States with a fund, unfortunately less munificent than its wants require, it was designed to be the head of the school system of the State. Its graduates ought to have all the scholastic attainments to be obtained in any institution of learning in the country, and be fully qualified to enter at once upon the active duties of any literary or scientific pursuit, or the labor incident to a chosen profession. To make it complete in all of its departments we believe it to be the duty of the State, In our opinion a Law Department ought to be established at once, a good law library purchased, and all necessary steps taken to put this department in successful operation. When this is done, and sufficient means furnished to make the Institution what it was designed to be, and ought to be, the highest order of talent can be obtained to preside over and direct its operations, To make the necessary repairs of the buildings, and complete those unfinished; establish a Law Department, and purchase a library; add to the present library, and purchase apparatus that is actually needed; develop the Normal Department properly; obtain a President and Professors as the necessities of the Institution may require; properly compensate the Faculty, and conduct the affairs in a proper manner, will, in the opinion of your committee, require an appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars for the current year. That the University fund is entirely inadequate to defray current expenses is unquestionably true, and we respectfully suggest the propriety of providing, by a small tax, a special fund that can be relied on annually, and save appropriations at each session of the General Assembly. All of which is respectfully submitted. L. E. FELLOWS, On the part of the Senate, C. G. TRUSDELL, J. T. ATKINS, On the part of the House. REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ΤΟ VISIT THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND FARM. The Joint Committee, appointed to visit the Agricultural College and Farm, having performed that duty, respectfully make the following report: THE COLLEGE BUILDING. We find the College Building, which has been erected under the management of the present Board of Trustees, presents a very fine external appearance, fully sustaining the impression conveyed to the mind, by the engraving to be found in the second annual report, which has been laid upon the desks of the members of the Legislature. The internal arrangements in regard to lecture and recitation - rooms are somewhat faulty and insufficient, but we believe changes to remedy this can be made at a small expense. Mr. Reichard, the contractor, appears to have spared no pains in having the masonry, the carpenter work and the plastering, so far as completed, honestly and conscientiously executed. He has labored under many difficulties in the fulfillment of his contract, which are rarely met with by a contractor. Hands had to be procured and materials obtained at great distances from the College Farm while workmen frequently had to be retained under pay, while waiting for materials to arrive. We believe these reasons furnish sufficient excuse for his failure to complete the building within the time specified in the contract. The committee were advised of a claim for extra work per formed by the contractor, also of a claim for additional compensation on the original contract, based on alleged erroneous estimates made by the architect, by reason of which the amount of material required largely exceeded the estimates on which the contract was made. We were not advised of the details of the facts, and therefore are unable to make any recommendation upon the subject. HEATING APPARATUS. It was the intention to heat the building by means of hot air furnaces, but the lamentable and complete failure of these furnaces to furnish pure, warm air when applied to large buildings is too well known to need any comment. Whatever else we do, it is all important that the students attending the college should be furnished with air to breathe as pure as it is supplied to us by the bountiful hand of nature. The introduction of stoves would not only require a largely increased amount of fuel, but would also be highly injurious to the building, and be attended with great danger from fire. We hope, therefore, no hesitation will be felt in granting the appropriation asked for to heat the building by steam. ESTIMATES OF TRUSTEES. We have carefully examined the estimates of the Trustees, and the amounts asked for, and have come to the conclusion that the appropriation requested from the State Treasury can be very materially reduced by applying to a part of the same objects, a portion of the fund, which has already accumulated, and which is now lying idle. The law of Congress donating the lands to the State provides (Section 3) "That all the expenses of management, superintendence, and taxes, from date of selection of said lands, previous to their sale, and all the expenses incurred in the management and disbursement of the moneys which may be received therefrom, shall be paid by the State to which they may belong, out of the treasury of said State, so that the entire proceeds of the sale of said lands shall be applied without any discrimination whatever, to the purposes hereinafter mentioned." It also provides (Section 4) "That the proceeds of sale of lands and land script shall be invested in United States or State stocks, yielding not less than five per cent. upon their par value: and "That the moneys so invested shall constitute a perpetual fund, the capital of which shall remain forever undiminished (except so far as may be provided in Section 5 of this act) and the interest of which shall be inviolably appropriated to the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one College," &c., &c. It is further declared (Section 5) that "no portion of said fund, nor the interest thereon shall be applied directly or indirectly under any pretense whatever, to the purchase, erection, preservation, or repair of any building or buildings." * * * * None of the lands have been sold, and of course no proceeds of sales have been received. But treating the moneys derived from leases, as if it was interest, your committee are of the opinion that it is intended and allowed by the law of Congress under the words. "maintenance and support" that the income may be applied to all the usual means and instruments of education, and therefore to the purchase and supply of all things necessary which do not constitute a part of the buildings, or the fixtures thereof, and which are designed to be movable, transient and perishable. The committee therefore recommend that the amount asked for: Lecture room furniture and Library... Furniture for student's rooms, recitation and professors rooms, and tools for students... Library fixtures... And for Philosophical, Astronomical and Mathematical Instruments and apparatus... $ 5.000 10.000 1.000 2.000 |