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 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS * 
 
 AUG 1 1915 
 
 LAKE FiejKEaOifc'BTISM^IRSITY 
 
 REPORT 
 
 OF 
 
 James G. K. McClure, D. D. 
 
 PRESIDENT PRO TEMP&HH 
 
 JUNE 14th, 1893. 
 
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 To the Trustees of the University : 
 
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 I have the honor to present the following Report for the 
 time in which 1 have served the University as its Presiding 
 Officer. 
 
 I was elected President Pro Tempore on April 6th, 
 1892, by the Board of Trustees in session in Chicago. Be- 
 ing unprepared for such a position by professional training 
 as an Educator and being aware of the responsibilities of 
 a College Presidency I hesitated to accept the election so 
 generously made to me. Feeling however the necessity 
 that some one immediately take up the work laid down by 
 Dr. Roberts and feeling also that perhaps I could assume 
 that work more intelligently, through acquaintance with it, 
 than any other who was available I signified my accept- 
 ance of the Presidency and entered upon its duties. 
 
 No classroom work was assigned me, nor was it intended 
 that I should be responsible for the discipline of any part 
 of the Institution. General supervision and management 
 were my particular labor. I soon found that such labor 
 was very varied and very detailed. It involved the care of 
 all the material interests of the University, provision for its 
 financial welfare, consultation with the Faculties on subjects 
 of a complicated or serious nature, interviews with students 
 
2 
 
 with reference to their criticisms and their needs, the repre- 
 sentation of the University upon public occasions by ad- 
 dresses and otherwise, communication with the professional 
 schools of the University system and, in addition, the cor- 
 respondence on all matters that naturally or unnaturally 
 pertain to an Educational Institution of the proportions of 
 our own. 
 
 Immediately upon assuming the Presidency, I recog- 
 nized that an advanced movement of some kind must be 
 made if Lake Forest University was to hold an honored 
 place in the Educational world. It seemed best to have 
 that advance show itself in the development of our Acad- 
 emy Department. The Trustees through Mr. G. II. Holt 
 expressed this view, and under his care as Chairman of the 
 Building Committee, pushed forward this movement and 
 today we have three new Academy Buildings of a most 
 worthy character completed, furnished and ready for oc- 
 cupancy. Their location is admirable. Its is high, dry 
 and sightly. The Buildings are well made and well ar- 
 ranged. Every hygienic principle has been considered in 
 their construction. Reid Hall is the gift of the late Mr. 
 Simon Reid, of Lake Forest, and of his wife, Mrs. Reid. 
 By Mr. Reid’s will we came into possession of $20,000.00 
 which he had desired should be used for a new Academy. 
 Mrs. Reid has since added $15,000.00 to her husband’s 
 bequest, — and the $35,000.00 have erected Reid Hall. It is 
 a noble memorial of a noble man. This Building is to be 
 used for Chapel, Recitation, Lecture and Museum purposes. 
 Its Chemical and Physical Laboratories are large and well 
 arranged. Mrs. Reid has also given the furniture of the 
 Building at a cost of $1,600.00. 
 
 The “ Annie Durand Cottage,” the gift of Mrs. Henry 
 C. Durand, is a handsome structure, suggesting immediately 
 that it is designed for a home both by its exterior form and 
 
3 
 
 its interior furniture. Its purpose is to provide accomoda- 
 tion for twenty-five boys and for the Master in charge and 
 his family. No building could be better adapted to its 
 purpose than this. It is a home where any parent may Ik* 
 glad to have his son. Mrs. Durand has not only given this 
 cottage but has herself furnished it with completely new 
 furniture throughout. Our debt of gratitude to her is large 
 •and is acknowledged with great pleasure. 
 
 The East Dormitory, which was built from funds ad- 
 vanced by members of our Board and others, is intended to 
 provide accomodations for those students who may prefer 
 *the Dormitory to the Cottage system. It will hold fifty 
 boys besides providing for a Master and his wife. In this 
 Building as in the Annie Durand Cottage every arrange- 
 ment is complete for the boarding of the students who room 
 in the Building. 
 
