University of Oregon Assembly Records Volume 1 1878-1891
These records cover the period 13 September 1878 through June 8 1891. The
original (handwritten books) were photocopied and the photocopies converted
to PDF files. Unfortunately the photocopies are not of high quality and
some of the margins are black which obscures some of the handwriting. Still,
for the most part they are legible and it is a fascinating historical record.
The breaks between PDF files are dictated by technical convenience only.
The files are in the process of being catalogued to make them more accessible,
but we wanted to make the records available immediately as we anticipate
the cataloging will occupy most of Spring 2007. Please contact
Peter Gilkey, Mathematics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene
Or 97403 USA gilkey@uoregon.edu
September 13 1880. First regular meeting of the faculty; September 14 1880.
Discussion of curricular matters. Students are debarred from taking algebra
until they have completed both mental and fractional arithmetic; October
4 1880. All members present. Moved the faculty henceforth hold regular
weekkly meetings in the President's room of the University building; 11
October 1880. All members present; 18 October 1880. Regular meeting 2.
Moved that the President wait on the property holders on 12th street and
request them to abate the nuisance on their property; 25 October 1880.
Moved that the senior and junior classes for rhetoricals be assigned to
the president. 1 November 1880. Regular meeting four. Members all present.
Moved that on all Fridays recitations be suspended after 1 oclock; 8 November
1880; 15 November 1880; 22 November 1880. Moved that the examinations of
all the classes take place at the end of each term excepting those classes
that finish a study in the middle of the term. 29 November 1880; 6 December
1880. One member absent. Moved and carried that every fifth rhetorical
exercise shall be a public exercise in the auditorium; 13 December 1880.
Moved and adopted that those students who require more than one day to
go home in be refered to the president. 20 December 1880; 4 January 1881
-- discussion of various students - one was permitted to balance her deficience
in German with exercises in Greek. 5 January 1881; 10 Jan 1881 10 January
1881; 17 January 1881; 24 January 1881; 31 January 1881; 4 February 1881;
14 February 1881. 21 February 1881. 28 February 1881. Two days weekly be
given to the Junior class in Botany for field work. A student was permitted
to drop Latin on account of poor health. 7 March 1881. Moved and passed
``All entertainments conduced by or shared in by the students of the University
must first be submitted to the consideration of the faculty.'' 14 March
1881. 28 March 1881. 11 April 1881. 18 April 1881. 25 April 1881. 2 May
1881. 3 May 1881. 9 May 1881. 16 May 1881. 23 May 1881. 6 June 1881. 11
June 1881.
Page 15. 12 Sept 1881. 13 September 1881. 14 September 1881; 22 September
1881. 29 Septembert 1881. 6 October 1881. 1 November 1881. These meetings
deal mostly with individual students; 14 November 1881. It was moved to
observe Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following by omitting the recitations
of those days. 21 November 1881. 28 November 1881. Moved that the Friday
before Christmas there be rhetorical exercises in the auditoriam. 4 December
1881. December 1881. 19 December 1881. 4 January 1882. 6 Jan 1882. These
meetings are all short and deal with requests by individual students.
Page 19. 9 Jan 1882, 11 Jan 1882, 16 Jan 1882, 17 Jan 1882, 23 Jan 1882
30 Jan 1882, 2 Feb 1882, 6 Feb 1882, 13 Feb 1882, 20 Feb 1882, 27 Feb 1882.
Moved the Faculty ask the board of regents to define the duties and jurisdiction
of the faculty. 6 Marcyh 1882, 14 March 1882, 27 March 1882, 4 April 1882,
18 April 1882, 24 April 1882, 1 May 1882, 8 May 1882, 9 May 1882, 10 May
1882, 11 May 1882, 12 May 1882, 18 May 1882, 22 May 1882, 29 May 1882,
30 May 1882. The minutes are detailed and concern individual students for
the most part.
Page 27. 9 September 1882. Students are required to pledge in writing:
The
student in writing his or her name below thereby pledges himself or herself
to comply with all the rules and regulations made for the government of
the University alike that are in force when he or she enters and those
that may be enacted during his or her connection as a student with the
University. 11 Sept 1882. A student conduct code is adopted:
