USA > Missouri > Boone County > History of Boone County, Missouri. > Part 28
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The Executive Committee reported that on October 11, 1865, they appointed Joseph Ficklin Professor of Mathematics at a salary of $800 per annum, and $5 on each paying student. Also, that John W. Cowgill had been appointed tutor. The President's house having been destroyed by fire November 27, 1865, the two-story frame build- ing in the northwest corner of the campus, now known as " the English building," was fitted up as a residence for President Lathrop and family.
The Legislature was requested, by resolution, to appropriate $15,- 000 to rebuild the President's home, and among other reasons given in favor of the proposition, the singular fact is mentioned that up to
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that time the State had never, directly or indirectly, contributed from the treasury a single dollar for the institution.
On motion of Mr. Lindsay a copy of the address delivered in the Chapel by Enos Clark, by invitation of the faculty, was requested for publication in the Missouri Statesman and Missouri Democrat.
Meeting June 27, 1866. - Oren Root, Jr., of New York, was elected Professor of English Languages and Literature.
Mr. Lawson introduced a resolution, which passed, looking to the appointment of a military professor, under the act of Congress of July 2, 1862.
DEATH OF PRESIDENT LATHROP.
Meeting August 29, 1866 .- In view of the death of President La- throp, who died August 6, 1866, the session of the Board was opened with prayer by Rev. Henry A. Nelson, D. D., on whose motion a com- mittee (Nelson, Perry and James H. Robinson) was appointed to report a suitable minute touching his death. They submitted the fol- lowing, which was adopted : -
The Board of Curators of the University of the State of Missouri, being convened in special session in consequence of the recent death of President Lathrop, desire to put on record our profound sense of personal bereavement and of public loss in that afflictive dis- pensation of Divine Providence. We would accept it in humble submission to the will of God, whose infallible wisdom and perfect righteousness we devoutly acknowledge. Yet, we feel it as a calamity of no ordinary magnitude. Having been the first President of this Uni- versity; having labored for its establishment and advancement with extraordinary diligence, patience and self-denial; having adhered to it in days of adversity and darkness; having adorned it with his elegant scholarship, enriched it with his rare wisdom and large experi- ence, and loved it with paternal affection, his sudden death calls its guardians and its pupils and alumni to mourning only less than his afflicted family. To them we tender the assur- ance of our heartfelt sympathy, of our sincere disposition to do all in our power to mitigate their calamity, and of the very high honor in which we will ever hold the memory of him whom they have lost and whom we so esteem as a man and an educator; that we can scarcely wish for more than that another such as he may be found to succeed him.
Which was adopted, and a copy thereof ordered to be furnished to the family of Dr. Lathrop, and also for publication.
On motion of Mr. Robinson : -
Resolved, That some badge of mourning, as a token of respect for Dr. Lathrop's mem- ory, be put in the lecture-rooms of the University until the close of the next commencement exercises.
On Friday, August 3, 1866, a citizens' meeting was held in the court-house in Columbia, on the occasion of the death of President Lathrop, which was called to order by Moss Prewitt, President of the Board of Curators of the University, on whose motion Hon. Jas. S.
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Rollins was called to the chair. After explanation of the purposes of the meeting, the honorable chairman proceeded to a brief and feeling review of the life and character of the illustrious deceased, which found a warm response in the hearts of all present. On motion of J. F. Baker, James L. Stephens was elected secretary, whereupon Col. W. F. Switzler offered resolutions, accompanying their presentation with remarks befitting the solemn occasion, in which proper testimony was borne to his blameless life, distinguished usefulness, and noble example, and to his eminent learning and faithful labors in the cause of education. The resolutions were unanimously adopted, after which the chairman appointed the following pall-bearers : Moss Prewitt, Prof. Joseph Ficklin, N. W. Wilson, Warren Woodson, Dr. Paul Hub- bard, James H. Waugh, and William F. Switzler -J. S. Rollins also appointed by the meeting.
The following gentlemen were appointed a committee to make suit- able arrangements for the funeral, namely : Joseph B. Douglass, F. T. Russell, and J. Scott Payne.
Since the last meeting the Executive Committee employed as tutor D. W. B. Kurtz.
