Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - 1856

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		Office of Secretary of Board of Ed’on
		     Lansing. Jan. 2d. 1856.
[Holmes Report
on
Buildings]
The Board met pursuant to a call from the
Secretary. Present. H.L. Miller. John R. Kellogg & the Sec’y
     Mr. J.C. Holmes being present, submitted the report 
contemplated by the resolution adopted at the last
meeting of the Board, which report was accepted,
considered, and placed on file, with date of
January 2d, 1856. Adjourned till to-morrow morning.

			January 3d. 1856.
The Board of Education met at the office of
their Secretary. Present the same members as before.
   Reports were received, of this day’s date. from
Mr. J.C. Holmes, and from Mr. J.M. Bartlett, which
reports are placed on file.
		Erection of Buildings.
[College Hall
Boarding Hall]
The Board decided to erect the West Wing of College
Buildings. (there being contemplated, a Central Building
with two Wings.) and a Boarding House.

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The Board considered at length the material of
building, the mode of heating, lighting, etc. to be 
embraced in contract for building.

		Appointment of Agent.
[S.M. Bartlett
Agent]
The Board of Education, upon the receipt of testi=
monials, which are placed on file, proceeded to the
appointment of Mr. S.M. Bartlett, or Monroe, as
Agent. for superintending the erection of Buildings
on the Agricultural farm, clearing and draining
portions of the farm, and otherwise executing the
plans and instructions of the Board, for which
he is to receive a Salary at the rate of One thousand
dollars ($1000.00) per annum, and at the rate
of $200.00 per annum for ordinary personal expenses.

		Advertize for Proposals.
[Advertise]
Resolved. To advertise for proposals for the erection of
College Buildings for four weeks in each of the two
papers printed in Lansing, and in the three daily
papers of Detroit to wit: the Advertizer, Tribune, & the Press.
[Accounts]
     Accounts were allowed as follows: J.C. Holmes
for Services and expenses on account of Agricultural
Farm and School. under resolution of Nov. 16, $28.75;
for. services and expenses of members of the Board,
to J.R. Kellogg, $36.76; H.L.Miller $59.30; Ira Mayhew $2975
There was also allowed to Justus Gage $14.00 not
included in former [%?] for services & expenses in
locating College farm; & to J.C. Holmes for expenses
in attending meeting of the Board $14.62.
     The Board adjourned to meet at the office of the
Secretary, in Lansing Feb. 15th. at 8 o’clock A.M.
			Ira Mayhew,
				Secretary.

		Office of Sec’y Board of Education,
			Lansing. Feb. 15, 1856.
The Board met pursuant to adjournment, at 8 o’clock
A.M. Present. H.L. Miller, J.R. Kellogg and the Secretary.
      The Secretary, pursuant to the Resolution of
January 3d had advertised for proposals, and had
extensively circulated the following
[Notice
to
Builders]
		“Notice to Builders.”
under date of January 5th, 1856.

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		Copy.
“Agricultural College. Notice to Builders”
		     “Lansing. Mich., Jan 5, 1856.
“Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of
Education until the 12th day of Feb. Next for furnish=
ing and delivering on the College site. $50,000 Bricks;
65,000 feet of studding, Joists. mixed Lumber and
timber; 37,000 feet of Ash Flooring and 18,000 ft
of Clear Pine Lumber. Also, for laying the found=
ations and walls of the College Building and
Boarding House. Proposals may be made to
embrace all or parts of the materials, or to em=
brace materials and the erection and completion
of both or either of the Buildings. A Brick Yard
in complete order will be furnished on the
premises including wood, clay and sand.
     Plans and specifications may be seen at
the Agricultural Rooms. over dr. 130 Jeff. Avenue.
Detroit, on the 29th and 30th of January inst.; and
at the Office of the Board in Lansing. from the 
2d to the 12th of February next, inclusive.
     “The parties to whom contracts may be awarded,
will be required to give satisfactory security for
the faithful performance thereof. The Board.
reserve the right to reject any or all of the proposals
made, if in their judgment the interests of the
State shall render the same necessary.
“Sealed proposals may be addressed to the
Board of Education, marked ‘Building Proposals,’
and left at, (or sent through thte P.O. too) their office.
in Lansing.
     “By order of the Board of Education:
			“Ira Mayhew,
(Signed)	      “Secretary of the Board.”

