Of this the city of Terre Haute has donated real estate valued at $50,000 and $50,000 in cash, leaving the State's investment $242,000. By the terms of the original contract between the city of Terre Haute and the State, the city maintains one-half the expense of all necessary repairs to the buildings and grounds. By reference to the table on this page, it will be noted that the item of repairs for the last fiscal year amounted to $798.44. The city will pay into the Normal School treasury one-half of this amount-$399.22. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Receipts and expenditures for the fiscal years ending, respectively, October 31, 1899, and Octiber 31, 1900: Books, periodicals, library supplies, etc... $6,457 07 $3,894 60 The institution is supported mainly by the tax of one-twentieth of one mill levied and collected under the act of 1895. This yielded in the year ending October 31, 1899, $65,546.26, and the year ending October 31, 1900, $66,000. A library fee of two dollars per term is paid by each student. This yields about $5,000 per year, and is devoted exclusively to the purchase of books and periodicals for the library, binding, etc. The proceeds of the tax are paid semiannually to the treasurer, Hon. W. R. McKeen, who credits the Indiana State Normal School with the money thus received on the general or maintenance fund. The library fees are deposited with the treasurer, and constitute the library fund. Two passbooks are kept, showing the account with the treasurer on each of these funds. All money is paid out on orders upon the treasurer, signed by the secretary of the Board of Trustees, itemized bills in duplicate having been presented to and approved by the trustees at a regular monthly meeting. When the orders on the treasurer are delivered, the itemized bills are receipted and the original voucher sent to the Auditor of State; the duplicate is retained by the institution. They are prop erly marked and numbered and then filed in the fireproof vault for preservation. The treasurer retains the orders or warrants on which he paid out the funds of the institution. The school has in its possession stubs which correspond to the orders drawn, and vouchers for all funds paid out. From the stubs the ledger accounts are made up, the items being classified as shown in the secretary's published reports. The law does not require it, but by rule of the trustees both the treasurer and the secretary are required to give bond, the former in the sum of $40,000, the latter in the sum of $10,000. SYSTEM OF HEATING AND VENTILATING. The buildings of the State Normal School are heated and ventilated by the warm blast system supplemented by direct radiation. Ten thousand feet of steam heated pipes are enclosed by brick walls. The air from the outside is taken in at a point fifteen feet above the surface, and by means of a large fan driven by a twelve horse-power engine, is blown over three hot coils and through a large duct into the buildings. From this large duct smaller ducts branch at proper points and carry the warm fresh air through the various rooms. In order to have the rooms sufficiently heated without taking in the air at too high a temperature, this system is reinforced by direct radiation in every room. Three tubular boilers with an aggregate capacity of one hundred and twenty-five horse-power supply the steam and power for this work. In ordinary weather two of these are sufficient. In this connection the committee wishes to call the attention of the Legislature to the low cost of heating and ventilating the two very large buildings of this institution. The combined capacity of these two buildings is over 1,300,000 cubic feet. Notwithstanding the increased cost of coal, the cost of heating and ventilating for the year ending October 31, 1898, was $835.92; for the year ending October 31, 1900, $725.80. This institution practically did away with the smoke nuisance. Although this institution consumes annually about 800 tons of slack coal, one will hardly see at any time more smoke issuing from the large stack than is produced by an ordinary soft coal grate in a residence. This economy and this cleanliness are due to the use of Roney patent automatic stokers, which secure almost perfect combustion of the cheap slack coal used. The Board of Trustees presented to the committee their needs for this institution in writing as follows: The new building, which contains the library, the laboratories, the gymnasia, and the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. rooms with an equipment which has cost in the neighborhood of $75,000, stands near our east property line. Adjoining this is a lot about forty feet wide containing a two-story frame house which is only ten feet from our building. This wooden building obstructs the light and is a constant menace to our property, with its valuable equipment. If this house should at any time take fire it would greatly endanger the splendid property which the State has built up since the loss of this building by fire twelve years ago. This lot with its wooden dwelling could be bought by the State for $5,000, and we believe that to buy it would be an excellent investment for the State to make. It might fall into other hands at any time and be held at a much higher price than $5,000. The desirability of appropriating money enough to enlarge the boiler house and to put in an electric lighting plant was presented to the General Assembly of two years ago. The trustees make no formal request for an appropriation for this purpose, nor for purchasing the property adjoining our library building. They feel that they have performed the duty under the law when they have stated the condition of the institution under their charge. They leave the matter entirely in the hands of the Legislature. We are glad to report that the school is in every way in the most satisfactory condition. The property is in good repair, the attendance is large and enthusiastic, the faculty are capable, earnest and devoted to their work, the utmost harmony prevails, and we believe it can safely be asserted that never before has the Indiana State Normal School been so fully accomplishing its true mission-"the preparation of teachers for teaching in the public schools of Indiana." The estimated cost to enlarge the boiler house and to put in an electric lighting plant is $8,500. RECOMMENDATIONS. The committee recommends that no appropriation be made for the purchase of the lot on which is located a two-story frame building referred to by the Board of Trustees in stating the needs of the institution to the committee. The committee believes that it would be a great saving to the State to enlarge the boiler house and to put in an electric lighting plant, as about $400 per year can be saved to the State and at the same time secure additional light that this institution needs, but does not now have, without additional cost. The committee therefore recommends a specific appropriation for boiler-house and electric light plant of $8,500, or so much thereof as may be needed. |