Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/359

Rh the Trustees who were all of opinion that the present good Disposition that the People were in should not be lost and expecting to have had a larger meeting, Mr. Stedman had drawn up two Schemes which were read. The subject slumbered until the meeting of 10 November following, when the President, Mr. Stedman, Mr. Willing, and Mr. Cox, having formerly had under consideration a Plan for additional Buildings were appointed a Committee on this occasion; and they were desired to meet upon this Busi- ness immediately, and as soon as they should have perfected Matters & were ready to make their Report, the President was desired to call a special meeting, which was held on the 28th, there being present Messrs. Peters, Cadwalader, Stedman, Cox, Turner, Allen, Duche, White, Inglis, Willing, Shippen, Leech and Chew, when the Report of the Committee was submitted and adopted. As it contains in Dr. Peters' words a statement of the present condition and the promising prospects of the institution, it merits the entire inser- tion here. Containing as it does the bold and yet practical sug- gestion of soliciting funds from the Mother Country, and asking Dr. Smith to be their mouthpiece for the same, it in fact opens a view of one of the most interesting periods in the history of the College, and which proved to be one of those important movements in the life of the institution from which great results in financial strength and in influence flowed. But for this inci- dental desire to put their pupils from abroad "upon a collegiate way of living," the suggestion may not have arisen for this foreign mission which in the end redounded so much to the advantage of the general work they had in hand "for the Advancement of Learning for ever." But the Committee can speak for themselves : Gentlemen. Having been nominated by you as a Committee to consider the Ways and Means for improving the State of the Academy and compleating its Funds so as to place it on a permanent and respectable Footing for the Advancement of Learning for ever. We have had several Meetings with the Provost and Vice Provost upon these Topics, and upon the whole after mature Deliberation have agreed to recommend the follow- ing things, viz : i. As it appears to us by a prevailing Objection against this Institution