Faculty Meeting Minutes - October 1861
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/14/2025, 4:16:07 PM
Added description
Description
Faculty Meetings, 1861 – Minutes and Correspondence
Overview
This archival item comprises the official minutes of two faculty meetings held on 10 October and 17 October 1861 at the Hospital building on North College Avenue, together with related correspondence. The material is a text record (file 01KA1HG7ZRGVACFB3NAQ1MH6F6) and a set of scanned images (a092001144.jpg, a092001145.jpg and their TIFF counterparts). The documents are in English, dated 1861, and are part of the “final‑drexel‑university” collection in the PINAX system.Background
The meetings were convened to address faculty staffing and the status of the upcoming 1861‑1862 academic session. The minutes were recorded by Ann Preston, faculty secretary, and reflect the administrative concerns of the time, including financial hardship and the impact of the Civil War on the institution’s operations.Contents
- Meeting on 10 Oct 1861: Attendees included Dr. Tinsell, Coates, Dr. Cleveland, and Ann Preston. Dr. Birdsell submitted a resignation letter citing “imperative duties elsewhere.” Preston was tasked with attempting to retain him for the next session. The meeting adjourned to reconvene on 17 Oct.
- Meeting on 17 Oct 1861: Present were Dr. Fussell, Dr. Semple, Dr. Kerr, and Dr. Cleveland. A letter from Dr. Birdsall explained his inability to lecture due to a public appointment and distance from the college. Dr. Kerr moved to omit the 1861‑1862 session because of the “embarrassed state of the times”; the motion passed with Fussell, Semple, and Kerr in favor, Cleveland opposed. The dean was instructed to notify students of the omission and to allow those who had completed two courses to sit for examinations at a later date.
- Correspondence: Letters from Dr. Birdsell and Dr. Birdsall, and a response from Ann Preston, are included in the minutes.
Scope
The collection covers the two faculty meetings of October 1861, the resignation of Dr. Birdsell, the decision to cancel the 1861‑1862 academic session, and the administrative actions taken thereafter. It does not include other faculty meetings, subsequent sessions, or unrelated institutional records. The material is relevant to studies of 19th‑century college administration, faculty governance, and the impact of wartime economics on higher education.Entities
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Raw Cheimarros Data
@file_pinax -> documents -> @faculty_meeting_oct_10_1861:event {description: "Faculty meeting held on Oct 10 1861 at the Hospital building, North College Avenue"}
@file_pinax -> documents -> @faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event {description: "Faculty meeting held on Oct 17 1861 at the Hospital building, North College Avenue"}
@faculty_meeting_oct_10_1861:event {when: @date_1861_10_10, where: @hospital_building:place {address: "North College Avenue"}}
@faculty_meeting_oct_10_1861:event -> present -> [@dr_tinsell:person {full_name: "Dr. Tinsell"}, @coates:person {full_name: "Coates"}, @dr_cleveland:person {full_name: "Dr. Cleveland"}, @ann_preston:person {full_name: "Ann Preston", role: "Faculty secretary"}]
@dr_birdsell:person {full_name: "Dr. Birdsell", role: "Faculty member"}
@dr_birdsell -> submitted -> @resignation_letter:document {date: @date_1861_10_10, reason: "imperative duties elsewhere"}
@ann_preston -> appointed to correspond with -> @dr_birdsell {purpose: "attempt to induce him to remain for the coming session"}
@faculty_meeting_oct_10_1861:event -> adjourned -> @faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event {when: @date_1861_10_17}
@faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event {when: @date_1861_10_17, where: @hospital_building}
@faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event -> present -> [@dr_fussell:person {full_name: "Dr. Fussell"}, @dr_semple:person {full_name: "Dr. Semple"}, @dr_kerr:person {full_name: "Dr. Kerr"}, @dr_cleveland]
@dr_birdsall:person {full_name: "Dr. Birdsall", role: "Faculty member"}
@faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event -> read letter from -> @dr_birdsall {content: "cannot lecture the coming session due to public appointment and distance from residence"}
@omit_session_motion:event {proposed_by: @dr_kerr, text: "omit the 1861‑1862 session due to the embarrassed state of the times", target: @academic_session_1861_1862:concept {period: "1861‑1862"}}
@faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event -> motion -> @omit_session_motion
@omit_session_motion:event -> vote -> {affirmative: [@dr_fussell, @dr_semple, @dr_kerr], negative: [@dr_cleveland]}
@omit_session_motion:event -> result -> "passed"
@faculty_meeting_oct_17_1861:event -> instructed -> @dean:person {role: "Dean", action: "notify students of the omission of the 1861‑1862 session"}
@hospital_building:place {address: "North College Avenue"}
@academic_session_1861_1862:concept {description: "College teaching term scheduled for 1861‑1862"} Metadata
Files (4)
OCR Text
At a meeting of the Faculty held at the Hospital building North College Avenue Oct 10th 1861 Present: Tinsell, Coates, Cleveland & Preston. Dr Birdsell sent in his resignation as a member of the Faculty, stating that imperative duties elsewhere force him reluctantly to do so. Ann Preston was appointed to correspond with Dr Binstoll, & to see whether arrangements could be made as regards himself by which he could be induced to remain with us the coming session. After considerable conversation upon the prospects of the College, adjourned to meet on the 17th inst A. Preston secy.
OCR Text
At a meeting held at the Hospital Oct 17th at 2 P.M. Present: Fussell, Semple, Kerr & Cleveland. A letter from Dr. Birdsall to A. Preston was read. It informed her that owing to the duties of a public appointment & to the distance of the College from his residence, it would not be practicable for him to lecture the coming session. After much consultation upon the probable number of students &c it was moved by Dr. Kerr "that owing to the embarrassed state of the times the session of 1861-2 be omitted & that the Dean be instructed to notify all with whom any correspondence has been had of this omission." The vote in the affirmative was Fussell, Semple & Kerr. Negative Cleveland. A letter was read from A. Preston On motion the Dean was instructed to notify such of our students as were now from having attended two courses of lectures, entitled to an examination, that they would be admitted to such examination at such time as they may choose.
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 11/14/2025, 4:16:07 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 11/14/2025, 4:08:42 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 11/14/2025, 3:59:48 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 11/14/2025, 3:57:00 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Faculty_Meetings_1861"
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