xt7mcv4bpk5h https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7mcv4bpk5h/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky 1910013 minutes English University of Kentucky Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 1910-01-feb3. text Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 1910-01-feb3. 1910 2011 true xt7mcv4bpk5h section xt7mcv4bpk5h
MINUTES OF TEIE BOARD JyOF T2USTEES - Meeting Held February 3rd., 1910
Meeting of the Board of Trustees of State University, held on the 3rd
day of February, 1910, at 11 o'clock A.M. in the Board Room of the Capitol
Building, at Frankfort, Kentucky, pursuant to call.
The meeting opened with His Excellency Augustus B. Willson Governor of
Kentucky, in the chair.
Ghepiee-]3.-=.*sheie
T. L. Edelin and James A. Patterson presented their credentials and were sworn
in by Governor Willson. Charles B. Nichols having been previously sworn in by
the County Clerk. Mr. Jas. Turner who came into the meeting later was also sworn
by the Governor.
Before the roll was called the Governor read the following telegram from
Hon. Hywel Davies, -
"Sincerely regret nmr inability to attend Board meeting to elect president
of State University on account of severe attack of grippe which has confined me to
my room since Sunday. Congratulations and best wishes to the new and may the
choicest blessings fall to the lot of the retireing (retiring) president whose well
merited fame will live as long an the University", signed, "Hynel Davies".
The roll was then called and was as follows: -
His Excellency Governor Willson Present
President James K. Patterson Present
Hon. John G. Crabbe, Present
Hon. John B. Atkinson Absent
Hon. Jas, tif Turner Present
UINt'I3ES OF TH BQCAD OF TIcUSTEES
Charles B. Nichols, Esq., Present
T. L. Edelin, Esq., Present
Tudge Henry S. Barker, Absent
Hon. Tibbis Carpenter, Present
Hon. William H. Cox, Present
Denny P. Smith, Esq., Absent
Hon. Claude B. Terrell, Present
Hon. Cassius M. Clay, Present
Hywel Davies, Esq., Absent
Richard C. Stoll, Esq., Present
Louis L. Walker, Esq., Present
Richard N. Wathen, Esq., Present
Mr. Stoll then moved that all absent members be
been duly seconded was unanimously carried.
excused, vfhich motion having
Mr0 Stoll then said: The Executive Comnittee reported to the Board in
Decenber that in its judgment it was advisable that the College should purchase
a piece of property on the corner of Winslow and Adams Street for the future use
of the College, and I therefore move that the Executive Committee of the College
be authorized to purchase the McLaughlin property at the corner of Limestone and
Winslow for an amount not exceeding $6,000.00, upon such terms as may be agreed
upon by the Committee.
President Patterson then stated that the purchase price whould be $5,500.00
Which motion was duly seconded and the vote was as follows:-
Governor Willson, Aye
President Patterson Aye
Mr. Nichols Aye
Mr. Edelin Aye
February 3rd. 1910
PU=TTS OF TI BOARD OF MIJS"S F
Mr. Carpenter Aye
Mr. Cox Aye
Mr. Terrell Aye
Br. Clay Aye
Mr. Stoll Aye
hr. Walker Aye
Mr. Wathen Aye
Motion carried.
,otT'f:' (a yQ b1 l)
PrcfessoT: - There are some bills before the Legislature looking towards an
additional income from the Commonwealth to the State University. I want to say
here that I have kept my pledge given to you not to introduce any measures relating
to additional appropriations for the University, unless by previous consultation,
hence I have had no hand in the introduction of these measures, yet they are before
the Legislature and I heard the Bills will pass giving us some additional annual
income. If that shall take place, we will then have an enlargement of income to
such an extent that we can do something we thought ought to be done and which we
thought we could not do under present circumstances; one important measure is the
increase in the salaries of our professors, professors in chief and assistant
professors. They are all working for us for salaries much below the average
salaries of institutions whose income is not so large as ours. We are in constant
danger of losing some of them, some of our best men, men of experience, men of
national reputation and who can demand salaries better than we are paying. Sala-
ries that we have in the past deemed adequate for the maintaining of the household
are not now equal to the draft made upon the home treasury, and from that point of
view, I want to introduce a resolution here this morning for your consideration
that the measure under which the Committee on salaries appear be enlarged so as to
- February 3, 1910
I1tIEES OF 0TE BOARD OF TRJSTEE -F
include, before the June meeting, a revision of the salaries of the institution,
due regard being had to our income and expenditure, due regard being had for the
services rendered by the professors, and this Committee on salaries report to the
next meeting of the Board in Tune. That will require a great deal of careful
consideration and I am not sure but that committee ought not to be enlarged by the
addition of one or two other members. I would like to see added to that committee
oae or two men of eminent business capacity, and I should suggest Hon. Cassius E.
