History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 27

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220

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F. A. FIELD, Secretary.

W. H. Duncan introduced the following preamble and resolu- tions : -

WHEREAS, Ex-President John H. Lathrop, after his resignation of the Presidency of the University, and upon the eve of his departure, as we are informed, did, in a public address to the citizens of Boone County, indulge in a tirade of abuse and vituperation against six of the Curators, for giving a conscientious vote, by impugning their motives, and denouncing them in most unmeasured terms; and whereas, in his valedictory address upon leaving the University, he made the most ungenerous reflections upon the Board of Curators and the Legislature of the State, there fore,

Resolved. That the thanks of the Board of Curators be presented to the ladies of Colum- bia, and that the portrait executed by Mr. Bingham be received and suspended in the rotunda of the University, that being the apartment originally designed for the reception of works connected with the fine arts.

Resolved, That in adopting the above resolution, the Board is actuated solely by motives of respect for the ladies of Columbia, and for the distinguished artist of Missouri; that the portrait is received precisely as any other fine specimen of the art of painting would be re- ceived, without any reference whatever to the nature of the subject delineated on the can- vass.

Resolved, That be appointed & committee to receive the painting, and to locate it agreeably to the first of these resolutions.

These resolutions were laid over until the next day, when Mr. Long, of St. Louis, introduced one providing that the portrait be re- ceived and disposed of, as the ladies request, and that a committee be

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appointed to carry out that request ; whereupon Dr. Duncan reintro- duced his whereas and resolutions as a substitute for Mr. Long's. Dr. Smith then offered the following as an amendment to the substi- tute of Dr. Duncan :

Amend by striking out all after the word "Whereas" in the substitute, and insert the following :

"Ex-President Lathrop, after his resignation of the Presidency of the University, and upon the eve of his departure, did, in a public address to the citizens of Boone County, in- dulge in a tirade of abuse and vituperation against six of the Curators for giving a con- scientious vote, by impugning their motives and denouncing them in most unmeasured terms, and

" Whereas, in his valedictory address upon leaving the University, he made the most ungenerous reflections upon the Board of Curators and the Legislature of the State; therefore,

"Resolved, That, if we were governed by the dictates of human nature, we would un -. hesitatingly reject the application to give his portrait a place in the University, but being disposed to act upon the Christian principle of overcoming evil with good, and in token of respect for the distinguished artist who executed the painting, and the ladies of Columbia who have so politely made the request, it is hereby granted.

" Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to receive the portrait and carry out. the object of the foregoing resolution.

Mr. Long moved that the substitute and amendment be rejected, and upon this motion the ayes and noes were called, and stood as follows : -

AYES-Matthews and Long - 2.

NOES - MeElhaney, Ellison, Duncan, Robinson and Smith - 5.

James Ellison offered the following amendment to the amendment :

Amend preamble by inserting after the word " Whereas," in the first line, the words, "we are credibly informed," and strike out all that portion relating to his valedictory address ..

Upon this amendment the ayes and noes were called, and were as follows : -

AYES - Ellison, Duncan, McElhaney and Smith - 4.

NOES -Matthews, Long and Robinson - 3.

The question was then taken upon the amendment as amended, and upon this the ayes and noes were called and stood as follows : -

AYES -McElhaney, Ellison, Duncan, Robinson and Smith - 5.

NAYS - Matthews and Long -2.

Passed, whereupon Mr. Ellison introduced the following resolu- tion : -

Resolved, That the letter of the ladies of Columbia be entered upon the Journal as a paper laid before the Board by its President, and that the preamble and resolutions of acceptance be entered ;immediately under it.

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Which was adopted.

The presentation of the portrait of President Lathrop, together with the letter which accompanied it from the ladies, and the action of the Board of Curators thereon, were topics of the liveliest interest in the community, and their discussion was attended by no little ill- feeling and excitement. Indeed, this discussion finally assumed such proportions and character as to seek the newspapers as the medium of its utterance.

Meeting of April 14, 1851. - Present -J. L. Matthews, Addison M. Lewis, Alton Long, W. D. McCracken, Henry Fullbright, Daniel Patten, W. H. Duncan, T. R. H. Smith, James L. Minor, N. C. Orear and Henry F. Garey.

On the 4th of March preceding the date of this meeting an un- fortunate personal street encounter occurred in Columbia between Robert A. Grant, one of the tutors in the University, and George P. Clarkson, a student, in which Clarkson was mortally wounded by a pistol shot, dying nine days thereafter.