On motion of Mr. Sutherland, as a further testimonial in honor of President Lathrop, it was resolved to adopt measures to establish and endow a Lathrop Professorship of Mental and Moral Science. Com- mittee : Sutherland, Allen, and Denny.
ELECTION OF DANIEL READ, PRESIDENT.
Daniel Read, LL. D., of Madison, Wisconsin, was elected Presi- dent for four years, at a salary of $2,500 per annum, with the usual perquisites.
Prof. C. H. Crowell, of Alton, Illinois, was elected Principal of the Preparatory Department.
Maj. Gen. Hancock, Commander of the Department of the Mis- souri, having detailed a board of officers of the army to assess the damage done to the University buildings and grounds by military occupancy during the war, the secretary was requested to ask him to furnish the Board a copy of the order.
On motion of Mr. Russell, a committee of five was appointed to. prepare and present to the General Assembly a memorial advocating the location of the Agricultural and Mechanical College in connection with the University. Committee : Russell, Clark, of St. Louis ; Robinson, Todd and Love.
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Meeting April 9, 1867. - A letter received from James L. Stephens, donating $500, the annual interest on which is to be expended in a gold medal, to be awarded to the student in the Senior Class who shall excel in oratory, which was accepted with thanks. Also, $25 from Prof. Swallow, as a prize to the graduate who stands the best in the department of natural sciences. Accepted with thanks.
James H. Waugh elected treasurer of the board.
A committee of two - Enos Clark and R. L. Todd - were ap- pointed, in connection with President Read, to prepare a plan for a Normal School.
CONSTITUTION OF 1865 - ACT OF MARCH 11, 1867 -A NEW DEPART- URE IN REGARD TO THE UNIVERSITY.
The Constitution of 1865 contained the first organic definition of what the public school fund shall consist, and after doing so proceeds to declare that it " shall be securely invested and sacredly preserved " as such fund, and that the annual income thereof, " together with so much of the ordinary revenue of the State as may be necessary, shall be faithfully appropriated for establishing and maintaining the free schools and the University in this article provided for, and for no other uses or purposes whatsoever."
These provisions not only clearly defined the sources of the public school fund and made the University a part of the educational system of the State, but it placed that institution on a new financial foun- dation, to wit : a sharer with the public schools of the annual income of the fund, together with so much of the ordinary revenue of the State as may be necessary to maintain it.
In obedience, therefore, to the liberal University policy here en- joined on the General Assembly, that body, by the act of March 11, 1867, not only appropriated ten thousand dollars to rebuild the Pres- ident's house, but also, in the second section of the same act, pro- vided that :
There is also set aside and appropriated, annually, for the support of the State University of Missouri, out of the revenue of the State, after first deducting therefrom the one-fourth of the revenue for the Public School Fund, one and three-quarter per cent of such balance of the State revenue; and this is declared to belong to the University, and shall be paid to the Treasurer of the Board of Curators, as provided for by law, for the payment of other funds of the University.
The University was located in 1839, twenty-eight years previous to the passage of this act, and it is historically true that notwithstand-
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ing the donation to the State by Boone County of nearly one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, with which the edifice was erected and partially equipped for the purposes of its establishment, the party in power, although constantly asked to do so, had never appropriated a dollar to maintain it, the act above mentioned being the first in our history which recognized the constitutional obligation to maintain it. This act was the turning point in the policy of the State towards the University, and secured to the institution, annually, without a bi- ennial scramble in the Legislature, an ever-increasing sum for its support, the amount of which depended on the amount of the revenue of the State.
The act remained in force, apparently as the settled policy of the State, until the adoption of the Constitution of 1875, when unfortun- ately, and without good reason, as many maintain, the Supreme Court of the State decided that the Constitution repealed this and all similar acts, and that henceforth appropriations for the support of the Uni- versity and all others must be made by each Legislature.
Meeting of Curators, April 9, 1879, continued : - On motion of Mr. Russell, the nearest district school in Columbia was attached to and made a part of the institution, as a model school, and the Execu- tive Committee, with the School Trustees, were requested to arrange the details and set the school in operation, in the frame building in the northwest corner of the Campus.
