Title:Letter from Elisha Mitchell to Charles Manly, July 5,
1834: Electronic Edition.
Author: Mitchell, Elisha, 1793-1857
Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill supported the electronic publication of this title.
Text transcribed by
Bari Helms
Images scanned by
Bari Helms
Text encoded by
Sarah Ficke
First Edition, 2005
Size of electronic edition: ca. 11K
Publisher: The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2005
The electronic edition is a part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill digital library, Documenting the American South.
Languages used in the text:
English
Revision history:
2005-07-21, Sarah Ficke finished TEI/XML encoding.
Source(s):
Title of collection: University of North Carolina Papers (#40005),
University Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title of document: Letter from Elisha Mitchell to Charles Manly, July
5, 1834
Author: Elisha Mitchell
Description: 2 pages, 2 page images
Note:
Call number 40005 (University Archives, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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see the section Editorial Practices.
When the Faculty were invited to attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees in this
place, nine days since I learned the precise nature of the information desired
by the Trustees previous to their making some new arrangements of the course of
education and study in the institution. A wish was expressed that we would
individually present our views of the methods by which the objects for which the
University was established and endowed would be best secured. Some
communications of this kind have been already forwarded.
After thinking a while upon the subject it appeared to me that I was not
furnished with such facts and data as would entitle any opinions I might express or any discussion I
might offer of the matters under consideration, to respect. I thought therefore
to leave the whole business to be arranged by my worthy associates and the
trustees, and now only drop this explanatory note to yourself who are a member
of the Committee.
I do not suppose that any new arrangements will be made now, there is no time for
them, and it is in my judgment best that for the coming session three tutors
should be secured on the old plan and for the old salary.
Page 2
I would respectfully suggest to the Committee the propriety of instructing the
Faculty to institute a correspondence and collect information respecting the
course of study and the distribution of the duties of government and instruction
in the different colleges of the United States and to be prepared to present the same at
annual meeting of the Board in December next.
Even though a certain practice or arrangement should be found to be common to all
or nearly all of them it would not necessarily follow that it is the best
possible but whatever has been generally adopted has certainly probabilities in
its favour that it is reasonable and good and with these materials before us our
recommendations would have more weight and the decisions of the Trustees
be more wise and intelligent than they can well be under existing circumstances.
No arrangements have yet been made respecting tutors for the next session. It
seems to be necessary that the Faculty and perhaps a single member as the
majority if not all are likely to be absent from the Hill the greater part if not the
whole of the vacation should be authorized to secure the services of such as it
may be in our power to obtain.
Will you let us hear from you when a decision shall have been had in the case.