Financial Committee, to vest the funds which may come into his hands from time to time either in the Northern Bank, Bank of Louisville, or the Kentucky State Bank, as the investment in one or the other of these banks may promise the most advantage.

The Board directed the Financial Agent to pay back to R. Stone two dollars, claimed as over paid by said Stone in the final settlement of his note, on which note he had been indulged for four years, while failing to pay the interest regularly. The Financial Agent is directed to defer bringing suit, for the present, on the note of Pawling & Bridges.

The report of the Treasurer, after being referred to Hopkins & Caldwell, & examined, was approved.

Mr. Jacobs was authorized to insure the Asylum in the Mutual Insurance Company, if he saw proper to change the insurance from the office of the company in which the property has been heretofore insured.

The Financial Agent is directed to compromise the claims of the Asylum against the heirs of Romeo Lewis on such terms as he, with the advice of the Committee on the Asylum, shall deem advisable - and also to obtain from the government at Washington locations in lieu of those locations by the Asylum which had been covered by preemptions.

Mr. Jacobs presented a list of various objects needed by the Asylum,

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including a wash-room, well, staircase, door, & books, estimated as costing in all about $400.00, & offered to defray at his own charge half the expense that might be incurred in making the improvements. The Board authorized him to make the improvements, etc.

The Financial Agent & the Treasurer were directed to make out a clear exhibit of the deficiency in income of the College, & hand it to Young & Montgomery, who are appointed a committee to present it to Synod, & call the attention of Synod to it.

Henderson, Ford, & Sneed were appointed a committee to have a kitchen built for the President's house, & were directed to use for this purpose the materials of the former dormitories, so far as they may be needed - & to dispose of any surplus of materials for whatever price they can procure for them.

Mr. Jacobs was authorized to employ Mr. John Blount, a mute, as a monitor or assistant to aid in the instruction & government of the pupils in the Asylum, to be paid by himself so as to enable Mr. Jacobs to be absent, if he see fit, half of each day.

Mr. Young made a donation to the College of the scholarship paid for & owned by him.

The report of the Committee of Visitors, appointed by the Board last fall, was received & directed to be filed - also the report of the Visiting Committee made to Synod last fall, & referred by Synod to the Board, was received, & ordered to be filed. In accordance with the suggestion of the

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Committee of Visitors in their report to the Board, it was resolved that the grounds & buildings of the College be specially placed under the charge of Professor Beatty to be kept in a neat condition, that the Library also be placed under his control, & that he be requested to form a catalogue of the books & make an annual report of its condition as well as the condition of the grounds & buildings, with a statement of the necessary outlay to keep everything neat & in good repair.

Letters were received from Professors Dod & Nichols tendering their resignations to take effect at the close of the ensuing session (viz. in July). On motion, it was resolved that while the Board of Trustees accept the resignations of Professors Dod & Nichols to take effect at the close of next session, the Board deem it but due to these gentlemen to express their entire confidence in their scholarship & their satisfaction with the manner in which they have discharged their duties as Professors in the College, & to state that they look forward with regret to the period when the College shall be deprived of their services. Resolved that a copy of the foregoing resolution be transmitted to each of the Professors.

Messrs. Young, Price, Montgomery, Grundy, & Hopkins were appointed a committee to find persons to fill the places of the professors who have resigned, & to report to the Board at its next meeting.

The Board directed that the sessions of College should be so changed here after, as to have but one session in the year

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& that the next session continue till the last Thursday in July next. The Faculty were empowered to grant a recess at Christmas & another in April. The next Commencement was appointed to be held on the last Thursday in July, & the subsequent session to begin on the first Monday of October 1847. The tuition fee was changed to $31 for the one session, & it is to be paid at the beginning of the session.

While no appointment was made of an assistant in the Grammar Gchool, the President & Treasurer of the Grammar School were empowered to employ such assistance as they may deem necessary, in case the number of pupils shall at any time demand an increase of teachers.

Price, Grundy, & Montgomery were appointed a committee to memorialize Synod on the importance of increasing the endowment of Centre College & especially of procuring endowment of an additional professorship.

Thursday September 25, 1846

Present the same persons noted as present on the minutes of yesterday, except Montgomery.

Drs. Pauling & Waggener, on Dr. Tod's resignation of the office of physician to the Asylum, were appointed in his place - to be paid at the rate of $40.00 per annum.

Colonel McDowell was elected Chairman of the Board in the room of Dr. Tod, who resigned.

John C. Young, Secretary

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The following minutes of Synod were transmitted by the Stated Clerk.

Resolved that it is the mind of the Synod that attending on the examination of the students of Centre College is an important part of the duties of the Trustees, but as it may often be impracticable for all to attend, the Trustees be respectfully requested to appoint a committee whose duty it shall be to attend, & in connection with the visitors appointed by Synod, pay especial attention to said examination, & unite with the Committee of Visitors in a joint detailed report both to the Board & to the Synod.

Also the following.

The Synod made the following appointments of Trustees, viz Jacob F. Price, Daniel B. Price, Edward P. Humphrey, Waller Bullock, Joshua F. Bell, & Dr. William Craig for three years; Charles Henderson, Robert A. Johnston for two years; & John Barclay for one year.