A student must not enter the brewery or a sloon
Nor drink any intoxicating liquor while in attendance at the University
or on his or her way to and from the same except on the prescription of
a physician
nor use tobaco in any form or way while on the college campus
nor inture the bulding or property of the University
nor join any college secret society
nor stand or sit around the doors or make any disturbing noise in the halls
of the college building
nor as a member of a class or of any literary society conspire against
the government andc control of the faculty or any member of the faculty
nor refuse to pay any fine assessed by the faculty upon himself or upon
the literary society of which he is a member for any misconduct of himself
or of any member of his society
nor violate or break any of the laws of the State of Oregon
12 September 1882. 19 September 1882. 20 September 1882. 25 September 1882.
28 September 1882. 2 October 1882. 4 October 1882. 10 October 1882. 16
October 1882. 17 October 1882. 30 October 1882. 6 November 1882. 14 November
1882, 21 November 1882, 27 November 1882, 4 December 1882, 12 December
1882. These meetings all deel with individual students.
The record for 1882 continues. 14 December 1882, 4 Jan 1883, 5 Jan 1883,
9 Jan 1883, 29 Jan 1883, 13 Feb 1883, 19 Feb 1883, 26 Feb 183, 19 Feb 1883,
26 Feb 1883, 19 March 1883, 26 March 1883. Motion In marking or grading,
a scale of one hundred shall be used and sixty shall be the minimum. A
student who in any one study falls below sixty is thereby conditional as
to his class standing and in order to be restored to full standing, he
must pass in a re-examination some time before the regular examinations
of the following term, when, however, a student falls below sixty in more
than one study of the same term or in one study in two consectutive terms
he shall thereby forfeit hor lose his class standing. (p38) . 2 April
1883, 5 April 1883, 16 April 1883, 5 April 1883, 16 April 1883, 23 April
1883, 3 May 1883, 8 May 1883. It is worth noting that the secretary has
started signing himself `Secretary of the Faculty of Oregon State University'.
14 May 1883, 15 May 1883, 21 May 1883, 28 May 1883, 7 June 1883. The majority
of these minutes deal with particular students.
17 September 1883, 19 September 1883, 20 September 1883, 20 September 1883,
2 Occtober 1883. Resolved that any student taking more than three studies
without the consent of the Faculty shall not receive credit for such studies
and shall be required to take them again at the regular time
10 October 1883, 15 October 1883, 16 October 1883, 22 October 1883, 24
October 1883, 29 October 1883. There is the first memorium in the pages
of the faculty for Emery E. Burke. 6 November 1883, 20 November 1883, 27
November 1883. There is a discussion of scarlet feber and the students
are urged to use all caution against its spread, 4 Jan 1884, 7 Jan 1883
(sic), 16 Jan 1884, 22 Jan 1884, 29 Jan 1884, 4 Feb 1884, 18 Feb 1884.
These minutes deal, again, with individual students.
26 Feb 1884, 4 March 1884, 11 March 1884. The senior class asks permission
to substitute the ``reign of law'' for ``international law'' as there is
not sufficient time to finish the latter work satisfactorily. 17 March
1884, 24 March 1884, 31 March 1884, 21 April 1884, 23 April 1884, 24 April
1884, 28 April 1884, 15 May 1884, 22 May 1884. The faculty continues to
meet in the President's room. The discussion is for the most part of individual
students and deal mostly with unexcused absences.
29 May 1884, 4 June 1884. The Senior class have asked permission to
insert th eir class motto in the programme; it was noted that the class
be informed that the faculty is opposed to it. All students are expected
to be at their recitations until Thursday m orning unless specifically
excused June 16 1884, June 17 1884. Faculty met in the auditorium.
Members all present. The following students having satisfactorily finished
the normal course as required by the faculty were recommended to the Board
of Regents for Certificate of Grduation from that course...
Ninth Year of the University 1884-1885. 16 September 1884. 22 September
1884. 25 September 1884. Faculty met in President Johnson's room. 30 September
1884, 8 October 1884, 5 November 1884, 10 November 1884. Report to the
Board of Regents of the Oregon State University: Having ascertained
that your Hon. Body intends to consider the propriety of abolishing the
normal course of this school, we earnestly recommend such action on your
part and we respectfully ask that in connection with the proposed change
the following points (unanimously recommended by the faculty) be considered.
First that in the proposed English Course (a copy of which we hereby submit)
the study of the English language shall be so thorough and contained so
as to entitle it to rank as a mental discipline with the study of Greek,
German, or French. Second, that in this Enlish Course, the Latin be considered
the second sufficiently to make attainment in it thorough that for this
purpose this course like the other courses be continued through four years....
Pages 69-71.
8 December 1884. The Secreteary of the Faculty was authorized to request
the janitor to regulate all the clocks daily with the clock in the President's
room. 9 December 1884, 11 December 1884, 12 December 1884, 15 December
1884, 22 December 1884, 5 January 1885, 6January 1885. Several students
were ``rquired to present written excuses from their parents for their
tardiness in returning to the University.'' 12 Jan 1885, 19 Jan 1885. Permission
was granted to a student to ``take Geometry as a fourth study provided
he does good work''.