There were several resolutions offered on the subject and consider- able debate, the Board finally concluding that it would be best for the institution, under the circumstances, for them to declare the office of tutor vacant, which they did.

Meeting August 11, 1851 .- Resignation of Prof. Leffingwell, of the chair of chemistry and natural history received and accepted. Bolivar S. Head elected tutor of mathematics and Dr. Abram Lit- ton, of St. Louis, professor of chemistry.

Meeting March 31, 1852. - Present - Duncan, Lewis, Matthews, McCracken, Minor, Stone and Garey. George C. Swallow was elected professor of chemistry and natural history and Wm. C. Shields adjunct professor of ancient languages.

Measures adopted for the reconstruction of the President's " family house," or for building a new one.

Members of the Board who, from inability or disinclination to attend the meeting, requested to resign.

At the meeting of July 1, 1852, Sterling Price, Jr., was elected a tutor.

At the meeting, June 30, 1853, R. S. Thomas, professor of English literature, and G. C. Swallow, professor of chemistry, geology, etc,, tendered their resignations - the former to assume the duties of President of Wm. Jewell College, the latter to enter upon the geo- logical survey of the State.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

At the October meeting, 1853, after nine ballots, John Locke, Jr., of Cincinnati, was elected professor of natural science, and J. J. Jacob, of Romney, Virginia (since Governor of West Virginia), pro- fessor of English literature.

On June 30, 1854, Sterling Price was made adjunct professor of English literature. A communication was received from John W. Henry, superintendent of common schools ( now one of the judges of the Supreme Court ) calling attention to the law in regard to the establishment in the University of a professorship to be devoted to the theory and practice of teaching, to be called the normal pro- fessorship.

On July 4, 1855, W. H. Duncan resigned the Treasurership of the Board, and Walter T. Lenoir was elected to fill the vacancy.

PRESIDENT SHANNON DECLINES RE-ELECTION.

The Legislature, by an act approved December 4, 1855, having de- clared vacant, on July 4, 1856, all the offices held by the President, professors, and tutors, James Shannon was unanimously re-elected to that position for six years, terminating on 4th of July, 1862, an honor which he declined to accept. Resolutions highly complimentary to President Shannon were passed, and the honorary degree of LL.D. conferred upon him.1

ELECTION OF PROF. HUDSON.

Calvin F. Burns moved to declare Prof. W. W. Hudson President for six years, when N. C. Orear moved that he be President pro tem. for one session, commencing October 1. The motion of Mr. Burns and the amendment were laid on the table, 6 to 5, after which Mr. Hudson was unanimously elected President; G. H. Matthews, Pro- fessor of Ancient Languages ; John J. Jacob, Professor of English Literature ; Wmn. C. Shields, Associate Professor of Latin ; Bolivar S. Head, Professor of Mathematics, and Sterling Price, Normal Pro- fessor and Instructor in Greek ; John Locke, Jr., Professor of Chem- istry, Geology, Mineralogy, Physiology, and Anatomy. A Primary

1 President Shannon was called to the Presidency of Christian University, Canton, Mo., which he accepted, and administered the trust very ably and satisfactorily for several years. He was born in Monughan County, Ireland, April 23, 1799, and died in Canton, Mo., Feb- ruary 25, 1859. His remains were interred in the Columbia Cemetery, and a beautiful mon- ument marks the place of their repose.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

Department in the University was established, and the resident Cura- tors, on nomination of the Faculty of Arts, empowered to appoint teachers and fix their salaries.

The Board deemed it improper to elect Professors in the Medical Department, situated in St. Louis, which was equivalent to a dissolu- tion between the University and that department.

At the July meeting, 1857, President Hudson reported to the Board that the Faculty had, at the beginning of the last session, appointed Wm. Alexander, Teacher of Drawing, and Carlo De Haro, Teacher of Modern Languages. Mr. Alexander accepted, but " Mr. De Haro re- turned a petulant rejection, partly because he was not honored with the title of Professor, and partly because he considered the salary con- . temptible." The position was then tendered Ignace Hainer, of Iowa, a Hungarian exile, who accepted it. Jasper J. Searcy, Principal, and Wm. A. Buckner, Assistant, had had charge of the Primary Depart- ment. On motion of George H. Hall, the Secretary was instructed to notify Prof. Locke, in writing, to appear before the Board on the last Tuesday of September, to answer charges of willful neglect of duty. Prof. Locke failing to appear at this meeting, the Curators proceeded to examine the testimony in relation to the charges, found them true, and removed him from office.

