Minutes of the VMI Board of Visitors. Superintendent's Report, June 28, 1847

              Head Quarters
Virginia Military Institute
June 28th 1847

To the President of the Board of Visitors, V.M.I.

Sir:
	I have the honor to present herewith a detailed report of the operations of the Institute during the past year, together with the reports of the several Professors and officers in charge of Departments.  Among the accompanying papers will also be found the Report of the Treasurer, and the usual exhibit of the financial condition of the Institute.
	Studies.  The greatly increased labors of instruction arising from the larger number of cadets present this year, and the assignment of additional studies to the classes in the immediate charge of the Professors, have embarrassed us in some degree.  The reports of the Professors will show the character and extent of this instruction.  The classes in the immediate charge of the Supt. have gone through the usual course.  It being indispensably necessary that I should give my personal attention to the 2nd class engaged in the study of the higher mathematics, and at the same time take charge of the 1st class in mechanics.  I have been compelled to commit the instruction of the 3d and 4th classes, for the most part to my assistant, St. Forbes, and Cadet Pendleton.  I have however, reviewed these classes over the most important portion of their course.  
	The diversified branches of instruction in charge of the Professor of Languages and English literature made it necessary to assign to his department a principal assistant.  St. R. E. Colston, a recent graduate, was accordingly appointed to this office in August last, and was placed in charge of the 3rd