26 Jan 1885, Whereas It is important that students should devote their
time for the object for which they attend the University and Whereas their
attendance upon places of amusement seriously detrace from their standing
and scholarship. Therefore resolved that all the students of theis University
be and they are expressly prohibited from attending any places of amusement
from Monday morning until Friday night of each week during the Session
of the Faculty". 2 Feb 1885. Resolved that the names of all delinquents
in every department of the University be read at every regular meeting
of the Faculty. It was moved that the tutors be requested to be present
at every meeting of the Faculty. 9 Feb 1885, 16 Feb 1885, 23 Feb 1885,
2 March 1885, 6 March 1885, 9 March 1885, 16 March 1885, 30 March 1885,
6 April 1885, 20 April 1885. The faculty continue to meet in the Presidents
room for the most part and all members are present for the most part.
26 April 2885, 30 April 1885, 4 May 1885, 6 May 1885, 11 May 1885, 13 May
1`885, 25 May 1885, 1 June 1885, 8 June 1885, 10 June 1885. The minutes
deal mostly with individual students and are somewhat hard to read.
Tenth year 1885-1886. 15 September 1885. 16 September 1885. Resolved
I. That a committee of three members of this faculty be appointed whose
duty it shall be to assign students to their proper classes. II. That all
students applying for admission to any department of this University be
required to report immediately upon their arrival to the chairman of this
committee for classification. III All clashes shall be referred to this
committee. Page 92. 22 Sept 1885, 29 Sept 1885, 5 Oct 1885, 12 Oct
1885, 13 Oc t 1885, 19 Oct 1885, 26 Oct 1885, 2 Nov 1885, 9 Nov 1885, 16
Nov 1885, 23 Nov 1885.
21 December 1885, 4 January 1886, 5 January 1886, 6 January 1886, 18 January
1886, 25 January 1886, 25 January 1886. A student was required to take
geometry as a third subject. 29 January 1886. A student and his fater were
informed he was suspended because he had been absent without leave for
the last four days. 1 February 1886. Resolution:
That no student expelled by the faculty of any University or College in
this State shall be admitted into this institution.
That no student from another University or College in this State can gain
admittance into th is Institution without a certificate of honorable dismissal
from that University or College.
That the other Universities and Colleges of this state are hereby respectfully
requested to unite with this institution in adopting the above resolutions.
15 February 1886, 22 Febrauary 1886, 2 March 1886. Again the meetings deal
mostly with individual cases.
12 March 1886, 15 March 1886, 22 March 1886. Resolved
That there
shall be an examination of all new students desiring to enter the classses
of the University in any of its departments on Friday and Saturday preceeding
Commencement and preceeding the beginning of each term. 29 March 1886,
5 April 1886, 19 April 1886, 20 April 1886, 26 April 1886, 3 May 1886,
10 May 1886 Report of the Committee on Courses on what is to be called
the Academic Course:
First year:
First term: Whit. Eng. Gram. [Whitney's English Grammar -- Essentials
of English Grammar for the Use of Schools], 1st year Bookkeeping and Penmanship,
Commercial Arithmetic.
Second Term. Penmenship, elementary algebra, Whit Eng
Third Term. Elementary Algebra, Ancient History, Elements of English Literature.
Second year
First term. Rhetoric, Elementary Algebra, Modern History
Second term. Rhetoric, geometry, Physics.
Third term. Trignometry, Zoology, English Literature
Third year
First term. Botany, Chemistry, Surveying or equivalent.
Second Term. Political Economy, Natural Philosophy, Surveying or Equivalent.
Third Term. Natural Philosophy, Constitution, Surveying or equivalent.
17 May 1886. 24 May 1886, 4 June 1886, 17 June 1886.
21 June 1886 Whereas it is thought that it would be promotive of the
welfare of the University for the Fauclty to travel in the interest of
the Institution and whereas every additional student thus secured would
pay many times the fare of the whole faculty therefore resolved that the
transportation companies doing business in this state be and the are herby
respectfully requested to pass free over their lines the membership of
the faculty of the University of Oregon when travelling in the interests
of the University
Eleventh Year of the University 1886-87. 13 Sept 1886. Resolution:
Whereas
the large and costly Library of the University has been well managed and
is now in good condition not a single book having been lost since its foundation
and whereas the duties of a librarian in charge of a miscellaneous library
require ability, experience, firmness, and scholarship, and whereas the
faculty consider the library an indespensible aid to their work and whereas
in the opinion of the faculty it is impossible for a student to keep up
his studies and perform the duties of Librarian and whereas no the student
posses the requisit qualifications for that office th erefore resoved that
the faclty would beg leave respectfully to suggest to the Executive Committee
the importance of apointing * Librarian. That this is the unanimous request
of the faculty. [Name omitted to protect personal privacy]. 14 September
1886, 15 September 1886, 20 September 1886, 21 September 1886, 27 September
1886, 30 September 1886, 1 October 1886, 4 October 1886, 11 October 1886,
18 October 1886, 25 October 1886, 1 November 1886, 8 November 1886, 15
November 1886, 29 November 1886, 6 December 1886. These meetings dealt
primarial with cases of individual students.
