Louisiana State University - Gumbo Yearbook

“r ouisiana State Uni- versity and Agri- cultural and Me- chanical College had its origin on a 438-acre tract of land four miles from Alexandria, Rapides Parish in the beautiful pine forests on the bank of the Red River. This land was fully acquired in 1827 " for the use of a seminary of learning, " but it was not until 1852 that the first stage in the development of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy was realized. The cornerstone which appears on these two pages was laid on March 21, 1859 with masonic ceremonies and today is mounted with a plaque in front of the Memorial Tower. This cornerstone was the foundation for the seventy-two room, three-story, white brick building that was con- structed on the site. Problems arose when the walls started to crumble because of soft brick and poor mortar, but the building was ready for occu- pancy in November of 1859. The Seminary was given a military organization which was primarily due to General G. Mason Graham, a grad- uate of West Point and vice president of the Board of Supervisors. Also the South at this time was in favor of mil- itary discipline. Another graduate of West Point, Colonel William Tecum- seh Sherman, was picked as the Semi- nary ' s superintendent. Under Sher- man ' s guidance and his vow " to be a father to them all [the cadets], " the Seminary was to have its start. The Seminary opened on January 2, 1860 with five professors, nineteen students, and many problems. Upon arrival each cadet was required to take William Tecumsrfi Shm an examination in the elementary branches of knowledge and deposit $200 for tuition and expenses. They promised not to marry while a stu- dent, nor to make debts or to receive spending money from home for eata- bles, civilian clothing or such com- modities not considered necessary by the authorities. The cadets came from many varied backgrounds, aristocratic Creoles, Cajuns from the prairies of south- western Louisiana, sons of wealthy planters, and farm boys of northern Louisiana. Many boys arrived at the Seminary with their mothers, who instructed officials on the care and discipline of their sons. Sherman remarked that " the dullest boys have the most affectionate mothers and the most vicious boys here come recom- mended with the virtues of saints. " Many problems arose concerning the acquisition of books, the bad food 2/Nostalgii ”