Purdue University - Debris Yearbook (West Lafayette, IN)

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JOHN PURDUE

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within the respective states if there were enough such lands subject to sale at private entry for 81.25. Otherwise, the secretary of the interior was to issue land sc-rip for the amount of the deficiency, the scrip to be sold by the states and the proceeds to be applied for the uses prescribed in this act. This land scrip was to give the buyer full claim to any unappropriated land of the United States which was then subject to sale at 31.25. All taxes and expenses attached to the necessa1'y proceedings of sale and ownership were not to come out of the funds so appropriated, but were to be paid bythe states. All moneys derived from this donation were to be invested in stocks of the United States or of the states or some other safe stock yielding not less than five per cent per annum on the par value, to constitute a perpetual fund, the capital of which shall remain forever undiminished, the interest of which shall be inviolably appropriated to the endow- ment, support and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts in such manner as the legislature of the states may prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of lifefl No state was to be entitled to the benefits of the act unless it expressed acceptance thereof by its legislature within two years from the date of its approval by the president. On April 1-1, 1864, congress extended by two years the time within which a state might signify its acceptance of the grant, and offered the benefits of tl1e grant to the state of W'est Virginia. Indiana, with two senators and eleven representatives by the census of 1860, received as her share of this donation 390,000 acres of land, or the equivalent in la.nd scrip. From this source she realized for her agricultural college :B3sl0,000. The state accepted the grant March G, 1865, by an act providing for the receipt, investment, and management of the congressional grant and assented to all the conditions and provisions contained therein. The governorhof the state, and Alfred Pollard, of Gibson county, Smith Vawter, of Jennings county, Henry Taylor, of Tippecanoe county, and Lewis Burke, of XVayne county, and their successors, were created a body corporate for the management of the institution under the name of the Trustees of Indiana Agricultural College. The land scrip, to be received by the board through its treasurer from the secretary of the interior, was to be sold at the most advantageous terms, and the proceeds invested in United States stocks yielding not less than tive per centum on the par value of stock. The act of 1865, however, made no provision for the location of the institution, and so strong a rivalry sprang up among the several places in the state that it was not until the special session of 1869 that the matter was finally settled. The act of that session accepted a donation of 85150,000 from John Purdue, on condition that the donation be made effectual, and in considera- tion thereof the state agreed that the institution should bear the name and style of Purdue University, and Mr. Purdue was made a life member of the board of trustees. The state also

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at tl1is time accepted a donation of one hundred acres of la.nd adjoining the proposed site of the institution from the citizens of VVest La Fayette, a donation of 9,250,000 from Tippecanoe county, and some other minor and contingent donations. The act located the institution in Tippecanoe county, at such point as the trustees might subsequently decide, gave it the name of Purdue University, and provided for its organization. Prior to this time the trust funds arising from the sale of the land scrip, amounting to S340,000, had been managed by a board of trustees with the corporate name 'iThe Trustees of the Indiana Agriculture College. This board consisted of Governor Morton far fjgffit-fb president1, Alfred Pollard, of Gibson, Smith Vayvter, of Jennings, Henry Taylor, of Tippecanoe and Lewis Burke, of VVayne. Prior to the lirst meeting of the board, held October 20, 1865, Mr. Pollard removed from the state, and Isaac Jenkinson, of Allen, was elected his successor. John J. Hay- den, of Marion, Was elected secretary of the board, and James E. Reeves, of IVayne, treasurer. Mr. Reeves resigned May 1, 1806, and was succeeded by E. B. Martindale, of Indianapolis. The board so constituted remained without a change in membership until March 7, 1870. It Was this board Which located the University deiinitely December 22, 1869, and it xvas this board Which, by careful and yvise management, increased the endowment fund from 34211238 fthe amount received from the sale of the land scripj to f143el0,000. This sum yvas invested in a non-negotiable Indiana state bond, bearing five per cent. inte1'est, payable quarterly. In 1870 the board was reorganized to meet the new conditions. An act passed January 31, 1871, increased the number of trustees from five to nine, including the governor and provided that three of the trustees should be members of the state board of agriculture, to be appointed by the governor, on the recommendation of the state board. This boardpurchased the site of the University, constructed the buildings immediately needed, and made provisions for the opening of the institution. The first buildings to appear yvere the Ladies' Hall, Pharmacy Laboratory, Men's Dormitory, Boiler House, Military Hall and barn. These were erected during the years 1872 and 1873. A portion of the present farm-house was also erected during this time. This original group of buildings stood in the bare lield yvithout trees or other ornamentation such as We see now on our beautiful campus. Contrasting the condition then with our present condition We are compelled to conclude that the greatest enterprises may have a mffjvf humble beginning. It Was expected that it Would be possible to open the university in 1873, and in August, 1872, Professor Richard Oyven, of the department of natural science in the state university, was elected p1'esident and Professor John S. Hougham was appointed to a professorship. The hope of open- ing the university in 1873 Was not realized, and in March, 1874, President Oyven resigned his position. To comply with the act of congress, which required the institution to be opened as early as July, 1874, Professor Hougham took charge of a class March 2, 1874, and gave instruc- tion until June.