Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-03-16
a MINORITY REro.r.

The minority report Of the Board Of
Regents OF the State University. for the
years 1879 and 1880. to the Legislature.
Just received. contains some very psrd.
mont sueses,ions. and throws much light
upon the Univsrsity question. II sp-
pears BY Il that owing to the unfortunate
location OF the University. the instisu-
ton 10 In the nature Of an elephant to
the State. and that Il would bs well to
give the whole thing to the town Of
Elko.
We harm that the Legislature. acting
in accordance with the suggestions con.
tanned In tho minority report, made the
appropriations for salaries specific. and
passed the deficiency bill "psysbls out
Of the Univsrsity Fund"
II seems that the large expenditure Tor
manure BY the Board Of Regents In their
fruitlsss efforts to raise trees. etc., has
caused much comment. A correspond
snt writing with reference to the minor
ity report. says: "'Twill be either
school and NO manure. or manure and
NO school in future"
Here follows the minority report:
aoLp HILL. New. Feb. II. 1881.
To The Ho.orobis. tie Lsgislatsrs cf tie
State Of Nsvcda:
The undersigned. member Of the
Board Of Regents Of the State University
Of Nevada, having been unwilling to sub
scribe TO the biennial report submitted to
your Honorable bodies BY tho majority Of
the Board Of Regents. under date of Janu-
ary 10. 1881, feels IL incumbent upon him
TO state his reasons for dissent from that
report. He, therefore, respectfully SUD
mits minority report upon matters reiat'
ing to tho State University.
While I cheerfully indorse the state.
menis Of Regents Stone and hayhugh with
regard TO the ability Of the Principal OF
the University. W. O. Dovey; the course
Of studies a. marked out; the progress OF
the students attending the schools. and
other statements made In their report,
am compelled to dissent from some OF the
statements which the report contains.
With regard to the details OF manage
ment OF the University. may say that
having had but few opportunities 10 be-
como acquainted with them. know but
little about them, having attended only
three meetings Of the Board since / ac.'
eepted the ofice Of Regent about one year
since. A majority Of the Board, being
residents Of Eiko. have attended to the do.
tails OF management; full Information
with regard TO which. also with regard to
the disbursement Of the State appropria.
tion. can be obtained from the financial
statement made near the close of their re-
port.
I believe that II should be the true pol
icy Of the Board Of Regents to present the
facts relating to the University a. they
exist, to the Legislature, and let the Legis'
ls,ure decide therefrom a. to the proper
course to pursue In future with regard to
the institution. Believing thus, am
compelled to say that my information and
observation will not permit me to concur
in that part Of tho majority report which
states that the average attendance of
pupils at tho University two years ago,
when the present Board came into oftice,
was thirty. II the majority report had
placed the number at twenty believe 1t
wsuld have still have been too high.
The majority report omits to mention
the fact that the 5000 loads Of ferttliz ng
material put on the twelve and . hall acres
Of ground. and plowed in, brought forth
splendid crop Of mushrooms. bold that
II this portion Of their report was intended
a. q treatise On agriculture, 1t should have
named the entire product.
With regard to raising shade trees on
the University grounds, I may say that
efforts have been made almost every year
since the University Was founded to raise
them, but without success. In the year
1876 the Board procured from Carson
about 500 Lombardy poplars. which we're set
out in the grounds. In September OF that
year the Board found nearly all the trees
dying, while their leaves were green, and
while to casual observer they appeared 70
be in ian apparently healthy and growing
condition" The next year more trees
were set out. Before they we're planted .
large hole was dug. In which was placed
nearly load Of black soil hauled from the
river bottom. and the trees set In this soil
soil that was supposed to be free from
alkali. But those trees died, ~ trees be.
fore had died. During my visit to the
grounds in June last. examined the dy.
ing trees. and found lying ON the leaves
residue from the evaporation OF sap, and
that the trees were dying from their tops;
the pores Of the wood having become filled
with salt lett by the evaporation Of sap,
which eventually killed tho trees. am
convinced that no trees will 1.-Two any length
Of time In the soil Of the University
grounds. And I may here say that
found similar obstacles In the way OF rear.
ing trees In other parts Of the town Of
Elko. Hence I feel warranted In saying
that unless something can be found that
will neu,rslise the alkali in that SOIL 1t
will be Q waste Of money TO attempt to
beautify the University grounds with trees
and shrubbery.
The dormitory. under the charge OF Mrs.
Wines, 10 no doubt In good hands. But
the student boarders who, IL Was antici.
pated, would all the building, are still
lacking. And am informed that great
portion Of the time since Ito erection 1t
has been without any boardsrs. The ma.
jority report fails to state the number Of
boarders there at present, but learn that
there Is but one in the building who At
tends the school.
The dormitory Was built IN 1875, at I,
cost to the State Of $500. II was placed
in charge Of Mrs. Rood, motherly Chris
H. LII, ~, v,,~ IA IA q horna for atudentn