 The grounds about these Buildings have been graded, and 
 •toads and paths laid out. Also three tennis courts have 
 been levelled off. The cost of this work has beeh $500.00. 
 'It has been done under the directions of Mr. Simons, the 
 Landscape Gardener, and is very satisfactory. 
 
 The Cottage and Dormitory have cost with their furni- 
 ture $42,000.00. 
 
 The cost of this entire plant including the furniture of 
 Reid Hall is about $80,000.00. The. material used has been 
 pressed brick. The architects were Pond ■& Pond. 
 
 Were a second Cottage now built and ready for use it is 
 thought that students would be available for it. Its need is 
 already apparent. 
 
 The significance of this new Academy development is 
 not all expressed in the fact that we have three new Build- 
 ings for Academy uses. By this development we have re- 
 moved the Academy Department from tlu* College Campus 
 •and have given it a habitat by itself. This separation of the 
 
4 
 
 Academy from close proximity to the College will help very 
 much in establishing such different kinds of discipline for 
 the Academy and for the College as are needed by the 
 different degrees of maturity represented in the two Depart- 
 ments. This separation also releases the old Academy Dor- 
 mitory and allows the College to have an additional building 
 for its use. Besides, it gives the College the building 
 known as Academia, previously used very largely by the 
 Academy Students as an Eating Hall. The College can now 
 appropriate this Academia partly for a residence for a Pro- 
 fessor and partly for an Eating Hall for College Students. 
 Thus College and Academy have been benefitted by this 
 new^ movement. 
 
 Another feature of advance in our material develop- 
 ment during the past year is the building of a new Boiler 
 House. It was found that the heating apparatus for the 
 Buildings on the College grounds was inadequate. Besides, 
 the system of heating from Boilers placed in the basement 
 of the Dormitory w r as very untidy, the soot defacing the 
 building. The Boilers in use a year ago were worn out and 
 had been pronounced unsafe. It was therefore decided to 
 make a new Boiler House placing it in the ravine where it 
 would be almost wholly out of sight and where coal could 
 easily be delivered to it, secure new Boilers and put in an 
 entirely new heating plant. The decision to do this work 
 was reached about August 1st, 1892. Work was imme- 
 diately begun and before cold weather had set in the Boilers 
 were in their places, the connections made and the success 
 of the work assured. The College Dormitory was re- 
 roofed, all necessary outside repairs were made, the coal 
 sheds which were backed up against the Dormitory were 
 removed and the building was given two coats of paint. 
 The result has been, to improve the appearance of the Dor- 
 mitory very decidedly. 
 
The removal of the Boilers from the Dormitory left 
 space that was available for Chemical Laboratory purposes. 
 A large well-lighted room was then fitted up and thirty -six 
 tables for students put in, with all necessary working 
 apparatus. 
 
 At the same time that this work was doing, city water 
 was brought into the College building, connections were 
 made with the System of City Sewerage just introduced 
 into Lake Forest, and steam pipes were laid from the Cen- 
 tral Boiler House to all the College Buildings. This work 
 involved an expense of $11,845.00. 
 
 During this year Mr. Henry C. Durand has decorated 
 the entire interior of the Art Building that bears his name 
 making it a very attractive as well as a very useful building, 
 and Mrs. Durand has added furniture to several of its rooms 
 making them available for social and artistic purposes. 
 The grounds about this building have been put in admir- 
 able order. 
 
 Mr. Jacob Beidler during the year has completed the 
 house built by him for occupancy by the Professor holding 
 the u Jacob Beidler Chair of Physical Science.’- This house 
 was erected in memory of Mr. Beidler’s son, John Beidler 
 who died in his youth, full of the promise of great useful- 
 ness in the service of humanity. The house bears the name 
 of John Beidler and will always be the means of keeping in 
 lasting memory one whose early death is mourned by many. 
 The house is large and convenient. It evidences the abund- 
 ant love that entered into its erection. 
 
 The Financial work of the Institution has demanded and 
 secured a very large portion of my time and thought. 
 
 The University year closing in the Summer of 1892 was 
 found to have a deficit in the current expense account of 
 $11,006.00. That amount was raised by subscription, all 
 of it but $100.00 coming from our own Board of Trustees, 
 
6 ' 
 
 and though it‘wasmot all” secured imtil the University year* 
 opened in September, it was secured by the 15th of Septem- 
 ber and so we began the new year with a clean sheet. 
 
