University of Georgia - Pandora Yearbook (Athens, GA)

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An Historical Brief. Tin University of Georgia was chartered hy tin General Assembly of tins State. January 27, 178 ). The charter is entitled. ’‘An Act for the more full and complete establishment of a public seat of learning in this State,” and its preamble, in the language of a distinguished president of the institution, “wouhl do honor to any legislature, and wdl stand a monument to the wisdom and patriotism of those who framed and of those who adopted it.” The independence of Georgia, as a State, had just been acknowledged, and. says the preamble, ‘‘it should be among tin Hist objects of those who wish well to the national prosperity to encourage and support the principles of religion and morality, and early to place the youth under the forming hand of society, that, hy instruction, they may be moulded to the love of virtue and good order.” Founded with the purpose thus indicated, the ITdversity was possessed only of “an unproductive and. for the most part, uninhabited tract of land.” and it was not until July G. 1801, that (ieorge Walton, Abraham Baldwin. .John .Milledge and Hugh Lawson, acting as a committee of the Senatus Academicux. selected the historic site on which the parent institution at Athens now stands, and during that year the University was opened. Tile general scheme of organization and the course of study, modeled after the English colleges of that time, provided for the single collegiate degree of “Bachelor of Arts.” and literature, with the so-called disciplinary studies, constituted the entire curriculum. Science as now recognized had no existence. For more than half a century the history of the University is the history of Georgia. The prosperity of the one was the growth of the other, and many of those who afterwards illustrated the State in peace and in war received their training here during this period and under this organization. But no college thus designed could keep pace with the growth and diffusion of knowledge. 'File expanding intelligence of the nineteenth century demanded wider areas of culture and knowledge. Science added new fields to human thought. With new knowledge came the impelling force which planted scientific and technical schools throughout the world. In July, 18G2, the Congress of the United States granted to each of tin States a munificent donation of public lands for the purpose of establishing a college in which science and its application to agriculture and the mechanic arts should be taught. The funds arising from the sale of (Jeorgia‘s (plota of the land scrip were transferred by the State to the Trustees of the University of Georgia May 1. 1S72. and the Trustees at once established and opened the Georgia State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, as a co-ordinate department of the institution at Athens. In accordance with the act of Congress, ‘‘the loading object” in this college is. “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 October. 187 2, the Trustees entered into a contract with the local Trr.;

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Yoi.imk XIX, 11)06—K litors-in-Chief, W. 0. Marshburn, «I A © •, Lansing B. Lee, S A E. Managing Editor, II. L. Covington, K A. Assistant Managing Editor, J. II. Bradberrv, lT. I . L. Art Editor, J. G. Mays, X ♦. Associate Editors, K. S. Parker, X t : (1. A. Greene, ATfl; V. B. Ilambleton, 2 N; E. K. Lambert, K 2; J. II. Turner. You?MR XX, 1907—Kditors-in-Chief, Phil W. Davis, Jr., 4 A 0; J. K. MacDonald, X 'K Business Manager, T. E. Scott. Art Editor, W. II. Griffith, K A. Assistant Business Manager. II. M. Wilson, 2 N. Associate Editors, W. G. Brantley, Jr., 2 A E; W. T. McCaffrey, K S; J. II. Neisler, U. P. L.; K. S. Parker, X t»; T. S. Winn, A T Q.

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tecs of the North Georgia Agricultural College, situated at Dahlonega, by which this institution became a department of the State University. In July, 1878, by arrangement with the local trustees of the Georgia Medical College (founded in 1.8211), at Augusta, this institution became the Medical Department of the State University. In August, 1807, the Lumpkin Law School, at Athens (incorporated 1859), was merged into and became the Law Department of the State University. The Constitution of Georgia (adopted 1877) permitting the appropriation of public funds to education other than “the elementary branches of an English education” to the State University only, the following, institutions have been established by legislative enactments as departments or “branches” of the State University and under general control of its Board of Trustees, and each is maintained in whole or in part by annual appropriations from the State Treasury: The Georgia School of Technology, at Atlanta, established 1885; the Georgia Normal and Industrial College for Girls, at Milledgevillc, established 1889: the Georgia Industrial College for Colored Youths, near Savannah, established 1890; and the State Normal School, near Athens, established 1895. Tin School of Pharmacy was established in 1908. The Summer School was authorized by an Act of the General Assembly in 1897. and an appropriation was made for the same by the General Assembly of 1904. The establishment of the State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts as an integral part of the University at Athens, and the addition to the organization of the other institutions named, have given completeness to the system by incorporating that scientific and technical education which was needed to supplement the liberal training already provided: and the University is now, as far ns the Trustees have been able to carry out their plans, “a place where students can he trained for any and every respectable path of life and where, at the same time, the interests of higher education and science are cared for.” Tints the “foundation of the fathers,” a simple college with a close curriculum, has grown to be a complex university, planned upon a broad and philosophic system, where literature and science are taught, and liberal and technical education supplied.