Clay as one additional member and Governor Cox as another additional member.
I will assist as far as possible and will ascertain the salaries paid to pro-
fessors of other institutions similar to ours and report at the June meeting.
Said motion being duly seconded was unanimously carried.
The Chairman then appointed Hon. Cassius MIc. Clay and Governor Cox as additional
members of the Committee.
President Patterson: - At a meeting of the Faculty held day before yesterday
the following named persons were recommended to the Board of Trustees for the follow-
ing degrees, - Jonathan Blair MlIcAfee, Ardmore, Pa., for the degree of Doctor of
Engineering.
3. Levering Yones, Philadelphia, Pa., for the degree of LL. D.
Alex. P. Humphrey, Louisville, ky. for the degree of LI, D.
W. W. Finley, President of Southern Railroad, Washington D. C. for the degree LL.D.
Henry Clews, New York City, for the degree IL. D.
This is from the Secretary of the Faculty, (Here reads) letter signed C. WI.
Mathews, Secretary of the Faculty.
Moved that the recommendation of the Faculty be approved as to these five
honorary degrees, and the degrees be conferred in June. Wlhich motion being duly
seconded was unanimously carried.
Febrary 3, 1910
TINUfES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES - February 3, 1910
By Mr. Stoll: - You will all recall at the June Meeting of the Board 1909,
a special committee was appointed to recommend to this Board a person for President
of the University. This committee has had several meetings, and at all of these
meetings I have been Secretary and Judge Barker was Chairman. A meeting held in
this room in Frankfort the 13th day of J'anuary, the committee unanimously desired
to recommend to this Board as President of this University Judge Henry S. Barker
of Louisville, I will say as a member of that Committee that Judge Barker was
not present at that meeting.
Mr. Walker: - I move that the report of the Committee be received and adopted.
President Patterson:- I was present, of course, at the meeting of the Committee
and I expressed my views to my fellow members pretty fully. I had prepared a state-
ment in writing which I had intended to submit to them but which I did not do. I
acquiesced in the Committee, - I did not want to raise any factious opposition, and
while I cannot say that Judge Barker had my support, I did not oppose it. The opinion
prevails that the action of the Committee was unanimous. It was unanimous with that
interpretation. I entertained a sort of negative acquiescence, because I believed
that the recommendation made by the majority of the Committee was a mistake. I wish
to express to you now, gentlemen, the views which I hold upon this matter, and in
order to avoid saying a great deal that I wish to say or more than I wish to say,
I take the privilege to present them on paper, - disclaiming all personal considera-
tions and assuring you, gentlemen, of my high regard, esteem and friendship for the
distinguished gentleman Fhose name is before you as my successor, I desire to place
on record the views which I hold in regard to the qualifications that should attach
to that high office, the most important, I believe, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
A clear, vigorous moral sense, discretion, tact, business capacity, patience, courtesy,
facility of speech, are essential qualifications, but as a condition precedent for
their application and availability certain other qualifications are indespensable,
viz: Intellectual ability of a high order, a qualification readily conceded, and
education broad and deep, at once liberal and scientific and practical, and in
MMINUES OF TEIE BOARD OF T2RUSTEESF
addition thereto a large experience in collegiate and university work, enabling
their Possessor to coordinate lines of acquisition and research and the adjustment
of means to ends in the economy of time and labor, of student and professor. These
qualifications are by unanimous consent of all college men fundamental and inde-
spensable. Their presence is vital and their absence may be fatal, The standard
of education has been materially raised within the last thirty-five years and qualifi-
cations which were deemed adequate forty years ago no longer meet modern requirements.
A higher standard is required in assistants, in heads of departments, in deans of
courses of study, and above all, in the President of the institution. A large
majority of the ablest and foremost college and university Presidents of taday (today),
in addition to the undergraduate and post-graduate courses which they had in America ,
have spent years abroad doing advanced work in Germany, England, France, and Italy,
in order to become qualified and eligible for the positions which they now hold. I
do not know of any reputable university or college in America, the President of which
has not had the advantages of collegiate and university training. I do not know
of any board of Trustees of any kind of any first-class University in America, which
would consider the claims of any applicant for this high office in whom these qualifi-
cations were deficient or wholly absent. What would you say if a ship owner who
should commit his vessel, with its cargo and its freight of human lives to a captain
and pilot who had no knowledge of the principles of navigation and the art of sea-
(would we)
manship? What we would think of any minister of marine who should place a lands-
man in command of a modern battleship, or in command of a fleet of battleships and
cruisers, who was wholly devoid of naval education and training and utterly ignorant
of the science and art of naval warfare? High character and moral principles and
urbanity and good fellowhip and tact and discretion are valuable adjuncts, but of
themselves they would neither win important battles nor navigate dangerous seas.