[Bidders]
     Upon opening and examining the proposals
received for the erection of the Agricultural
College Building and Boarding House, as per
foregoing advertisements, propositions for fur=
nishing materials and erecting both buildings
were found from the following persons and
companies to wit: Henry T. Rogers, Chas. A. Haines,
J.J. Miller, Royce & Copeland, J. Robinson,
Henry Speaker, Elisha White, C.C. Darling, I.C. Drake,

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William Whitemore, and Ferrier Dow also, which propositions
were examined, considered, and placed on file.
     Propositions for furnishing the whole or parts
of the material, or for doing all or parts of the labor,
were received from the following persons and companies,
to wit: Newman Barker Ebenezer Walker, S.W. Shafer,
Charles Thayer, Phipps and Butler, John R. Campbell,
A. Wood, I.C. Drake, Sherlock Terril, Peter Miller, &
Theodore L. Evans.
[Contract Set]
	Deeming that the interests of the State
would be best promoted to so doing, the Board
accepted the proposals of, and entered into contract
with, Royce & Copeland for erecting the Agricultural
College Building and Boarding House. for the sum
of Twenty-Six Thousand Five Hundred Dollars.
($26,500.00) The Contract Specifications and
Bond are placed on file.
[Accounts]
	The following accounts were audited, and checks
drawn in payment. W.R. Wood for plans and estimates
for Agricultural College Building and Boarding House $25.00;
S.P. Mead, for advertising, $4.00; S.W. Bartlett, Agent of
Board, on % of Salary $100.00; H.L. Miller, for Services
and expenses as member of Board, $58.00; John R. 
Kellogg, for same, $49.68; Ira Mayhew, for same $39.00.
			Ira Mayhew, 
			     Secretary.

		Office of Sec’y Board of Education
		     Lansing, Sep’t 3d, 1856.
The Board of Education met at the office of their
Secretary, pursuant to his call, at 9 o’clock a.m.
Present H.L. Miller. Jno. R. Kellogg and the Secretary.
     The Baord visited the Arm, and examined the
College Buildings and the Premises, and continued 
in session, from day to day, till thursday evening.
[Gas Pipes]
     The Board authorized their Agent to procure and
direct the putting in of pipes for gas into the walls of
the College Building.
[Wash Room]
     A wood Sink and Copper washbowls were agreed
upon for the washroom.
[Oxen & Cart]
[Brick Barn]
     The Agent was authorized to procure a yoke of oxen
and a cart for the Farm, and the building of a Brick
Bank Barn, 28 X 40 feet, and two Stories high, after
a plan agreed upon.

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	Appointment of Professors.
[J.C. Holmes
Prof. of
Horticulture]
     J.C. Holmes, Esq, of Detroit, Secretary of the Michigan
State Agricultural Society was appointed to the
	      Department of Horticulture.
Comprising the preparation of Grounds for the
growing of ornamental trees, Fruit Trees, Shrubbery,
and Vegetables. Experiments with the seeds of trees
and vegetables, orcharding, vegetable gardening,
landscape gardening, [illegible in original]

[L.R. Fisk
Prof. of
Chemistry]
     Lewis R. Fisk. of Ypsilanti, late. Professor of
Natural Science in the State Journal School, was
appointed to the
		Department of Chemistry.
Comprising Elementary, Analytical and
Agricultural Chemistry.
[Salaries.
$1000]
     The salaries of these Professors were fixed at
One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00) per annum. from
and after the opening of the Institution, and they 
are to be on half pay till the opening of the School.
[Payments]
     The Secretary reported the filling of checks as per 
provision of Contract with Royce & Copeland, on monthly
estimates of material furnished, and work done on
College Buildings, and approved by the Agent of
the Board, amounting in the aggregate, to $13776.30.
as the same appers per estimates on file, and by
the Check Book; also Checks to L.M. Bartlett Ag’t
of the Board, for Salary and farm improvements.
amounting to $1252.50.
     Checks were drawn for estimates to Sept 18th, to
Royce and Copeland for $3063.25, and to Royce & Cope=
land, and J.C. Berky etc. for hot air pipes for College
Building, for $123.75. both under date of Sept. 4/56.
[Accounts]
      The expenses of members of the Board were audited
as follows: H.L. Miller $39.90; John R. Kellogg, $31.19;
and to Ira Mayhew, Sec. for expenses incurred since
the last meeting of the Board, for $77.50.
     There was also allowed to S.M. Bartlett for
Salary, as Agent of Board $700.00.
    The Board adjourned to meet on the call
of the Secretary, (probably the 1st of December, when
the Buildings should be completed.)
		Ira Mayhew, 
		     Secretary. –