 Since then it has been > necessary to raise $21,600.00 in- 
 order to cover the special expenses caused by deficit in cur- 
 rent account, by improvements of a permanent nature and by 
 grading the grounds and providing furniture for the new- 
 Academy Buildings. That amount has been* secured in sub- 
 scriptions more than half of which have already beem paid, 
 though final payments are not due until September 1st, 
 T893.. These subscriptions leave the University free of alb 
 indebtedness at this* date. 
 
 It was also necessary to raise various sums of smaller 
 amounts imorder to meet some, special needs im the work of 
 teaching and to . provide aid for students who could not 
 go on in* their courses unassisted.^ For these- purposes, 
 $1 , 068. 00 have been secured. . 
 
 I desire at this point to make ‘mention of those who have- 
 contributed to the. University or have secured contributions * 
 to the University for the^ purposes above named: 
 
 Jacob Befdler. 
 
 G. H. Holt. 
 
 E. J. Warner. 
 
 G. M. Bogue. 
 Marvin Hughitt. 
 L. W. Yaggy. 
 
 H. N. Hibbard. 
 N. S. Bouton. 
 Arthur Orr. 
 
 H.C. Durands 
 William Blair. 
 
 C. H . , McCormick. * 
 
 D. R. Holt.. 
 Chas.S. Holt. . 
 JjohntH. Dwight.. 
 Mrs. S. Reid. 
 Thomas Murdoch. 
 Calvin Durand. 
 
 H. B. Cragin. 
 
 Abram Poole. 
 
 Thomas D. Jones. 
 David B. Jones. 
 
 Miss Annie M. Brown. 
 Mrs. G. S. Hubbard. 
 
 Thomas Kane. 
 
 William Henry Smith. 
 
T 
 
 D. Hillis:. 
 
 S. J. McPherson: 
 
 C. M. Henderson.. 
 
 Herrick Johnson.. 
 
 Byron L. Smith. 
 
 H.. C. Chatfiel drT&y lor .. 
 
 Mrs. H. C. Chatfield-Taylor . . 
 Charles Wood, D: D. 
 
 J. G. K. McClure.. 
 
 Thomas Lord. 
 
 Mi\s. Joseph T. Bowen: 
 
 The* Session of the 3rd 1 * 
 Church.. 
 
 The* Session- of the 4th • 
 
 Church. 
 
 The Session of the -Evans-- 
 
 Albert M.. Day.. 
 
 tom church.. 
 
 In additon to the sums already indicated $3,000.00 have 
 Been paid into the Treasury for current expenses — so that 
 the entire -amount raised, in? ways above-, specified, since a 
 year ago at this date is $91,668.00, not including Mr. Reid’s 
 bequest of $20,000.00.. 
 
 I ought to add that beside? this, amount of $91,668.00* 
 Mrs.. C., B: Farwell, Dr., Hillis and others have raised, 
 money for scholarship purposes the exact total of which I 
 do not know; but the usefulness for good, of . which I do 
 know; with, a firm* conviction* and with, a large- gratitude.. 
 Hon. C. B.„ Farwell has obtained from the. United, States 
 Museum at Washingtons collection of minerals which have 
 been received, and placed in; their cases in - the? Art Building. 
 
 In the Academy, Dr. A. C. Haven has established the 
 Haven Gold Medal for the best Commencement Otation, 
 and Mr. A. C. McNeill, L.. F. U. ’85,. has established a. 
 prize of Fifty Dollars-for the best Essay in English:. 
 
 In the College, Mr. E. J. Warner has- established two 
 prizes of * Sixty and Forty Dollars for, the two best Essays 
 on a subject selected from the held of. Political and Social 
 Science. 
 
 The Educational work of the University has gone for- 
 ward in goodly success through the year. The absence of 
 a Permanent President has been much felt. The election 
 
8 
 
 of John M. Coulter, Ph. D, L. L. D., to the Presidency 
 on Feb. 27th, 1893, provides for a great need. It was 
 expected that he would assume the duties of his position 
 here early in the Spring, but his obligations to the Indiana 
 State University of which he was the President made it 
 necessary that he remain with that Institution until the 
 close of the University year. 
 
