REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

To the Honorable Governor and Executive Council of Maine:

The Trustees of the University of Maine respectfully submit their thirty-fourth annual report, with the report of the President and the Treasurer.

President George E. Fellows assumed the duties of his office the first week in January, and began at once to inform himself regarding the affairs of the University. His zeal, energy, and executive ability have already been productive of most excellent results. His comprehensive report presents a full statement of the condition and needs of the University. All that President Fellows has said in commendation of Dr. Harris and Hon. Wm. T. Haines, has the hearty endorsement of the Trustees. In their report of last year reference was made to the great value of the official and personal services of these staunch friends of the University and the great loss it has sustained because of their resignations.

No change has occurred in the Board of Trustees since their last report was submitted. There have been many changes in the faculty during the year, all of which are referred to in the report of President Fellows. Prof. Walter Flint, a graduate of the University, Instructor and Professor of Mechanical Engineering for nineteen years, resigned in March to accept a desirable position at Jacob Tome Institute, Maryland. Prof. Flint, by his loyalty, and faithful and conscientious service, did much toward bringing the University to its present high position. Perley F. Walker, a graduate of the University in 1896 and for several years after his graduation an instructor in Mechanical Engineering, has been appointed to succeed Prof. Flint. Prof. Walker has had the advantages of a post graduate course at Cornell University and a year's practical experience at the great shipbuilding plant at Newport News, Va. Dean George E. Gardner of the School of Law resigned in March to accept a more attractive and lucrative position at Boston University. Under Dean Gardner the School of Law was organized, and to his rare ability its high reputation and success are largely due. It is believed that a worthy successor to Dean Gardner has been found in acting Dean William E. Walz, who is ably conducting the affairs of this department of the University. Larger and more convenient rooms for the School of Law will have to be provided soon, if the students continue to increase in number. Gen. Ben P. Runkle severed his connection with the University in October. Gen. Runkle was a very popular and efficient military instructor and the students made rapid progress in military tactics while under his charge.

Capt. Amos H. Martin, of the 19th U. S. Infantry, a graduate of West Point, who has the record of good service in the Philippines, has been appointed Gen. Runkle's successor.

The Campus, as in former years, has received careful attention and shows marked improvement. The University buildings are generally in good condition, with the exception of the Shop Building. Extensive repairs have been made during the year to the Commons.

The most important and pressing needs of the University are dormitory accommodations for the students, a suitable shop building for the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Departments, and a central heating plant. A very large part of the students are unable to live on the campus because of the lack of dormitory accommodations, and are obliged to find boarding places in Orono, Old Town, and Bangor. This is a serious inconvenience, which should be overcome as soon as possible. The present shop building is old, built of wood, much out of repair, too small, and not adapted to the purposes for which it was intended. It contains engines, dynamos, lathes, tools, and other valuable apparatus used for purposes of instruction, liable at any time to be damaged or destroyed by fire. It is so small that the classes are obliged to go in sections for instruction. A suitable brick or stone building would not only afford much needed facilities for instruction, but also better protection to the expensive and valuable equipments now endangered in the present wooden building. The advantages of a central heating plant, whereby the University buildings could be more satisfactorily heated, with a large saving in the cost of fuel, have been stated in former reports. It is estimated that a shop building of sufficient size to meet the demands of the University for years to come, and a proper heating plant, will cost about $60,000. This need is so urgent that it should be met as promptly as possible.

The constant growth and unvarying success of the University of Maine are extremely gratifying to all interested in its welfare. Its faculty is able, faithful, and efficient, doing excellent work in every department. Its students number nearly five hundred, and a finer student body cannot be found anywhere. Every facility should be furnished to give them the training and education they are seeking. The remarkable success of the graduates of the University of Maine, especially in industrial lines, plainly foreshadows the great possibilities awaiting these young men in the immediate future. They will, ke their predecessors bridge rivers, tunnel mountains, construct ships of wood and steel for merchant marine and navy, build electric and steam rafkrdads, cotton woolen, pulp and paper mills, and other great industrial plants. Their skill and training will be used to utilize the great water powers and develop the agricultural and other resources of our own State are thereby repay many times the cost of their instruction. Ought there to be any question as to the wisdom of supplying in the largest degree everything required to carry on in the best possible manner the work of the University of Maine? This question must be answered by the legislature of the State of Maine.