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			Office of Sec’y Board of Education
		     		Lansing Dec’r 2, 1856.-
The Board of Education met pursuant to call from the
Secretary, at 8 o’clock A.M. Present H.L. Miller and the
Secretary. A letter was received from Mr. Kellogg, to
the effect that he was prevented from being present
on account of illness.
     The Board proceeded to consider the qualifications for
admission to the college, and the course of study to be
pursued.
[Admission]
     It was decided not to receive Students into the College
under fourteen years of age. Applicants are required to possess
a “good primary School education”. in order to admission.
     It was resolved that the following be the
		Course of Study
[Course of Study]
     The English Course of Study shall embrace an advanced
Course of English Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, and exercises
in Composition, and Elocution throughout the course.
     The Mathematical Course shall include Algebra, Geom=
etry, Trigonometry, Surveying, Agricultural Engineering,
Drafting, Natural Philosophy and Book-keeping.
     The Scientific Course shall embrace Chemistry, Nat=
ural History, (including animal and vegetable anatomy
and physiology, and entomology;) Botany, Meteorology,
Geology, and Mineralogy.
     Special attention will be given to practical agricul=
ture and horticulture in their various departments including
everything relating to the growth and care of farm crops,
vegetables and fruits, and to the enriching of soils,
and the rotation of crops, together with the use and
care of farming implements, of Stock, and of the dairy.
In short, it is intended that the course of study
throughout shall have particular reference to
practical agriculture in all its departments and
details, so as to secure the objects and promote the
purposes for which the Institution was designed.
[Policy of College]
     Papers were submitted to the consideration of the
Board, by [illegible in original]. Fisk and Holmes relating to the
course of instruction and the policy to be pursued
in the development of the institution, so as to secure
its highest success: which papers are placed on file.
[Seating]
     Mr. S.M. Bartlett, Agent of the Board, was instructed to
procure the Lecture Room of the College Building seated
according to a plan that was agreed upon and established

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[Furniture]
He was also authorized and instructed to procure tables
and chairs for the School Room.
[Apparatus]
     Prof. L.R. Fisk was authorized by the Board to
procure for the Institution such Chemicals and Chem=
ical and Philosophical Apparatus as in his judgment
shall be desirable and necessary for the proper working 
of his department.
[Brick Yard]
     A proposition which Mr. L. Wood had before the
Board for the sale of fixtures, to the Brickyard, was
disposed of in a way mutually satisfactory. Mr. Wood
being allowed to continue the same in Store, as
at present, at his own wish, and the Board agree=
ing, should they have occasion to use Brick on the
farm the next summer, to give him the privilege
of furnishing them at the same rates he has
furnished for the buildings already erected, and
to manufacture and furnish to other parties any
excess after first supplying orders from this Board
[Payments]
[Range
Furnace]
[Extension of time
for Completion]
[Insurance]
     The Secretary reported amounts paid by check
under direction of the Board, since the last meeting,
as follows: to S.M. Bartlett, Agent, for improvements on
Agricultural Farm, as per Check Book $1526.15; and
to Royce and Copeland, under Contract, on College
Buildings, $11268.32._ Of this sum $1143.07 was
by agreement of Board on account of Range in
Boarding House and Furnace in College Building.
An $3462.70, was on account of contract for the
erection of College Buildings. It was agreed by
the Board that the time for the completion of the
College Buildings, under the contract, should be
extended to the 15th of January, without any
advantage being taken on their part. Said
Royce and Copeland were to insure the College
Buildings for this time, for the benefit of the State, 
though at the expense of the Board.
[S.M. Bartlett]
     The Board agreed to continue the services
of Mr. Bartlett as their Agent, for the present, and at
least until the next meeting of the Board.
[Accounts]
     The following % were audited and paid.
   J.C. Homes on salary of $125.00; L.R. Fisk, on Salary $125.00;
$100.00 for expenses to New York and Boston to buy apparatus,
S.M. Bartlett, $1439.50 for Farm Buildings and Salary,
as per statement on file; to H.L. Miller, for services
and expenses, in attending meeting $55.40, and to

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Ira Mayhew, for expenses, $29.00. The Board then
adjourned to meet in Lansing at the office of the 
Secretary Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1857.
			Ira Mayhew,
			    Secretary.

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