At the August meeting, 1858, George C. Swallow was elected Pro- fessor of Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology, etc., for four years from July 1, 1858, which he accepted, retaining, however, his position in the Geological survey of the State.

DEATH OF PRESIDENT HUDSON.

Meeting July 1, 1859. - The death of President Hudson, which occurred June 14, 1859, was announced, and a committee-C. S. Stone, Jno. W. Harris, Michael Bright and P. H. McBride - were appointed to correspond, with a view of filling the vacancy. Prof. Matthews was elected President of the University pro tem.

ELECTION OF DR. A. T. BLEDSOE, PRESIDENT.

Meeting August 22, 1859 .- On motion of Mr. Stone, Albert Tay- lor Bledsoe, LL. D., Professor of Mathematics in the University of Virginia, was elected President for six years from July 4, 1859. Sal- ary $3,000 per annum, with use of President's house and grounds, and $5 per scholar on all who may enter each year over the number of

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eighty, beneficiaries excepted. Prof. Swallow was requested to de- liver during the next session, a course of lectures on " Scientific Ag- riculture."

Prof. Bledsoe declining to accept the presidency, a meeting of the Board was held on October 10, 1859. Present- McBride, Horner, Snell, Blacklege, Pollard, Brady, Stark, Cross, Orear, Har- ris, Stone and Seay -12. After voting down a proposition made by Mr. Seay to proceed immediately to the election of a President, the Board resolved to take up and consider a memorial from the Faculty, in which they proposed to reconstruct the University on a new plan, each of the professors pledging himself to vacate his position in the institution, in order that the curators might be entirely free to fill the various chairs under said plan. Among its leading features were the following : -

The studies to be divided into appropriate departments, each of which shall be independent of the others. Each professor to report to the Curators and be responsible to them alone. That instead of having a president, the Curators shall annually appoint some member of the faculty as its chairman, no one of whom shall be eligible two years in succession.

Seven departments were established : 1. Latin Language and Literature. 2. Greek Language and Literature. 3. English Lan- guage and Literature. 4. Moral Philosophy and Political Science. 5. Mathematics. 6. Astronomy and Natural Philosophy. 7. Nat- ural Sciences and Scientific Agriculture. Also " Special Courses in . Study," each school independent of and separate from the other : 1. School of Scientific Agriculture and Mechanics. 2. School of Civil Engineering. 3. Normal School. In each of these instruction to be given by professors of the " Departments."

This substantially was the system which prevailed in the University of Virginia. After much discussion, in which it was maintained by the opponents of the new plan that it violated the organic law of the institution, it was adopted, 6 to 5, as follows : -

AYES - McBride, Harris, Horner, Snell, Cross, Blacklege - 6. 1 NAYS - Pollard, Seay, Orear, Brady and Stone - 5.

ABSENT - Stark, who was sick in his room at the hotel.

The salary of each professor was fixed at $1,500 per annum, and the Chairman of the Faculty, in addition, the use of the President's house and grounds.

Mr. Stone entered his protest on the Journal against the plan.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

After the adoption of the plan the Curators proceeded to fill the seven departments by the election of the following professors, Pollard and Stone voting against each of them : -

1. William C. Shields. 2. George H. Matthews. 3. Sterling Price, Jr. 4. John J. Jacob. 5. Bolivar S. Head. 6. To be filled by the resident Curators. 7. George C. Swallow. Prof. Matthews was elected Chairman of the Faculty.

Meeting March 15, 1860. - Dr. Duncan nominated William H. Allen for President of the board, who was elected, and Gen. Doniphan nominated R. L. Todd for Secretary, who was also elected. On motion of Mr. Hickman it was resolved that the University should be reorganized with a faculty of five regular professors : 1. English Language and Literature. 2. Mathematics. 3. Natural Sciences and Natural Philosophy. 4. Latin and Greek Languages. 5. Moral and Intellectual Philosophy and Political Science, one of whom shall be elected by the board President of the University. Also that there shall be a Primary Department. Also that a committee- Minor, Duncan and Todd - be appointed to correspond with the view of filling the professorships, and report to the next meeting. Adopted unanimously, thus upsetting the plan of organization adopted at the October meeting.

