Purdue University - Debris Yearbook (West Lafayette, IN)

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HE world ' s great institutions of learning stand in history as mile-posts along the highwa v of education, pointing out to all the trend of civilization. The Ancient Order of Stoics, the medieval school of the monastery and the modem university stand as representative epochs in the evolution of knowledge. Even in the last epoch itself, there has been a noticeable change, the early School of Classics being replaced, or at least accompanied, by the School of Practical Arts. This constant change, this certain development along the line of science has been but a natural outgrowth of those series of inventions which have revolutionized modem times. To-day the universities of technology, science and agriculture share with the colleges of arts, letters and law the wealth and respect of everA civilized land. As a result of this modem spirit have come a score of our finest institutions, among which, as a striking example, stands Purdue University. The early history of Purdue is quite similar to other State schools nationally endowed. Previous to. i860, the federal Government was besieged by constant appeals from the agricultural societies of -the nation for donations of the unclaimed public lands to be used in the furtherance of agricultural arts. This demand was finally presented in Congress by Justin S. Morrill in what was known as the Land Grant Bill. The object embodied in this bill was to grant certain public lands to each State accepting the act for the endowment, 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 mechanic arts. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives April 22, 1858, but was vetoed by President