The College cannot get rid of the swamp-land claimant by paying "the swamp claimant in accordance with the terms he has dictated." The Board has no fund at its disposal which it can use in making such compromises; nor does it consider that it can legally employ either the endowment fund, or the income derived therefrom, in making settlement of claims by lessees on account of these conflicts of title. The State alone can adjust the matter. The title to all lands derived under the Congressional grant rests in the State. The State holds these lands in trust; they were selected by a commissioner appointed by the State, and for whose acts the State is responsible; if, in selecting these lands, errors were made by this agent, the State is liable therefor. It is under contract with the national government to keep the endowment fund of the College forever undiminished, and to apply the income derived therefrom, without any diminution whatever, to the support and maintenance of the institution. It should provide adequate means for defending its title to these lands. There would seem to be no better way than that the legal questions involved should be placed under the charge of the Attorney-General, acting, perhaps, under the direction of the State executive council, and that said council should be furnished with funds necessary to conduct such defense and make payment to lessees of damages arising from such conflicts. It is proposed to present to the legislature a bill looking to this end. INCOME OF THE COLLEGE AND ITS EXPENDITURE. The income from the College endowment fund, available for the maintenance of the institution during the biennial period, has been as follows: Cash on hand at beginning of biennial term...$3,264.60 Income from endowment during fiscal year 1888. Total available funds.... This amount is accounted for as follows: Expenditures during fiscal year 1888, as per exhibit "B." Total.. $ 3,329.60 46,239.01 47,891.87 $ 97,460.48 $ 46,058.60 41,739.74 9,662.14 $ 97,460.48 The Board directed that $3,000 of the balance to the credit of interest fund be loaned by Agent Knapp, the same to be replaced when needed from any moneys in the treasurer's hands belonging to that portion of the endowment fund arising from the transfer of accumulated interest. The income during the next biennial period will be considerably reduced because of a lowering of the rate of interest and the payment of a large amount of the principal of outstanding leases upon which interest has been paid in advance. The Secretary estimates that, taking into account the cash balance on hand, the expenditures for the years 1890 and 1891 can average $43,000 per year without danger of bringing financial embarrassment upon the College. The appropriations of the Board to meet the expenses of the different departments for the fiscal year 1890 are as follows: In addition to the above there was appropriated to the departments the proceeds of the ordinary sales. All appropriations are subject to the provision that only so much thereof as may be necessary shall be expended. Captain Lincoln was authorized by the Board to purchase, from the appropriation to the military department, prizes to be awarded students for excellence in military drill. OFFICERS OF INSTRUCTION. The following is a standing order of the Board of Trustees: The President of the College and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees are authorized to temporarily fill all vacancies which may occur in the list of teachers when the Board is not in session, provided that the expense shall not exceed the sum appropriated for that purpose. Under the authority thus given the two vacancies in the teaching force of the College, existing at the time of the publication of the last biennial report, were filled by the appointment of Miss Lillie M. Gunn, formerly a teacher in the celebrated school called the "Gunnery," at Washington, Conn., to the position of preceptress and professor of French and German, and the employment of Mr. E. A. Kirkpatrick, a graduate of the College, as instructor in English and sub-freshman studies. The salary of the former was fixed at $1,200, and the latter at $300 per annum, the services of both commencing March 1, 1888. In May of that year the resignation of Professor Bassett, in charge of the department of mechanical engineering, was presented and accepted. The committee on vacancies was authorized by the Board to make temporary arrangements for the conduct of the department, while the chairman and the secretary of the Board, the President of the College, and the chairman of the committee on Faculty, were appointed a special committee, with full power, to permanently fill the vacancy. The committee on vacancies reported to the Board in July that they had made an agreement with Mr. A. J. Weichardt, the foreman of the workshops, to do the work of the professor of mechanical engineering during the re mainder of the spring term, and that they had employed Mr. E. C. Kimball, a practical machinist and former student in the mechanical department, to act as foreman during that time. The work was performed to the reasonable satisfaction of the committee and with a net saving to the College of $150. The special committee to secure a professor of mechanical engineering reported that they had made patient and faithful search for the best available man, writing to what seemed to them the best sources of information, and that after a most careful examination of the testimonials submitted, they had unanimously agreed upon the appointment of Mr. Chas. W. Scribner, a graduate in the classical course of Princeton College, and in the mechanical engineering course of the Stephens Polytechnic Institute. The action of the committee was approved by the Board. The salary of Professor Scribner was fixed at $1,800 per annum, his services and salary to commence with the beginning of the Fall term. At the annual meeting of the Board in November, 1888, no changes were made in the list of officers of instruction. The salaries of Professors Mount and Osborn were each increased $100, making the salary of the former $1,500 per annum, and of the latter $1,300 and the use of a house. The salaries of the other teachers were not changed. In December, following the adjournment of the Board, the resignations of Dr. Halsted, professor of botany, and of Mrs. Riley, librarian and instructor in elocution, were presented to the President. After consultation with the chairman of the Board and extensive correspondence with colleges and scientific men, and after laying the correspondence before the scientific professors then present at the College and securing their unanimous opinion, the committee on vacancies engaged Mr. L. H. Pammel, of St. Louis, to fill the chair of botany at an annual salary of $1,300 and the use of a house. Mr. Pammel is a graduate and post-graduate of the agricultural department of the University of Wisconsin, and was for years a special student in botany under Prof. Trelease, of the St. Louis Shaw School of Botany, and Prof. Farlow, of Harvard University. To fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mrs. Riley, the committee engaged Miss Cora Marsland, of Sing Sing, N. Y., a graduate of the State Normal School at Albany, N. Y., and of the Monroe School of Oratory at Boston. The salary allowed her was $800 for the year. The action of the committee in filling these vacancies was afterwards reported to the Board, and by them approved. On March 14, 1889, occurred the death of Dr. Welch. He was elected president of the College in 1868. He organized its departments and courses of study, and guided the institution safely through the difficulties of its early years. He resigned the presidency in 1883, and in the following year was elected professor of psychology and history of civilization, which position he held at the time of his death. At a special meeting of the Board, called to attend his funeral, the following resolutions were adopted and ordered spread upon the minutes: |