be laid down specifying the way in which the Visiting Com¬ 
mittees should do their work or make their reports. The 
endeavor, as already said, has been to devise a visiting 
system which would bring the University into direct and 
active sympathy and communication with the outside world 
through the greatest possible number of connecting links. 
If the plan of organizing the committees herewith submitted 
is a well-considered plan, and persons, who have an interest 
in the success and usefulness of the University are selected 
for service upon those committees, that interest may safely 
be left to work out results in the way most natural to it with¬ 
out the aid of hard and fast rules laid down by this Board. 
It has seemed, therefore, to your Committee best in this 
connection merely to quote the following passages from the 
Report of the Committee on Reports and Resolutions of 
June, 1889 : — 
“ ‘ It is unnecessary to point out the theoretical impor¬ 
tance of the work of these Visiting Committees. They are, 
in the first place, the instrumentality through which the 
Overseers keep themselves informed of what work the Uni¬ 
versity is doing and the way in which it is done. Nothing 
would tend more directly towards holding the several de¬ 
partments of instruction up to a high standard of activity 
and efficiency than a consciousness among those in charge 
of them that their work was sure of intelligent appreciation 
if good, and of equally intelligent criticism if poor. . . . 
“ ‘ Meanwhile, viewed in another light, the possible func¬ 
tions and utility of the Visiting Committees of the Board 
have, instead of diminishing, increased — and increased 
enormously — during recent years. It is through these 
committees, and through them only, that the University 
can keep, so to speak, in touch with the outer world. This 
is forcibly expressed by one of the professors, whose answer 
to the circular has been quoted in full, when he remarks that 
“ the result of the present system is that a college officer is 
singularly cut off from the public and he asks for “ some 
more direct method of intercourse between the teachers and 
the custodians of the College.” In the same spirit another 
who has been quoted refers to the “isolation” of his work 
as a “ great curse — an unhealthy and discouraging ob¬ 
stacle to usefulness ”; and adds that “ Visitors could con¬ 
ceivably do much for us. I should heartily welcome their 
closest scrutiny and their plainest counsel.” . . ” 
I am further directed to call your attention to the 
following Sections of the Rules and By-Laws of the 
Board of Overseers: — 
“ Sect. 28 . — The several Visiting Committees of the 
Departments of the University and those appointed to visit 
and examine into the Courses of Instruction may employ 
paid experts or specialists to aid them in the performance 
of their duties when authorized so to do by a vote of the 
Board of Overseers. Any Committee desiring such expert 
assistance shall first submit for approval a written applica¬ 
tion to the Board, setting forth the nature and estimated 
cost thereof. 
“ Sect. 29 . — The several Visiting Committees shall report 
at least once in three years. Their reports may be in writing 
or made orally to the Board of Overseers through some 
member of the Board. Their written reports and any oral 
reports or recommendations subsequently reduced to writing 
shall in the absence of discussion or after it, unless otherwise 
disposed of, be referred to the Executive Committee. 
“Each Committee shall hold, as early as may be in the 
academic year, at least one meeting with members of the 
teaching staff in the Department or Course of Instruction 
such Committee is appointed to visit, in order to receive 
suggestions, inquire into defects and needs, hear complaints, 
and give encouragement and counsel.” 
The names of the members of your Committee will 
be found upon the accompanying list. 
Respectfully yours, 
WINTHROP H. WADE, Secretary, 
99 State Street, Boston, Mass. 
September 26, 1921. 
