"In establishing the chair of English you have taken a bold step and wise innovation. You have pushed the whole system of Virginia education distinctly forward, and you have given to your system of collegiate education a firm basis in the needs of our people. I have felt the sweetest joy of my life to have been permitted to help in this great work. I have seen the School of English, from session to session, bear richer fruits in the development of our whole student class and in the growing power of the College over the educated opinion of the State. I beseech you now, in parting from you, to take the chair of English under your fostering care, not only to uphold it, but to develop and expand it as the characteristic and special glory of the College, and to bring it to pass that every alumnus of Randolph-Macon College shall be, to his own benefit and to your honor, as soundly and correctly educated as man ought to be in the knowledge and use of his mother tongue." At this meeting Dr. W. W. Bennett, chairman of the Building Committee, announced to the Board the completion of the Pace Lecture building, at a cost of about $11,000. At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, held June, 1877, the reports made by the President and Treasurer showed great embarrassment in financial matters, which, as a matter of course, affected the prompt payment of salaries to the members of the Faculty. The patronage for the year was reported to be 132. [Illustration: PROF. W. A. FRANTZ, A. M., _Prof. English, Central College, Missouri._] The degree of A. M. was conferred on William Abner Frantz, of Virginia. At the June meeting, 1877, Thomas Branch, Esq., resigned the office of president of the Board. Resolutions of regret at his action, and expressive of the kind regard of the Trustees towards him, were adopted. Dr. J. A. Duncan was elected to fill the vacancy. William Willis, Jr., resigned the oflice of Treasurer of the Board on account of ill-health and defective eyesight. This was accepted with great reluctance by the Board, and resolutions of sympathy for him in his afflictions and thanks for his faithful service were adopted. Prof. W. A. Shepard was elected Treasurer _pro tempore_. When the Board adjourned, it closed its last meeting in connection with the president who had inaugurated the College at Ashland, and had presided over it for nine years. A few days after the opening of the session of 1877-1878 he passed away, after a brief illness. The record of the journal made by the Secretary, and enclosed in black lines, is as follows: [Transcribers' note: In the original book, the following paragraph is also enclosed in black lines.]