Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-04-23
ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
Published by Authority.l

W he cas-, The late Samuel = atkins. q
citizen OF Nashville, made and executed
his asst Will an test ment, with codlcls
thereto attached which have been ouly
uroved Al q recorded II the county court OF
Davidson, id will and cOdIcils conIalIlng
the Toll wig PROVISIONS bearing UPON the
estabrIshmebt OF sald-W tkIns ms lsutei
Secondly, give to the SLate ut l6nnessee,
as LIusLee, tor the uses and purposes
hereinafter Nentloned the sum OF one nun
ured Lhousaud dollars. The trust cohieh
lIa rs the est .bll.nmenG In the city Vi
Nnshvi lie Of an institution TO be known u
Tue atkins Institute Our CITY ul0s
fair 10 become great educational center,
and is already distinguished Tor the NUNS
Der and excellence ii It's educational lnsLl-
,ttIIuns, bat a want, l thinA, is fs.t WIFI b
Ii is desired TO supply, namely, there Is no
place where zee -uses on physical and
aLuraL science are delivered without
charge for admission. 1t Is the object OF
this Dtquest to promote the detfus on of
Knowledge among the people, and wish
an opp r.unlty afforded The youth Of Nasf-
vile, who are without the means To at
tend schools aud co leges, where the
uIgner branches of education are taught
t. acquire information upon such useful
su jects as will be beneficial in the bust
ness Of lie. The governor OF the State OF
tennessee is authorized to appoint BY and
III
three persons, to be known as comm.s
sioners of the Watkins Institut who shall
holo their office for four years and until
their SUCCESSORS ere appointed as aforesaid.
Ihe SAID commissioners are to be- charged
with the duty of expending the said sum
Of one hundred thousand dollars, Or rs
much thereof as in their judgment may be
necessary in purchase d Tot IN the city OF
Nashville, buildi & house thereon, &c,
as here fer required, and under whose
observation-disclosures after the buildings, the
alta rs of the institute are TO be managed
Ihey are to receive DO compensation tor
thtir services. Are required to render
biennial accounts to the governor OF re-
ceipts, expenditures, and all other matters
connected with the trust and their man
8geIaent, is at all times to be subject TO In
quuy by the authority of the state, under
| me protection of which the affairs of the
| institute are placed. The receipt of the
| commissioners appointed as aforesaid for
the amount of said legacy shall be good
voucher to my executor. They are au-
| thorlZed to purchase q lot and take the
! tile IN the name of the State OF Tennessee
| as trustee for the Watkins Institute. The
| basement and first floor in the block of
| buildings TO be erected on plan satisfac-
| tory to them, or to be rented for the pur-
| pose of obtaining revenue. The second
| story the commissioners are authorized to
fit up with bookcases, tables, shelves, &c !,
suitable for public library, and it's use
shall be given free of rent to any libra y
! association acceptable to the c0mmissi, n
ers, said association to inform to all rules
and regulations adopted by the Commits
| sioners for the will ordering of the builds
ing. The third stO y Is to be fitted up "a n
hail, with ali proper appliances requisite
| for lecture room. Alter completion of
the building l wish the commissioners to
| -
| ors, or teachers, to deliver weekly lectures,
say from the first day of November to he
| nrst day OF a prIl in each and every year,
Ladmissi0n to which shall be free to every
| person who shall choose to attend The
| meetings may be Ofteuer if the commis-
| sioners deem proper AID the funds of the
institute are sufficient TO pay for the scr
| vices AS hel ps to the institution, all
necessary apparatus, maps, charts, &c,
must be purchased, and though do not
| exclude free discussion aHd examination,
| any subject calculated to Improve the
| pub IL m'nd and taste, wish pre- emlneuce
fg!ven to the teaching OF natural aud physi-
cal sc!euce. Not merely EN- ertalnInenI but
| lnsLruc ION, is the object desired, and 1t Is
| hupeA that any person VINO Will attenLlVely
| listen to the course Of lectures on any
| scenCe may at the close OF the erm have
| added much to his stock of knowledge
| The insLlute IL lnLended to be u schOol or
| teaching science, orally and by experiment.
| large discretion Is necessarily CIV II to
| 10 the commissioners AS 10 the Subjects 10
| % Treated, the humber # lectures TO BIZ
| required on any branch OF science, " =,
| &U. The Gu. Ga not manage the Il lrs
# the living. ana l Will leave To Others
| the task of manag ny to the best advantage
tie means L have placed Al their disposal
| Ny general intent relative TO the beut tnC-
ton can be gathered from the PROVISIONS
ueren stated, aud de ails must be fixeI on
by those charged VITA the execution If the
trust. The hail, or lecture room, Is not TO
he used place for apy pUhtlca gather.
ing or conven ion, but the commIssloue rs
may rent, or allow lis use without any
rent, tor any musical concert, ART exhi bi.
ton or other purpose likely To promote the
| public interest in what Is good eieva
ting. The fun to pay lecturers, purchase
apparatus &c, will Do derived from rent,
| of basement and first sorry of the Oul ding
and l think some portion OF the principa
of the legacy will be left after purchasing
laid lot, erecting building, &c. and any
part of said legacy thus left or any rent:
and profits after payment of expense
repairs, &c, received for use Of Stories
hal, Il :, Is to be loaned out on interest fol
accumulation in order 10 enlarge for tee
institute it field ofu. efulness in accordance
with the general intent have expressed
the commissioners may purchase books and
place them therein for pubic use, their
discretion being the guide rs to the best
manner of disposing OF any surplus OF
! accumulation. The lecturers must be
chosen with regard to their knowledge OF
the special branches which they profess to
keep. The change of lectures will likely
! Dc annually made, and locality section,
poittieai or religious opinions or personal
! prele, ehce Will of course have no weight
or lhnuenee In their selection by the CON-
mlssioners; The legacy of one hundred
thousand dollars is to be paid in full or bv
lnstallments out of the first monies cominv
to the hands of my executors after the
payment Of debts, funeral expenses and
cost of monument" Extract from codiIil
dated 9th February, 1878: In ali 0the,
respects the provisions of said last will and
testament are confirmed and republished
and as on account of the high price of lott
in the business portion Of the city it NAV
not be the best arrangement to have store,
connected with the building of the Wat
kins Institute. A discretion is left with tn,
commissioners as to the means OF obt4in
ing u revenue to carry eutth proVis ous O
the trust, a9d as to the proper investment
of any funds belonging to the institute
If, Tor any reason, the State authorities
shall decline to act in the premises, 81
DESTROYS am that the trust shall not fail
th7t In that event said sum of one hundred
thousand dollars must be paid over by my
executors to William T. Cooper, james
Whitwurth and John III Lea, the surviv.
| Ors or survivor of thsu1 frua hf