13 December 1886. The secretary was requested to write to the Oregonian
denying the charges made against the faculty in that paper Friday December
10.
20 December 1886. A request was made to the OCRR to renew the railroad
passes to the faculty for another year to enable to continue to travel
on University business. "Students are forbidden to take part in any kind
of public entertainment or to drill for the same without the permission
of the faculty".
4 January 1887. 5 January 1887. 6 January 1887. 10 January 1887.
Motions dealing with individual students.
17 January 1887. Committee formed to report on the complaints of Judge
deady in his last report.
24 January 1887. Motions dealing with individual students.
31 January 1887. Response to the report of the committee to respond to
the complaints of Judge Deady. A report must be given containing Absences
of the class, students must be designated as men and women in all the reports,
each professor will make such comments as he may deem fit as to the conduct,
topics of instruction, methods, etc,
7 February 1887, 14 February 1887, March 7 1887, 14 March 1887. Motions
dealing with individual students. Committee appointed to revise the article
on "scholarship" in the catalogue. A request for "better print with flyleaves
with running title and with contents". Fall term to begin Septembe 12 1887.
23 March 1887. 28 March 1887, Discussion of individual students.
The first entry is 31 March 1886. This is a missprint. Moved and carried
"All students who desire to attend the theatre tonight be permitted to
do so."
4 April 1887. Discussion of individual students.
6 April 1887. "Resolved that the President of the Laurean Literary Society
be required to adjourn the society at 1030 PM by limitation of time".
Furthermore "the president was requested to call the attention of students
to the importance of complyng with the rule requiring all students to be
in their rooms every night by eleven oclock."
18 April 1887. 19 April 1887. 23 April 1887. 2 May 1887. 9 May 1887. 16
May 1887, 23 May 1887, 6 June 1887, Discussion of individual students.
"The Board of regents was requested to have the programm of the Comm. Exercises
inserted in the Daily Oregonian." and "All students who went to the Picnic
at Roseburg be required to come before the Faculty tomorrow".
4 June 1887. Report. "To the honorable board of regents. Gentlemen. During
the year 1877-78, the University was in a very unsatisfactory condition
financially and the faculty voluntarily recommended to the Ex. Com. and
to other members of the Board residing in Eugene City that their salaries
be reduced twenty per cent to relieve the financial stress which the Institution
was at that time struggling. The recommendation of the Faculty was adopted
at the next annual meeting of that Hon. Body. The members of the faculty
at the same time received assurance that the salaries would be restored
when the finances would warrent the same. The present faculty feeling that
the salaries are too low and that the finances are in a favorable situation
very strongly petition your Hon. Body as a matter of ustice and to restore
the salaries to the standard fixed by and adopted by the Regents at the
time of the organization of the Universities, these salaries to begin
July 1 1887."
28 September 1887. The faculty "beg leave respectfully to invite your attention
to th eir petition for increase of salar and they wuold ask that you grant
it at the meeting".
University of Oregon 1887-1888. 3 October 1887. 4 October 1887. Discussion
of individual students. Board of regents asked that stoves are proferable
to heaters for heating purposes and they request no change be made in the
manner of heating the building.
5 October 1887. 7 October 1887. 10 October 1887. 17 October 1887. 24 October
1887. Individual Student petitions.
31 October 1887. 7 November 1887. 14 November 1887. 21 November 1887. 28
November 1887. 5 December 1887. 12 December 1887. 19 December 1887. 4 January
1888. 9 January 1888. 16 January 1888. The Board of regents was asked for
one ream of legal cap paper for reports, pads of letter head letter size
and note size plain paper. Apart from that, dealt with individual students.
23 January 1887. 30 January 1887. 2 February 1888. 6 February 1888.
Individual students. "The janitor was requested to adjust all the clocks
in the University and keep them adopted according to Luckey's time".
13 February 1888. 20 February 1888. 27 February 1888. 5 March 1888. 8 March
1888. 12 March 1888. Motion concerning teaching elementary english. 26
March 1888. 28 March 1888. 2 April 1888.
