October 7-8, 1899
10-07-1899
Volume OC - Pages 181-182
Reno, Nevada
October 7, 1899
The Board of Regents met at their Office at 7:30 o'clock P.M.,
Saturday, October 7, 1899. Present: W. E. F. Deal, J. N. Evans
and H. S. Starrett.
Minutes of June 10 and August 21 read and approved.
President Stubbs presented his report touching on matters con-
nected with the University and Experiment Station as follows:
NEVADA STATE UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
October 7, 1899
To the Honorable the Board of Regents:
Gentlemen:
I have the honor herewith to submit a partial report for the
month of September. It is my purpose this year to prepare a re-
port at the end of each calendar month, covering the operations
of all Departments of the University, in order that the Regents
may be fully advised regarding the life and progress of the
University. This present report is only partial and is to be
followed by a complete report within a few days.
1. The University opened for admission to students Tuesday,
August 29th, and recitations were begun in all Departments
Monday, September 4th.
2. Professor L. W. Cushman of the Department of English and
Associate Professor G. F. Blessing of the School of Mechan-
ical Engineering entered upon their duties at the beginning
of the term. With the approval of the Board, Instructor
Anna H. Martin of the Department of History was granted a
leave of absence for purposes of study for a period of two
years, and Miss Jeanne Elizabeth Wier of Stanford University
was appointed Acting Instructor.
3. The total enrollment of students is two hundred and seventy
three. Of these, one hundred and fifty nine are in the
University Schools -- eighty men and seventy nine women.
In the Preparatory Schools the total enrollment is one
hundred and fourteen -- fifty eight men and fifty six women.
4. The work and life of the University for the month have been
quite satisfactory. The Professors report a studious spirit
among their students. The interest in Athletics continues
and the organization of Athletics among the students is bet-
ter than hitherto. This being the season for foot-ball,
from thirty to forty young men may be found on the foot-ball
field every evening. The Athletic Association has employed
a Coach from the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. A. King
Dickson, who seems to be doing good work and seems to exer-
cise a moral influence among the young men. The young la-
dies have taken up basket-ball with considerable zeal and
many of them may be found every afternoon, practicing either
in the Gymnasium or upon the field in the open air.
5. On September 9th, Professor R. D. Jackson asked for a leave
of absence for three months, offering at the same time to
place Mr. Jacobs in charge of his work in the University.
I felt it my duty to refuse to grant the request and com-
municated my action to the members of the Board, receiving
from them letters of approval of my action. On September
20th, Professor Jackson notified me that it was absolutely
necessary that he have a leave of absence, and that unless
it was granted, he must tender his resignation, to take
effect as soon as I should return from Missoula, Montana.
On October 2nd, immediately upon my return, I had an inter-
view with Professor Jackson upon the subject of his request
for leave of absence and his resignation. I found that he
did not wish to resign his position; that his business af-
fairs were such as to require his personal attention to
avoid considerable personal loss, and that he did not need
all the time asked for. Before the interview closed, Pro-
fessor Jackson agreed with me that the principle upon which
my refusal was based was sound. Pending a meeting of the
Board of Regents, I told him that I would not grant him the
leave of absence, but that when it was necessary for him to
be away, I should make no objection if he left his classes
and his work in charge of Mr. Jacobs, but that I would hold
him responsible for the results in his Department. This
subject is a very important one, and I shall discuss it fur-
ther with the Board in an oral way.
6. Under appointment of the Board of Regents and also of the
Governor of the State, I have attended the eighteenth ses-
sion of the National Irrigation Congress, at Missoula, Mon-
tana. I left Reno on the morning of September 21st and
returned home at noon, Monday, October 2nd. It fell to my
duty to act as temporary Chairman of the Congress and to
made an address on Monday evening, September 25th, upon
"The Relation of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Sta-
tions to the Irrigation Movement". I also acted as Chair-
man of the Committee on Resolutions. I append herewith
quite a full report of the proceedings of the Convention and
direct your attention especially to the resolutions which
present the best thought and final purpose of the present
National Irrigation Movement. My expenses amounted to
Seventy Five Dollars and Thirty Eight Cents.