 With his Inauguration as President of Lake Forest 
 University on June 15th, 1893 we may look forward to a 
 bright future as an Institution, for he comes to us 
 praised on all sides for scholarship, judgment of men and 
 affairs, administrative ability and consecrated character. 
 His very name will immediately draw attention to Lake 
 Forest. His methods of Education will approve them- 
 selves to the best thinkers on Educational lines. 
 
 The three vacancies that existed in our Board of 
 Trustees a year ago have been filled by the election of 
 Arthur Orr, Thomas Kane and Newell D. Hillis. The 
 latter as a graduate of the Lake Forest College is the 
 Representative of the Alumni in our body. Our Board 
 is now full, having with the President elect twenty-five 
 members. 
 
 I desire in concluding this Report to make mention of 
 the fidelity with which the Faculty have done their work 
 in the various departments at Lake Forest and the per- 
 sonal kindness which they have shown me during all my 
 temporary Presidency. 
 
 I desire to make mention also of the cordial relations 
 which have existed between the students and myself. It 
 has been a matter of great regret to me that I have not 
 had time in connection with my work as a Pastor to be 
 with the students as often and as intimately as I wished. 
 
 I desire also to make mention of the kindness of the 
 congregation whose minister I am, in allowing me to give 
 
9 
 
 so very large part of my thought and attention to this 
 University work. 
 
 And I desire to make mention of the debt of gratitude 
 I owe and shall always owe the members of this Board of 
 Trustees for the sympathy, support and help that they 
 have given me during these fourteen and a half months. 
 During those months, with the exception of the fortnight 
 passed in May 1893 while in attendance as a Commis- 
 sioner to the Presbyterian General Assembly at Wash- 
 ington, D. C., I have been absent from Lake Forest but 
 one week. It seemed as though University needs would 
 better be met by my presence than my absence, both dur- 
 ing the vacation periods and in term time. In all this 
 period the Trustees have been the ones who have made it 
 possible to keep our work moving and to bring it on its 
 way with such a degree of sucesss. 
 
 I thank them individually and I thank them collec- 
 tively for what they have done. They have shown devo- 
 tion, self-sacrificing devotion to this Institution. No 
 Board could have done more than they. I rejoice in the 
 larger respect, and the stronger affection for them which 
 have come to me through this year’s association with 
 them. 
 
 Especially do I recognize the zeal, faithfulness and 
 efficiency of the members of the Executive Committee 
 who have been called upon to administer so largely the 
 affairs of the Institution at much cost of time and effort. 
 
 And I note with gratitude the work done by the In- 
 struction Committee in the delicate and important inter- 
 ests that have come to that Committee for consideration 
 and action. 
 
 As this year closes I congratulate the Board that all 
 the Professional Schools, Medical, Dental and Law are in 
 more flourishing condition than twelve months ago. The 
 
10 
 
 mew Laboratory of Rush Medical College has its walls up. 
 It is a beautiful and commodious building and will greatly 
 increase »the efficiency of Instruction. The corner stone 
 of the Dental College Building was laid ‘this week. It ad- 
 joins the Laboratory of Rush College and ‘both are on the 
 block west of the Presbyterian Hospital. The Dental 
 College Building will be of handsome and large pro- 
 portions and will accommodate the most numerously 
 attended Derttal ‘School in the world. 
 
 I shall always ‘count it a pleasure that I have been 
 •able to render the service of this period gratuitously 
 and without the least charge to the University for any 
 personal, official or administrative expense. 
 
 The needs of Lake Forest University are many, but to 
 •my mind her supreme needs are not in material lines, oc- 
 cupied as I have been with such, but are in the true spirit 
 of prayer and the true ‘consecration to human good on the 
 part of her triends. Given generous fidelity to her motto 
 u For Christ and -the Church'” ‘by those who make her 
 life, and her future of usefulness and of development 
 is sure. 
 
 In grateful recognition ot the kindness of Almighty 
 God in all our affairs and in earnest desire that those 
 .affairs may always have His benediction 
 
 I am with great respect, 
 
 JAMES G. K. McCLURE.