Meeting May 15, 1860. - It was resolved that Prof. Matthews shall be ex-officio President of the University, at a salary of $2,500, with use of President's house, etc., and that the salary of the pro- fessors be $2,000 per annum. Term of office, four years, except principal of Primary Department, whose term shall be one year ; salary, $1,000.

George H. Matthews was elected Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature ; A. G. Wilkinson, of Washington City, Assistant Professor and Instructor in German and French; salary, $1,100. John H. Lathrop was elected Professor of English Language and Literature ; Edward T. Fristoe, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy ; Abram Lytton, Professor of Natural Sciences and Natural Philosophy ; and Jasper J. Searcy, Principal of the Primary Department.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

CHAPTER VII.

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL COL- LEGE - CONCLUDED.

Election of President Minor - Military oath prescribed by Maj. Gen. Halleck -The Uni- versity closed - The University re-opened, with Dr. Lathrop as President of the Faculty June, 1865, the University reorganized by the election of Dr. Lathrop as President -- The State Agricultural College - First movement in the Board to secure its location -- Death of President Lathrop -Election of Daniel Read as President - The Stephens' Medal -Constitution of 1865 on Education - A new departure in regard to the Univer- sity - $10,000 to rebuild the President's house and one and three-quarters per cent of the State revenue, after deducting twenty-five per cent for Public Schools, appropriated to the University - The first Dollar ever Appropriated to it - Act of March 11, 1867 - Law Department established - Inauguration of President Read - Erection of Club Boarding House - Agricultural College located- A long struggle ended - Citizens' meeting- Action of the County Court -Proceedings of the Commissioners -Land Commissioner and Land Appraisers appointed - Photographic likeness of the friends of the Agricultural College hung in the Library -The School of Mines located -- Laying the corner-stone of the Scientific Building - Portrait of Dr. Rollins - Honors to James S. Rollins -Portrait of Edward Bates- Presentation of portrait of Dr. Rollins - Re- election of President Read - Phelps County bonds declared illegal - Portrait of Prof. G. H. Matthews -Election and inauguration of S. S. Laws as President - Professors' chairs vacated - Death of President Read -Death of Prof. George C. Bingham - Re-election of President Laws - "The Laws Observatory and Telescope" - "The McAnally prize for English " -Sale of Agricultural College lands - The Rollins bell - The chair occupied by Prof. Swallow declared vacant -J. W. Sanborn elected to fill it - Endorsement of President Laws.

BENJAMIN D. MINOR ELECTED PRESIDENT.

Meeting July 2, 1860 .- Benj. B. Minor, of Richmond, Va., was elec- ted President, to be installed October 2, 1860, and J.W. Tucker, of the commissioners, requested to deliver an address on behalf of the cura- tors. J. G. Norwood was elected Professor of Natural Sciences and Natural Philosophy.

Meeting October 2, 1860 .- The thanks of the Board were tendered J. W. Tucker and President Minor for their addresses, copies re- quested for publication, and 10,000 ordered to be printed.

MILITARY OATH TO BE TAKEN.

Meeting March 19, 1862 .- Major General Halleck, Commander of the Department of the Missouri, having issued an order, February 3, 1862, that the president, professors, curators, and other officers of

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the University take the oath of allegiance prescribed by the Sixth Article of the State Ordinance of October 16, 1861, and file the same in the office of the Provost Marshal General, in St. Louis, within 30 days, in default of which they will be considered as having resigned their respective offices. On motion of Mr. Russell, the officers named be requested to state in writing by two o'clock that day whether they have or have not taken said oath. General Halleck's order also pro- vided that " this institution having been endowed by the govern- ment of the United States, its funds should not be used to teach treason or to instruct traitors." And that if any one of the persons named, failing to take said oath, " shall thereafter attempt to obtain pay, or perform the functions of such office, he will be tried and pun- ished for military offence." Responses were received from President Minor and from Professors Lathrop, Matthews and Norwood, that they had taken the oath. Dr. W. T. Lenoir, Treasurer, refused to take it, submitted a statement of his accounts, and tendered his resignation. Thomas B. Gentry was elected Treasurer in his stead.

Average daily attendance of students only about forty.

Prof. Fristoe having abandoned his post for the purpose of joining Price's army, his chair was declared vacant.

THE UNIVERSITY CLOSED.

