Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Dr. W. M. Jardine Former President of K. S. A Dr. Jardine was granted a lea e of absence March 1 lo take a position in President Coolidge ' s Cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture.

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A Brief History of K. S. A. C. ON February y, 1858, ihe Kansas Slate Agricultiirai (, ' ollege had iis iiicepi ion when a charter was given to Bluemont Central College, a sectarian institution untlcr the control of the Methoodist Episcopal Church of Kansas. Although this charter provided for the establishment of a classical college, it also contained the following inl ' -tcsting section: The said association shall have power and authority to establish, in addition to the literary departments of arts and sciences, an agricultural department, with separate professors, to test soils, experiment in the raising of crops, the cultivation of trees, etc., upon a farm set apart for the purpose, so as to bring out to the utmost practical results the agricultural advantages of Kan- sas, especially the capabilities of the high prairie lands. The corner stone of the new college was laid on May 10, 18.S9, ' and instruction began about a year later. On March 1, 1871, a bill passed the legislature establishing a State university at Man- hattan, the Bluemont Ontral College building to be donated for the purpose. The measure, howe ' er, was veto efl by (iovernor Robinson. On July 2, 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act, An act donating pul)lic lands to the several states and territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts. This bill granted each state 30,000 acres of land for each senator and repre- sentative it had in congress and pro ided that the money derived from the sale of these lands con- stitute a perpetual fund for the operation ol at least one college which would promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life. On February 3, 1873. Cxovernor Carney signed a joint resolution passed by the Kansas legis- lature, in accordance with which the provisions of the Morrill Act are hereby accepted by the State of Kansas; and State hereby agrees and obligates itself to comply with all the provisions of said act. On February 16 of the same year the governor signed an act which permanently lo- cated the college at Manhattan. The three commissioners appointed b - the governor selected 82,313.52 acres of the 00. 000 granted by congress. The deficienc - of 7.686.48 acres — an amount selected and found to lie within a railroad grant — was not made up by Congress until 1907. After the passage of the creative act, no subsequent legislation was enacted until the second Morrill Act on August 30, 1890. This act applied a portion of the proceeds of the public lands to the more complete endowment and support of the colleges for the benefit of acriculture and the mechanic arts established under the provisions of an act of ( ongress approxed JuK ' 2, 1862. The third and last act of Congress increasing the income of agricultural colleges is the Nelson amendment to the agricultural appropriation bill, which was approved March 5, 1907. In addi- tion, however, to providing for an increase in the support of these institutions from federal funds, the law contains the very significant provision specially authorizing the agricultural colleges to use a portion of this federal appropriation for the special preparation of instructors for teaching agriculture and mechanic arts. Continued growth has l)een evident through the entire life of the college with the exceiilion of a period during the World War.

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The Ideals and Aims of K, S, A. C, ONIC iniporlanl ideal of llir Kansas St.ile A-iiriill iiral ( ' ()llij;c is liial t- i Ty person who comes under its inlliieiu-e shall th i(li he helped to serve his country, his neighbors, and himself through well-informed action. I he spirit which dominates the college is based upon a firm belief in the diijnit - of honest, inlelli.uent work. This s|)irit emanates from the best elc- nienis of American citizenshi]) and is in accord with the best American traditions. To help its students to become practical is one of the i)rinci[3al aims of the college. It is not worth while to be practical unless one has high ideals. But it is futile to have high ideals without .some practicality through which to apply them. The college recognizes that we live in a work-a-day world, in which mere dreaming, unrelated to action, accomplishes little. The student body at K. S. A. C. is justly famed for its democratic spirit. No person of high character, intelligence, and industrious habits needs to hestitate to join the student body because he lacks wealth or social position. A large proportion of the students pay their own college ex- penses. There are numerous high-class fraternities and sororities, but membership in them, howev-er desirable, is neither a social nor an academic necessity. The Varsity football team has elected a non-fraternity man to the position of captain for the 1925 season. This action indicates something of the wholesome spirit prevailing among the students. The student body respects industry, ability, and sincerity. These qualities are more iiighly esteemed by students and faculty than are such superficial things as wealth and cleverness. The college encourages many wholesome activities in addition to those provided in the cur- ricula, because it believes in well-balanced development of young men and young women. It is proud of the records of its students in football and other athletic sports, in debating, dramatics music, oratory, and other e.xtra-curricular activities. It believes that a prospective engineer, farmer, or scientist can profit by a knowledge of these activities and by participation in them; and that a prospective home-maker may secure benefits by taking an active and intelligent in- terest in the arts. It emphasizes the importance of good living and of good citizenship as well as that of earning a livelihood. A great majority of the thousands of men and women who have attended K. S. A. C. at some time during the past sixty years are honoring their Alma Mater by exemplifying these ideals and aims. These excellent men and women, living in widely distributed parts of the world, are lead- ing prosperous and useful lives. They have fi.xed a high standard of good service and good citizen- shi|) toward which the yoimger generation of students may well stri e. The college is proud of tliem. President of K. S. A. C.