7. The several funds of the University are in a satisfactory
condition, as is shown by the balances remaining in the
funds on August 31st, and the bills which are submitted to
you today for your approval. It was suggested at the open-
ing of the year that we ought to advance the price of board
at the Dining Hall, owing to the advance in the prices of
the staple articles of food. I was averse to making any
change in the expenses of living to our students, and I am
glad to say that we are able to make such contracts for
meat, flour and groceries for the year as to give assurance
of being able to carry on the Dining Hall successfully with-
out any advance in the price. The Dining Hall was opened
on August 16th. All the bills for supplies and labor now
due have been paid. At the close of the month of October
Miss Elizabeth Stubbs, Secretary-Treasurer of the Dining
Hall, will be able to make a balance sheet which will show
to the Regents the exact condition of the Dining Hall
receipts and expenditures.
8. The following is the number of young ladies in the Cottage:
45. There were more applications at the beginning of the
year for rooms in the Cottage than we could meet. Conse-
quently I had to rent two rooms in a private house for the
use of some of our girls. The following is the number of
young men in Lincoln Hall: 88, being the largest number
since the Hall was opened. It must be very clear to the
Regents and to all friends of the University, that the
building of Lincoln Hall and the University Cottage has made
possible the growth of the University. It is to be hoped
that the Cottage can be enlarged and a Dining Hall attached
to Lincoln Hall before many years shall have elapsed.
9. The work in the Experiment Station for the past month covers
the following subjects: Professor Mc Dowell and Professor
Wilson have completed a delayed bulletin on the Sugar Beet,
which is now passing through the Press. Professor Wilson
has made a very careful selection of soils in the eastern
portion of the State, upon which he will base a series of
careful studies. Professor Hillman is completing a work
upon the seeds and forage grasses of the State. Mr. Doten
has taken charge of Meteorology and Climatology, and is
assisting the Department of Entomology and Botany. With
the approval of the President of the Board of Regents, I
sent Mr. Doten to the City to make a study of the equipment
and methods of the Department of Agriculture in Meteorology.
By the courtesy of Mr. F. G. Mc Adie, Weather Observer in
San Francisco, Mr. Doten had a very find opportunity for
study in the Office of the Weather Observer in San Francisco
for the period of a month. The sugar-beets grown by John
Harrison of Lovelock this year show a remarkably high per-
centage of sugar and purity coefficient. It would seem as
though the Lovelock Valley offers suitable conditions for
the establishment of a beet sugar factory. It is my pur-
pose, as soon as possible, to make a careful study of all
the conditions, including limestone, water and fuel, with
a view to making a report on the commercial value of
Lovelock Valley as a sugar producing section of the State.
10. I have some suggestions to offer to the Board on the sub-
ject of buildings which I will present in an oral way in-
stead of submitting in writing.
Respectfully yours,
J. E. Stubbs
President Stubbs placed in nomination Mr. B. F. Buffum for the
position of Irrigation Agriculturist in the Experiment Station,
which was confirmed.
Upon motion of W. E. F. Deal, seconded by H. S. Starrett, it was
ordered that the salary of President Stubbs be increased to
$4500 per annum, to take effect October 1, 1899, and to be paid
as follows: $3000 from the Agricultural and Mechanical College
Fund, $1500 from the Experiment Station Hatch Fund.
Upon motion of Regent Deal, it was ordered that the Secretary
of the Board be authorized to advertise for bids for a model
stock barn for the new Experiment Station Farm as soon as the
plans and specifications were ready. Cost of said barn not to
exceed ($4000) Four Thousand Dollars.
President Stubbs recommended that Miss Anna H. Martin be appoint-
ed Assistant Professor of American and European History, which
was confirmed.
No further business appearing, the Board adjourned.
J. N. Evans
President
Geo. H. Taylor
Secretary