A resolution was passed declaring the offices of president, profes- sors and tutor vacant from that day, and that the treasurer refund to the pupils the proportion of tuition fees paid by them for the unex- pired part of the term, thus closing the institution on account of the prevalence of civil war, and the military occupancy of the buildings and grounds.

A warrant for $1,200 to Prof. Lathrop was issued in liquidation of, an equitable claim in his favor, for parts of salary voluntarily remitted by him in 1843.

A communication was received from President Minor, protesting against the discontinuance of his office, which was laid on the table.

UNIVERSITY REOPENED.

Meeting November 12, 1862. - The offices of professor of English language and literature (John H. Lathrop), and of ancient languages and literature (George H. Matthews), were revived and continued for the session to be opened November 24, 1862; Dr. Lathrop to be

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chairman of the faculty. The troops requested to vacate the east wing of the building. A paper, in the nature of a protest, received from ex-President Minor, which was returned to him without com- ment.

Meeting February 17, 1863 .- The Commissioners- Jno. H. Lath- rop, B. McAlister and Henry Keen - appointed by the resident cura- tors to assess damages to University buildings and grounds, by reason of military occupancy, reported the same (with items in detail ) at $3,000.

Meeting August 11, 1863. - University reorganized for the session of 1863-4, by the election of Dr. Lathrop chairman of the faculty and professor of mental and moral science, G.H. Matthews, professor of ancient languages and literature ; Dr. Norwood, professor of natural sciences and natural philosophy, and J. N. C. Karnes and H. N. Ess, tutors. Dr. Lathrop, in addition to salary, to have use of President's house and grounds.

Meeting June 28, 1864. - Thos. M. Allen elected president of the Board. Professors Lathrop, Matthews and Norwood were requested to continue in the positions then held by them for the next year, which they agreed to do.

JNO. H. LATHROP ELECTED PRESIDENT.

Meeting June 27, 1865. - Moss Prewitt elected President of the Board. The civil war being at an end, and the white-winged messen- ger of peace having again returned to bless our country, the Univer- sity was reorganized by the election of Jno. H. Lathrop President and of G. H. Matthews, J. G. Norwood and Carr W. Pritchett profes- sors (the latter of mathematics) for one year. In addition, a normal department, on motion of Mr. Russell, was created. Among other important business transacted a resolution, offered by Mr. Bruere, of St. Charles, was passed, requiring the Executive Committee to memo- rialize Congress to repay to the University the damages occasioned by the occupation of Federal troops ; and one, offered by Mr. Russell, appointing a committee - Messrs. Clark, Sutherland, Kellerman and Hewitt-to guard the funds of the University in the Legis- lature, and procure indemnity for any loss that may occur. The Legislature was also requested to remove the restriction, which pro- hibits, virtually, ministers of the gospel from holding office in the faculty.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

Meeting July 26, 1865. - To Mr. L. M. Lawson, a graduate of the University and for some years past a well-known and successful banker in New York City, belongs the honor of making the first movement in the Board of Curators to secure, at Columbia, the location of the Agricultural College. At the July meeting, 1865, he offered the fol- lowing preamble and resolution, which was supported by him in an able speech, and which we regard of sufficient importance to require its insertion at length :-

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States having made a large grant of lands to each of the States, with a view to establish and endow Agricultural Colleges therein; and whereas, the State of Missouri having the entire control of the State University, located at Columbia - the endowment of which has been derived exclusively from the bounty of the United States Government and the people of Boone County - with library, philosophical, chemical and astronomical apparatus, geological cabinet, etc., thus presenting very strong considerations -in view of economy, and an early success of the enterprise - why the pro- posed agricultural college should be connected with the University ; be it therefore

Resolved, That a committee of five members of this Board be appointed to consider this subject, and in behalf of the Board to memorialize the General Assembly, at its next meet- ing, in favor of connecting the proposed Agricultural College with the State University.

This resolution was adopted nem. con, and Messrs. Lawson, Clark, Esteb, Robinson and Russell were appointed the committee to memo- rialize the General Assembly on the subject.

Meeting December 13, 1865. - During the recess of the Board, Thos. Yeatman, New Haven, Conn., a gentleman eminently qualified for the position, very generously tendered his services to the Execu- tive Committee to discharge the duties of Professor of English Lan- guage and Literature, for the current year, without compensation ; but afterwards and unexpectedly, circumstances rendered it impossible for him to do so.

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 27

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1220

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220