LAW DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED.
On motion of Mr. Lawson, a Law Department was established in the University, and a committee of three was appointed, in connec- tion with President Read, to arrange the details. Committee : Law- son, Clark and Russell.
Motion that E. P. Lampkin be appointed Principal of the Prepara- tory Department at a salary of $1,400. Referred to the Committee on Normal School.
Mr. Crowell was notified that his services would not be needed in the Preparatory Department after the close of the present session.
INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT READ.
The following notice of the ceremonies is copied from the Columbia Statesman, of June 28, 1867 : -
" The occasion of the formal inauguration of Daniel Read, LL. D.,
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as President of the University of Missouri, was of rare interest in Columbia. The exercises occurred at 10 o'clock on Wednesday be- fore a large audience composed of the Board of Curators, Faculty and students of the University, strangers, visitors and citizens. About ten o'clock a procession was formed at the court house under the direction of Col. J. R. Shields, marshal of the day, and headed by the Mexico Cornet Band, marched to the University.
" L. M. Vernon, Esq., of Greene County, one of the Curators, pre- sided. After a most solemn and appropriate invocation of the Throne of Grace by the venerable Elder Thomas M. Allen, the Hon. Philemon Bliss, of St. Joseph, was introduced, who, on behalf of the Board of Curators and in their name, introduced Dr. Read as President-elect of the University, and proceeded to deliver a short, able and appro- priate address which was heartily applauded at its close.
" After the close of Judge Bliss' introductory speech, Dr. Read re- sponded in an inaugural address of about one hour's duration. The address of Dr. Read eminently befitted the great occasion - was earnest and practical, lucid in its enunciation of the true policy of the State, and in every respect very able. In short, this inaugural of the new President of the University, so replete with practical wisdom, so earnest and full of hope, delighted the friends of the institution, and cannot fail most favorably to influence the public mind in its behalf."
Meeting June 25, 1867. - John C. Conley presented $25 as a prize to the graduate who shall excel in oratory at commencement, June 27, 1867. Received with thanks. On motion of Mr. Bliss a College of Agricultural and Natural Science was established, with Norton S. Townshend, of Ohio, principal, on condition that the Legislature sanction the act and make the needed appropriation therefor.
On motion of Mr. Baker a Normal College in the University was established, and on motion of Mr. Matthias, W. F. Phelps, of Minne- sota, was elected professor at a salary of $2,500 per annum.
On motion of Mr. Baker it was resolved that the President of the University is hereby respectfully instructed to interdict from the public orations and essays of students of the University any compli- mentary allusion to men who have been instrumental in seeking the destruction of our government, or the advancing of any ideas indi- cating a spirit alien to the unity of our country. [Mr. Baker was Provost Marshal General of Missouri during the latter part of the war. ]
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On motion of Mr. Russell, Nathaniel Holmes, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Missouri, was elected Professor of Law at a salary of $1,000.
Meeting December 23, 1867. - The appointment by the Executive Committee of Prof. E. L. Ripley, of Michigan, as Principal of the Normal Department, and of Mrs. Caroline E. Ripley as Principal. of the Model School, and of Miss Mary Brice Read - the latter a daugh- ter of President Read -as Assistant in the Model School, were approved.
By invitation, Hon. J. S. Rollins and Prof. G. C. Swallow, ad- dressed the board on the subject of the location of the Agricultural College in connection with the University ; whereupon, on motion of Mr. Russell, a committee - Russell, Case and Todd - were appointed, in conjunction with Rollins and Swallow, to prepare and submit to the Legislature a bill locating said College in Columbia. President Read was added to the committee.
The chair of Ancient Languages and Literature (Matthews ) was declared vacant after the present collegiate year.
Mr. Case offered the following, and it was unanimously adopted : -
Resolved, That in vacating the chair of Ancient Languages and Literature, so long and ably filled by Prof. George H. Matthews, the Board has been actuated strictly and solely by convictions of duty to the University, believing that its interests will be thereby ad- vanced. That we regret exceedingly that Prof. Matthews' health is such as to have im- paired his usefulness and render it imperative on us not longer to continue him in his chair ; and that we extend to him assurances of our high appreciation of his long, arduous and faithful services, recognizing him always as identified with the success and future growth and prosperity of the University.
