Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-13
THE MECHANICS INSTITUTE.
Annual Meeting Held Last Night
The Presidents Report


The annual meeting Of the Board OF
Directors Of the Mechanics Institute was
held in the Office of the secretary. Cap
tain Thomas Elicit, in the institute build
ing, last night.
The first meeting held, however. was
that Of the institute itself. and the Board
of Directors were reelected. Mr. l. s.
LLOYD WAS che only new member added.
he being chosen 10 I'LL the vacancy caused
by the death Of Mr. W. c. Ammons. They
are Messrs. w. J. Whitehurst, J. j.
Montague. William y. Simons. +. r.
Archer, Joseph y. Welsh II. s. Lloyd.
Richard J.. Frayser, Joseph w. Laube,
l.. T. Christian. John Chambln. Peter r.
Greenwood. A. Bargamin, c. A. Delaney,
Henry +. Holmes. f.. j. Bosher, Marx
Gunst, II. NJ. Starke. J. r. Jobson, II. f,
Jeffress, Robert b. Munford. r. +. Valen-
tine, William S. Morris, William T. Dun
KEEL and Mann $. Quarles.
The board met Immediately afterw1rd
and elected the officers of the institute
for the next year. as follows. w. J.
Whltehurst, president; J. J. Montague.
vice-pTesident; William r.. Simons, trea-
surer and Thomas Elicit, secretary.
THE PRESIDENTS ANNUAL REPORT
President Whtehurst also submitted his
report, which is a comprehensive review
Of the last years work. 1t is as follows:
Richmond Va, July -, 1885,
To the Virginia Mechanics Institutes
GentIemen,-As required by our bylaws,
! herewith submit my annual report,
which embraces the operations Of the In
stitute from July 49, 1897, TO this date.
Monthly meetings OF the Board of Direc-
tors have been held regularly, at which
much business has been transacted. IL is
with great pleasure that.I again refer 10
the large and prompt attendance or the
members Of the board at these meetings,
for Il certainly insures promptness.
creates interest, and gives strength to
the institute.
The Night School OF Technology COM
menced its fourteenth session on the 1st
day OF October. 1897 and closed on the
Goth Of April 1898.
The classes were all we'll filed at the
beginning Of the session, and / am proud
30 say that all OF them attained higher
average in attendance. department, ana
I'm any previous year We matriculated
during the session PSI students.
The CORPS OF instructors employed du-
ring the past session have been prompt
and faithful I'm the discharge or their du-
ties TO which with the great interest
manifested. directed and assisted by our
active and Jealous principal. Mr.. G. =. -:
Rurgwyn, is largely due the success ana
standard of the school For the names
of the instructors and more definite IN
formation / refer you to the report OF
The Committee on Schools accompanying
This. The students did excellent work
during the past session. as evidenced by
the very high standard attained by many
In their examinations.
NEED OF MORE ROOM.
We have occupied during the past year
the upper Arlington building, containing
thirteen rooms at a rental OF 500 per
annum. which we find entirely too con-
tracted to properly accommodate our
school.
The library IS I'm good condition. but we
are very much I'm need Of more cases In
which 10 keep the books. regret to have
TO report that 10 new additions have Deeh
made during the past year Ine sIudehls
have taken out and read good many
volumes during the past year. 80,
our membership now numbers flye I1e'
one honorary life, and 30S annual MEM
bers.
In regard to our finances beg TO refer
to the report Of our treasurer Whlcn
gives all Of the accounts in clear ana
detailed form. showing the balance on
hand Of each fund.
The Council of the city OF Richmond
have made an appropriation OF $o.Vo TOT
the year 1895 This is the same amount
appropriated last year-a reduction OF
81 coo appropriated several years since.
To meet this reduction we nave had 70
reduce the salaries OF our teachers anu
curtaiI i'm many ways the really necessary
eyDenses of the school. This has inter
rupted very seriously the perfection or the
courses as laid down In our curriculum.
For more detailed information ABOUT our
finances | refer 10 the report OF the
FINANCE Committee. filed herewith. Ihe
other committees have no reports, Pc
cause they have not taken any action that
REQUIRES one. a.
For matters Of detail in regard TO the
management Of the institute, sucn as
regular and special meetings, CONDITION
Of furniture. correspondence, collection OF
money and dues, purchases, bills audited
and other matters. / refer 10 the report OF
orr secretary. TO whom we are lndeDteu
for. the prompt and efficient manner IN
which he has discharged the duties OF MS
office. 49,, , to-,
since our last annual meeting we nave
lost in the death OF Major Lewis Ginter
our most valuable friend. As Is known 10
Won ne was n large annual contributor
Ia our school fund for a number OF years,
and frequently cheered us by words OF
counseI and praise. / am pleased TO re-
mort that he remembered us In his Will
nv legacy Of $1,000.
Respectfully submitted. ,,,,,e,,,
w. ]. WHITEHURST.