50

                                           December 12, 1916

          TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
               University of Kentucky.

          Gent l emen: -

               As by law required, I have, row, the honor to make
          you my official renort as President of the University.

               Uo to the present time. we have on our register the
          names of eleven hundred and ninety-five (1195) students,
          which is about twenty less than we had at this time last
          year.  This deficit is more than accounted for by the stu-
          dents in the State Guard who are now patrolling the Mexican
          border and some engineers w 1o have been tolled away to the
          large munition plants of the North by the high prices which
          they obtain for their labor during the great European War.

               The student body, so far as mental equipment and
          ability, is the equal, if not the superior, to any body
          of students that have been here during my administration.
          I think the progress of the University, in every way, is
          gratifying, and it gives me great pleasure to so report
          to you.

               That you may have before your mind the total progress
          of the institution, I repeat what I have said on former
          occasions, that the number of students has about doubled
          within the last six years; the total income of the insti-
          tution has increased $50,000 per year, and I believe the
          teaching done in the University proper, taken as a whole,
          is the equal to that of any institution of similar kind
          in the country. The only way that I know to compare the
          preparation of our students with that of students of other
          institutions is by observing the results when ours come
          into intellectual competition with the students of other
          universities and colleges.

               I shall first take up the debating and oratorical
          record of the University of Kentucky from 1910-11 to
          1916-17, inclusive. From 1910-11 to 1916, inclusive, the
          University of Kentucky has participated in the following
          intercollegiate contests:-

               In April 1911, Intercollegiate Debate between Cen-
               tral University and University of Kentucky was won
               by State, unanimously.

               Debate between Transylvania and State was held in
               the spring of 1912, and resulted in a victory for
               State.

               In the spring of 1913, a triangular debate was held
               among the law teams of the University of Indiana,
               Transylvania and State.   State won unanimously at
               Indianapolis, and tied at Lexington, there being
               only two judges.