DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 23 



♦ 



institution has outgrown many of these hiws. It is undesirable and 

 even impossible to comply with them. It is recommended that a care- 

 ful revision of these laws be made. 



CHANGES IX FACULTY, 



During the i)ast year there has been but one change in the faculty. 

 Mr. Martin D. Atkins, Assistant Professor of Physics, resigned at the 

 beginning of the year to accept a position at Lake Forest Academy, 

 Illinois. This vacancy was tilled last April by the election of Mr. A. R. 

 Sawj-er of Lexington, Kentucky, as Professor of Physics and Electrical 

 Engineering. 



Y. M. c. A. 



There has been a strong, vigorous Y. M. (\ A. organization in the 

 institution for many years. It has been felt for some time by the stu- 

 dents and faculty that a secretary should be employed to devote his 

 whole time to this M'ork. To bear the expense of such a secretary, there 

 was raised by subscription and dues among the students and facultv 

 f902.75. About |5()2.50 of this sum was subscribed by the faculty and 

 instructors. Mr. Bert Wermuth of the class of 1902 was placed in charge 

 of this Avork. The results were very satisfactory indeed. This plan will 

 be continued. 



The College suftered great loss in the death of the Honorable Frank- 

 lin AVells, who had been connected Avith the Board for thirty years, and 

 since 188;}, with the exception of four years, I'resident of the Board. He 

 died at his home in Constantine very suddenly, July .'5, 190.'}. He had 

 been in attendance at Board meeting and (rommoncement about three 

 weeks before this time; he was then in excellent health. In recognition 

 of his thirty years of loyal and etiicient service to the institution, the 

 faculty and other friends arranged to present to the College an oil 

 painting of Mr. Wells on (Commencement Day, and to Mr. ^Vells an 

 album containing the autographs and photographs of his associates in 

 the past years and also of his friends at the College. Dr. EdAvards 

 made the presentation in the folloAviug Avords : 



"In the year 187.'), Governor Bagley appointed to the ^Michigan State 

 Board of Agriculture the Hon. Franklin Wells of Constantino. Fi-om 

 that time until the present day, a stretch of over 30 years, Mr. Wells 

 has been a member of the controlling board of this College. Nor is this 

 all. The Board of Agriculture AA^as organized in 18G1. Curiously enough, 

 almost from its A'ery birth the name of Wells has been that of the Presi- 

 dent of this Board throughout some 3.3 years. On the organization of 

 the Board in 1801, .ludge Ilezekiah (L Wells, of Kalamazoo, Avas ap- 

 pointed on the Board, and in 18<)(> became its President, holding the 

 office until his death in 1883. At that time, in recognition of the zeal, 

 earnestness and far-sightedness that he had displayed in the affairs of 

 the College, Mr. Franklin AVells Avas elected President of the Board. 

 He remained' President until 1899, and at the beginning of the present 

 year, 1903, he was a second time placed in the position he had so long 

 adorned. 



