University Of Michigan

The following oommunicatiun was gent to the Legislature Friday of last week: To the Honorable, the Señale and Uouse of Reprusenlat ive of the State of Michigan : At the meeting of the Board of Kogents of tiie State University the undersigned, the Exeoutive Coimnittee of said Board of Kegent 8, were ingtructed "to communicate with the Legislature during the coming winter on all matters on which the Legislature may desire information, or which may be of interest to any department of the University." We deern it proper to cali attention at this time to the iollowing facts : 1. Two years ago we were laboring under an indebtedness of f 20,000. Now we find ourgelves not only out of debt but in posaession of a moderate surplus. 2. By ilightly reducing our teaching force, and by a careful and paim-taking adjustment of salaries, we have cut down our expenditures about f9,000 per year. We hope in the matter of inoidental expenses to effect a still further saving. 3. We have appointed a competent treasurer, who is also the general financial agent of the institution. He has giren a good and sufiicient bond in the gum of $50,000, has a full and complete set of books which are kopt in and belong to the UniTersity, and is now oonducting our business matters with eminent skill, integrity and ability. 4. By maintaining the efficiency of the University; by retaining the services of men who are eminent in their respective spheres; by improved methods of study and research ; and by the addition, as our funds have permitted, of botter means of illustration, the attendance has been ao increased that it is now larger than ever before. Our numbcrt are greater at this time than those of any other institution on this continent, aggregating 1,360 students. The University is algo doing that kind of work whioh commands the respect and confidence of scholars in otherlands. Our studentg come trom every part of the world. 5. This increase has given us a corresponding increase in revenue. Our demanda on the generous and intelligent people of Michigan are correspondingly decreased. 6. The Law College is exceedingly prosperous, and much more than selfsupporting. 7. The Medical Department of the University is also very prosperous. Notwithstanding the stringenoy of our requirements, the elevation of the standard of medical education, and the extensión of the lecture term to a full college year, our attendance has increased, and ia now larger than any inland medical college on this continent, and, we think, in the world. These colleges - the medical and the law - established many years ago by the Regents for the purpose of giving thorough professional training, are, together, more than selfsupporting. 8. The Homeopathie College is not so largely at tended as lt year. We trust however, that this college will in future be more prosperous. lts difficulties seem to be ad j usted, and the Regenta are anxious to promote its usefulness in every proper way. We earnestly deaire that it receive the support of the homeopathie profession in the State to a large extent. 9. The Dental College is growing in numbers and usefulnesx, and is already au element of strength in the work of University education. 10. The School of Mines, which was established by the Legislature four years ago, and virtually abandoned about two years since, cannot be longer continued without special appropriation for guch purpose. We do not teel at liberty to make any recommendation on the subject. It is somewhat doubtful whether the reault, in attendance or otherwise, would compénsate tne otate tor tae expense of maintaiuing the school. SLould however, the Legislatura deern it advisable to make an appropriation tbr such school, we shall promote its usefuluess to the best of our ability. 11. The hospital is doing a good and humanitarian work. It is really a great public oharity. We are caring for hundreds of suffering persons every year who could not afford to pay for the necessary medical or surgical help elsewhere. From October 1, 1877, to January 12, 1879, 879 cases have been attended to or operated upon by the hospital staif. A large nuinber of these persons were obliged to return to their homes through lack of funds, and were there cared for by their local physician, who generally carried out the treatment. The following number remained in the hospital, and were there treated often for many weeks. We shall be glad to furnish special and detailed inforniation as to the extent and iniportance of this work. Prof. Frothingham'a clínica, of whish fortyfour wero oataract cuses, - 195 Prof. D. Maclean' clinic, 172 Prof. A. B. Palmer' clinici, - - - 7J Prof. DuDHter, ...--- 11 450 Prof. Gilehrist, Homeopathie College, - - 3 Prof. E. O. Franklin, Homeopathie College, - 4 Total, 457 This is the total which has been reportod to us, and in view of the gravity of the cases, and the good resulta of treatment, illustrates the nature and usefulness of the work in which we are engaged. The hospital was not erected in vain. 12. In this oonnection we may be permitted to state that the present hospital buildings are, during the greater part of the time, occupied by the clinic of the Medical Department to the full measure of their capacity. The experiment of carrying on chnical work under the same roof, and in the same room, by the Medoal Department and the Homeopathie Jollege has not been a marked success, nor oan we reasonably expect that it will. Should the .Legislature deem it wise to maintain clinical work in connection with the Homeopathie College, we would advise that such sum be appropriated for the erection and inainteïance of a hospital for this college as fout committees after due investigation uiay determine. 13. The general library is used to a arger extent than aity library of similar ze in the country. We regret that the ïegents have been unable, from lack of unds, to make such additions to the lirary as the iutereRts of the Univursity mperatively demand. We now ank your lonorable House to make a permanent ippropriation of $2,500 per annum for uch purpose, and assure you that it is he minimum with which we can raainain this important interest with credit o the University, or full usefulness to jither professors or students. 14. We respectfully urge the importanoe of a fire-proof building tbr the lirary aad museum, and trust that an appropriation will be made by the Legslature to meet this pressing need. 15. We also ask the attention of the oininittees from the House and Senate ;o the importance, as a matter of both afety and economy, of a general steam ïeating apparatus for every building on be oampus. 16. We ask that you place to the credit f the general f und" of the University the um of $3,000. We have been forced to xpend about that amount in building an addition to theDental College. While t is not in aocordance with the policy f the Engenta to assume any debt or bligation, yet the addition made to the milding foruierly used could not longer e delayed. We ask special consideraion in this case. We ask an approprition of $7,500, covering our estimates or the general library, the maiutenance f the present hospital, and the support f the physical and phyaiological toriea. Tliis is a muoh lesg arnount thau has been required heretofore. 17. The suni of $8,100 perannum will be required to maintain the work of the Homeopathie College. 18. The sum of $7,000 will be required to maintain the Dental College. It will be observed that these special appropriationi above mentioned will be required for departments whioh have not been asked tor by the Regenta, but which have been founded by previous Legislaturas. The liegen ts simply ask that the Legislatura maintain guch iutereats aa it has already established. 19. We do not ask tor any additions to any departinent of the University other thau as above tuentioned, nor the appropriation of any sunig other than guch as are indicated in thig paper. 20. No pergon will dispute the fact that the existence of the various departments of the Universtty mutually aid each other in reputation and in attendance; and that the general work of a university eau be conducted with much gres ter comparativo economy than could the instruction in a special department. The existence of the professional schools materially aid the literary department in every way, and to digcontinue the giving of professional instruction at the University would involve its degradatiün to the position of a mere college, porforming a very limited work, and without prospect of either increase in attendance or reputation. Our reputation has been greatly enhanoed in every part of the world by the work of the profesgional schools. In conclusión, we respectfully invite your committees of the Senate and House to visit the University, and spend suflicicut time at Ann Arbor to beoome familiar with our work and needs. We degire to receive as co-workers in the intellectual, social and moral welfare, of our people, the Representativas of the Legislature. We shall gladly, either ag a cominittee or a board, aid you, in every possible way, to becotue familiar with our exertions, our needs and our interest. We beliere in the survival of that whioh is good and useful, and desire to apply this test to every department of university work. We have nothiug to conceal - nothing to cover up, either from the Legislatura or the people. The Univergity is the crowning glory of the State, and we are equally anxious with you to promote its great interests in every proper way. The work of the Regents ii a labor of love in behalf of intelligence and culture. We feel certnin of yoiir thoughtful co-operation. B. M. CUTCHEON, GEORGE DUFFIELD, C. RYND.