16 April 1888, 23 April 1888, 30 April 1888, 7 May 1888, 14 May 1888
A committee to consult with the Ex. Com. of the Board of Regents concerning
the purchase of a typerwriter.
21 May 1888, 28 May 1888, The Secretary was requested to send a copy of
the programme for commencement to the newspapers.
4 June 1888. "The President was authorized to excuse such students as wished
to attend the excursion to Portland as he thought proper."
11 June 1888, 18 June 1888. "The faculty would respectfully request the
Board of Regents to require that all the Graduating Exercises of the Law
School and of the Medical Department be held at the University"...."Resolved
that the Board of Regents are hereby respectfully requested to set aside
the sum of $300 to be expended under the authority of the faculty for advertiseing
the University in the newspapers of the State for the following year."
20 June 1888. 27 June 1888.
Page 167 1888-1889. Faculty J. M. Johnson A.M. (President), Mark Bailey
Ph. D., Thos Condon Ph. D. , Geo. H. Collier L.L.D., John Straub
A. M., Ben J. Hawthorne A. M., Frank. A. Huffer A. B., S. E. McClure A.
B.
15 Sept 1888. 17 Sept 1888. 24 Sept 1888. 19 Sept 1888. 24 Sept 1888. 1
Oct 1888. 8 Oct 1888. 18 Oct 1888. 22 Oct 1888. 29 Oct 1888. 5 Nov 1888.
The minutes deal mostly with individual students. Absences, changes of
courses, etc.
12 Nov 1888. Secretary was requested to place a notice on the bulletinboard
forbidding students to loiter about the halls.
19 Nov 1888. "The students of the University be requested to meet in Villard
Hall tomorrow at 12 oclock in order that the question of vaccination and
other matters might be presented to them".
3 Dec 1888. "Resolved I. in the judgement of the Faculty, it would be unwise
for the students to occupy the old auditorium evenings for gymnasum purposes
1. It would be subversive of discipline. 2. It would seriously increase
the fire risk of the building. Resolved II. That the president be requested
to present these resolutions to the Executive Committee of the Regents."
10 Dec 1888, 12 Dec 1888 A committee was appointed "with regard to adjusting
the courses of studies of the Highschool [in Portland] and of the University
to each other".
17 Dec 1888. "Prof. Carson was permitted to use Shakespeare as a text with
the Senior Class."
7 Jan 1889. 8 Jan 1889. A student was "requested to appologize to the President
for unbecomming language in the classroom".
9 Jan 1889. 14 Jan 1889. 21 Jan 1889. "A communication from students was
read asking that more hooks be put up in the cloakroom of Villard Hall.
On motion, the secretary was requested to ask the Janitor to attend to
the matter."
28 Jan 1889. Students were "requested to appear before the faculty at its
next meeting and explain why they are out late evenings" and "Resolved
that the Faculty would respectfully request a picture of Dr. Henry Villard
to place in Velard Hall".
4 Feb 1889. 11 Feb 1889. "The resolution passed Jan 28 in reference to
Dr. Villard's picture was, on motion, rescinded."
18 Feb 1889. "The following students having violated the law of the Faculty
and after having promised not to repeate the offense were dismissed, namely
.......".
15 Feb 1889. 18 Feb 1889. A student "was, on motion, permitted to drop
French on account of poor eyes." The secretary was requested to write to
the father of a student "asking him to allow his son less spending money
and to place it in the hands of some reliable party here in town".
19 Feb 1889. A student "appeared before the faculty and appologized for
his unbecoming conducat at the previous meeting of the faculty".
25 Feb 1889. 5 March 1889. 11 March 1889. 18 March 1889. 25 March 1889.
"Resolved that the faculty of the University of Oregon respectfully ask
our Board of Regents to authorize such a change in the English Class of
the University that the first year of its present work be cut off and a
year of higher study be added to the course and that those finishing such
course be given the degree B. E."
1 April 1889. "On motion, the essays and orations of the senior class were
limited to twenty minutes each."
16 April 1889. 17 APril 1889. 22 April 1889. "April 30, being the one hundredth
anniversary of the inauguration of Washington and having been declared
a legal holiday by the President of the United States, it was moved and
carried that the exercises of the University for that day be suspended."
24 April 1889. 28 April 1889. 6 May 1889. 13 May 1889. 16 May 1889. "It
was moved that scholars of the Eugene Public Schools be admitted to the
University without further examination on certificate of the Principal
that they have finished the studies up to El. Algebra".
21 May 1889. 27 May 1889. 3 June 1889. The handwriting has dramatically
improved.
