University matters form the bulk of this reel. In May and June meetings were held to consider the medical school proposal, but on June 20 Dr. Roosa admitted the defeat of the idea by the Board of Trustees, and expressed the hope that another attempt to start such a school would be made in the future. Lucien A. Wait suggested that Cornell adopt Harvard's system of having a board of examiners visit the campus annually to check on the efficiency of instruction given by each member of the faculty. Acceptance of the resignation of one professor and three assistant professors in June brought an immediate reaction from the New York alumni. Construction was begun on a drill hall, and preliminary investigations were made toward building and equipping an observatory. On Burr's initiative form letters were sent all district school commissioners to ascertain the reasons for the small number of state scholarships awarded. Franklin B. Hough wrote about giving a series of lectures on forestry, and Chambers proposed a course in journalism. White's interest in social and political affairs is reflected in letters from organizations for educating the freedmen, reforming the civil service, and controlling monopolies. The family's happiness at the marriage of their eldest daughter to Spencer Baird Newberry in June was dimmed in August by the death of White's mother.