HENRY LORD,

President of the Board of Trustees

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

To the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine:

The President of the University of Maine has the honor to present his first annual report, covering the calendar year of 1902.

CHANGES IN THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY

At the beginning of the year 1902, Hon. William T. Haines retired from the Board of Trustees. The President had but little opportunity to become acquainted with Mr. Haines as a trustee, but feels that the board lost a most efficient and able member. With Mr. Haines' retirement comes no abatement of his interest in the institution. The new member, Mr. Edwin James Haskell, has at once taken up the interests of the University as his own, and there is not the slightest doubt that he will devote such energy to the duties placed upon him as a member of the Board as to do great credit to the alumni of which he is a member, and valuable service to the University.

The President feels it his great privilege, as well as duty, to speak in the plainest and highest terms of the efficiency of his predecessor, manifest in every department of the University. It is believed that instances are rare where a retiring president leaves the affairs of the institution in such smoothly running condition that his successor can take hold of the machinery and move forward without a single jar. In the years that are to come the efficient service of Dr. A. W. Harris will become even more evident than during his actual administration, for the organization of the institution on its new and wider career, due to his efforts, will show its effects for many years to come.

Coming to his duties in January, 1902, the new President took up the work already begun with the intention of carrying out, as far as possible through that school year, the entire policy already in operation. Such codifications of this policy as have occurred have seemed to be warranted by changes in conditions.

On March 28, Prof. Walter Flint presented his resignation as Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Prof. Flint had been in service in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for five years as instructor, and fourteen and one-half years as professor. A more lucrative offer, as well as considerations of health, led Prof. Flint to leave the University of Maine. It was with universal regret of the faculty of the institution that

Prof. Flint's resignation was accepted. His cheerful manner and efficient services, not only as professor, but as superintendent of construction at the University of Maine, made it seem that his loss would be irreparable. After consideration of many candidates for the position left vacant by Prof. Flint, Mr. Perley F. Walker, a graduate of the University of Maine in 1896, was chosen. Prof. Walker had been instructor at the University of Maine for four years, hence was not unknown to the trustees and faculty. Since his resignation in 1900 he had been pursuing an advanced course at Cornell University, and still later had been employed in practical engineering at the ship building yards of the Newport News Ship Building and Dry Dock Co. Prof. Walker's education and personality are such that the work assumed by him promises to be satisfactorily performed.

General Ber Piatt Runkle, who was detailed as Professor of Military Science, is no longer connected with the University. The military department, which had been considerably neglected, from the beginning of the Spanish War, was brought into very good condition by General Runkle. The students took great interest in their work and made a very creditable showing at the time of the inspection by the United States Inspector. The vacancy caused by General Runkle's departure has been filled by the detail of Capt. Amos H. Martin, of the 19th Infantry.

Prof. George E. Gardner, Dean of the School of Law, presented his resignation on March 14. Prof. Gardner had endeared himself to all the students of the School of Law and made strong friendships in Bangor and Orono. He had been connected with the School of Law from its opening, and the efficiency of the school was the result of his work. He resigned to accept a position as Professor of Law in the Boston University Law School. His resignation was accepted with sincere regret. Prof William E. Walz was promoted to the position of Acting Dean of the School of Law. His scholarship and personal characteristics are such that it is believed the School of Law will in no way suffer from the change in management. His energy and attention to details have already proven his efficiency.

Mr. Fred Hale Vose, Instructor in Mechanical Engineering, resigned to accept a similar position at Washington University, St. Louis. Mr. Vose's work had been entirely satisfactory, and it was with especial regret that we accepted his resignation as we had already lost the head of the same department. Mr. Walter Rautenstrauch, a graduate of the University of Missouri in the Mechanical Engineering course, in the year 1902, has been engaged to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Vose's resignation. Mr. Pillip Warner Harry, Instructor in Modern Languages, has resigned in order to pursue advanced work at another institution.

Mr. Lucius J. Shepard, superintendent of the farm and assistant agriculturist in the Experiment Station, has resigned to take a similar position at National Farm School, Doylestown, Pa.

Mr. Louis Siff, for two years tutor in Mathematics, has resigned. Mr. Roscoe M. Packard, for two years tutor in Mathematics, has resigned to accept a scholarship at Brown University.