Mr. Nelson moved that the question of filling the chair of Ancient Languages and Literature be referred to a committee, to whom the testimonials of applicants shall be addressed, and whose report shall be made to the next meeting of the Board, which was adopted, and the following committee appointed : J. H. Baker, Booneville ; A. J. Conant, St. Louis ; Philemon Bliss, St. Joseph ; R. L. Todd, Columbia.
Meeting April 1, 1868. - Ex-President Minor presented a bill of $5,694.45 against the University for arrears of salary and interest, which was rejected. The Board, after various motions and much discussion, proceeded to the election of a Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature, with the following result : Rev. L. M. Vernon, 7; Rev. John M. Packer, 7. The Vice President, T. M. Allen, acting as chairman - Moss Prewitt being absent - voted, to which
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Mr. Baker entered his oral protest. There being a tie there was no election.
On motion of Mr. Sutherland, the Librarian was instructed to sell as waste paper the surplus addresses delivered in 1860 by ex-Presi- dent Minor and J. W. Tucker.
D. W. B. Kurtz was declared Assistant Professor in the Normal Department, at a salary of $1,000. Rev. Leroy M. Vernon, of Springfield, Mo., was elected Professor of Latin Language and Literature, and Rev. John M. Packer of Greek Language and Lit- erature.
The Executive Committee were authorized to make arrangement for the cheap boarding of students by supplying them with rooms at a low rate of rent, if they can be had, or by building suitable cottages.
Mr. Baker was authorized to correspond with the Secretary of War relative to the appointment of Gen. R. W. Johnson to the chair of Military Science in the University.
Meeting December 28, 1868. - L. M. Vernon declined the pro- fessorship of Latin Language and Literature.
The Executive Committee, having since the June meeting purchased ground and erected club boarding-houses thereon for the use of stu- dents, the Board approved their action.
Maj. Gen. Johnson was designated by the Secretary of War as Professor of Military Science and assumed his duties at the beginning of the current session, and a uniform for the military cadets was adopted.
The chair of Latin Language and Literature being vacant, the Greek professor was instructed to take charge of the instruction in Latin until otherwise ordered.
Meeting in Jefferson City, January 27, 1869. -- President Read, in the hall of the House, at ,7 o'clock P. M., addressed the Board and a large audience, chiefly on the subject of locating the Agricultural College at Columbia. Additional boarding cottages authorized to be erected.
Meeting June 29, 1869 .- J. S. Rollins elected President of the Board, and has occupied that position continuously to the present time-1882. Gen. Johnson retired from the Professorship of Mili- itary Science, and resolutions highly complimentary to him were passed by the Board.
Daniel Read re-elected President of the University for four years.
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THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE LOCATED.
After a four years' struggle in the Legislature against the unreason- able and inveterate prejudices of many of the party in power against the county of Boone, against a remarkable lack of information on the subject and a desire to fritter away the fund by appropriating to other objects, the Agricultural College, by an act approved February 24, 1870, was finally located at Columbia, in connection with the State University. The contest was long and doubtful, and often characterized by great bitterness and much partisan feeling, and it is but justice to say that but for the persistent efforts, ability, tact and prudence of James S. Rollins, Senator from Boone district, aided and assisted by the watchful care and ceaseless energy and adroitness in debate of F. T. Russell, a member of the House from Boone - assisted by the able efforts of Dr. Read, the President of the Uni- versity - the College never would have been located in Boone County. Dr. Read, by learned and able discourses, aroused the Legislature to the importance of the College and the necessity of its connection with the University, and to him no small share of credit is due for the final triumph.
The members from Boone, and especially Rollins and Russell, were constant, in season and out of season, often discouraged by implacable opposition and temporary defeats, but with an eye single to the ob- ject in view, they finally achieved a Legislative victory, which for Boone County, for the college itself, and for the State, is the greatest in the history of their public careers.