A crisis in the history of the University is now upon us. The life of the University
and its prosperity are dear to me. I have given to it more than forty years of loyal
service. I cannot then be indifferent to its fate. The present crisis has given
February 3, 1910
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF ThUStMES - February 3, 1910
me anxious days and sleepless nights and sorrow of heart and anguish of spirit.
I recall a passage from Tacitus which has been much in my mind during these latter
days, viz. "That while the sovereignty of Rome was being transferred to another,
Galba, ignorant of what had happened, and intent upon the sacrifices, was wearying
by his importunities, the gods of an Empire, now no longer his own." The paralell-
ism is suggestive, except, happily, in the moral aspects, Nevertheless, whatever
its results may be, I will give my successor a loyal support and aid him in every
way I can to make his administration effective and successful. This I shall do,
because the life and success and good name of the University are with me paramount
to all other interests and considerations, whether public or private, official or
personal.
Gentlemen of the Board of Trustees: - I will now add verbally what has not
been incorporated in the paper which I have submitted to your consideration, that
when in New York T presented to DR. Pritchett, on behalf of the Board of Trustees
the preliminary conditions for the eligibility of the State University to the bene-
fits of the Carnegie Foundation, viz:
1st. A certified copy of the formal application made by the Board of
Trustees.
2nd. The formal approval of the Governor of Kentucky.
3rd. The joint resolution passed by the General, Assembly of the Comnonwealth
of Kentucky endorsing the application of the Board and the approval of the Governor.
The President of the Foundation informed me that these were entirely correct in
matter and in form, but he added in substance as follows:
"If your Board of Trustees elect a man as your successor in the presidency who
has not had the benefit of a collegiate or university education and who has had no
experience whatever in the organization of university work and no administrative or
executive experience thereon, I could not think under these conditions of recommend-
ing at present to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie
Foundation that the State University be placed upon the list of its beneficiaries."
MDTUrFS OF TIB BOATED OF T!RUSTEES - February 3, 1910
Thus you see, gentlemen of the Board, we shall be placed at a manifest disadvantage
through loss of prestige in our own Conmonwealth and through loss of prestige in the
Association of Agricultuxal and Mechanical Colleges tad Mcperiment Stations, and more
important still, in the Association of American State Universities. VWe shall vir-
tually be placed in quarantine and not allowed to land until wee can show a clean
bill of health.
After remarks by Mr. Walker and Mr. Wathen, Mr. Clay made the following state-
ment:- In order to put my position on record I am going to move to strike out
from the report of the Committee the name of Judge H.S. Barker and insert that
of Professor Smith of the University of Louisiana. There being no second to this
motion, the Chairman directed the Secretary to call the roll upon the motion as
to thether the report of the Committee should be adopted and the vote stood as
follows:-
Governor Willson Aye
President Patterson
Mr. Turner Aye
Mr. Nichols Aye
Mr. Edelin Aye
Mr. Carpenter Aye
Mr. Cox Aye
Mr. Terrell Aye
Mr. Clay Aye
Mr. Stoll Aye
*Mr0'. Walker Aye
Mr. Wathan Aye
Report of the committee is received and approved.
Moved that Judge Henry S. Barker be elected President of the University.
MINUTES OF TAc BOARD OF T.ZUSB - ey
Ballots being taken resulted, after count, in 12 ballots for Judge Barker,
none against and Judge Barker was declared duly elected President of the State
University of Kentucky.
ir. 'Walker then moved that the Chairman appoint a committee of three to
notify Judge Barker of his election as President of the University and report
back to the Board of Trustees in June, which motion being duly seconded and was
umanimously carried.
The Chairman then appointed Mr. Walker, Mr. Cox and Mr. Carpenter as members
of this Committee, and by unanimous consent President Patterson was added as a
member of the Committee.
Moved and seconded that the meeting adjourn. Carried.
D. C. Frazee
Secretary
February 3, 1910