The opposition came from within and from without, from leading men on the floor of both Houses, and from different parts of the State, who came to the capital to circumvent their efforts by plausible schemes to divert the proceeds of the sales of the lands to objects not contemplated by the Act of Congress, by giving a portion of it to Lincoln Institute, by providing that colored students should be admitted both to the College and to the University, by threats to move the University from Columbia, and by numberless other amendments, too numerous to- be stated here, to cripple or to defeat the proposition. The last one of the most formidable was to establish a Mining School in Southeast Missouri, in the mineral district, and to appropriate to it annually one-fourth of the proceeds of the sales of the lands ; said school to be located by the curators in the county which shall donate to the State, for building and other purposes, not less than $20,000 in
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cash, nor less than twenty acres in land, on which to erect buildings, and lots of mineral land, in such quantity and kind as may be deemed necessary for said school for practical and experimental mining. Con- vinced that the College could not be located at all, and especially in connection with the State University, without this concession, the members from Boone and other true friends of the College, in a spirit of compromise, agreed to it, and the act was finally passed.
The location, however, was not unconditional, for so great a benefit was not to be conferred upon the people of Boone County without their paying something for it. Therefore, the act provided that, by the second Monday of May next ensuing, in consideration of the per- manent location of the College in connection with the State University, they were to donate not less than $30,000 in cash, to be used in erect- ing such buildings and making such improvements as may be needed for the College, and in addition, to donate for a model or experimental farm not less than 640 acres of land, located convenient to the University grounds. And Boone County promptly complied with the considerations.
CITIZENS' MEETING.
On Saturday evening, February 26, 1870, a public meeting was held in the University chapel, to take suitable action on the attainment of the great victory.
On motion of A. J. Harbison, Gen. Odon Guitar was made Presi- dent of the meeting, and on motion of J. H. Waugh, C. P. Anderson and Lewis M. Switzler were made Secretaries. Gen. Guitar explained the objects of the meeting. He said that the Agricultural and Mechanical College was a great boon offered to us by the Legislature. We have now the opportunity of making our county a great educa- tional centre. The University has passed through a severe struggle, but a glorious success for it and for us all is now within our grasp. We have cherished this institution in times of peace and war, and though at times it has had scarcely a sufficient competency to sustain itself, it has nevertheless kept on, and will now emerge from all embarrassments as one of the first institutions of the country.
Col. Russell moved that a committee of seven be appointed to draft and report resolutions for adoption by the meeting ; carried, and the chair appointed the following on the committee : R. L. Todd, R. H. Smith, A. J. Harbison, David Gordon, J. L. Stephens, Jeff. Garth and James I. Hickman.
The committee retired, and Maj. J. S. Rollins, being called for,
!
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appeared, and was greeted with applause, and delivered just such a speech as under the circumstances was eminently befitting him and the occasion.
ACTION OF THE COUNTY COURT.
On Wednesday, March 16, 1870, a special session of the Boone County Court was held to take into consideration the location of the Agricultural College. All the judges were present - James Arnold, James Harris and John W. Hall. Although the day was unusually inclement, on account of the intense cold and a drifting snow, quite a respectable number of citizens were present. The court was addressed in favor of the requisite appropriations by Col. Switzler (who had just returned from Washington ) and by Gen. Guitar. A meeting of the citizens was then organized, of which W. F. Switzler was chosen chairman and H. N. Cook secretary, to appoint a committee of citi- zens to act in conjunction with members of the Board of Curators in the selection of a farm site. The meeting was addressed by James L. Stephens in regard to the importance of the College to our county, and urging prompt and liberal action on the part of the court. He moved that Henry Keene, John Machir and Joel H. Haden be appointed the committee on the part of the citizens. Motion carried. On motion Boyle Gordon and James L. Stephens were added to the committee.
On Monday, March 21, the County Court, all the judges being present, had another meeting, and heard the suggestions of all citi- zens who chose to address them in reference to the selection and pur- chase of the agricultural farm.
R. L. Todd, one of the local Board of Curators, and J. L. Ste- phens, from the committee of citizens appointed at the meeting on the 16th, submitted to the court a number of facts in regard to lands and their probable cost, which might be selected for the farm. These embraced quite a number of combinations or plats of ground, each containing six hundred and forty acres, and their estimated cost, vary- ing from $62,000 to $108,000.
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