of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 29-32
STATE UNIVERSITY. By act of congress, approved July 20, 1840, the secretary of the treasury was authorized to "set apart and reserve from sale, out of any public lands within the territory of Iowa not otherwise claimed or appropriated, a quantity of land not exceeding two entire townships, for the use and support of a university within said territory when it becomes a state." The first general assembly, therefore, by act approved February 25, 1847, established the "State University of Iowa" at Iowa City, then the capital of the state. The public buildings and other property at Iowa City were appropriated to the university but the legislative sessions and state offices were to be held in them until a permanent location for a capital was made. The control and management of the university were committed to a board of fifteen trustees and five were to be chosen every two years. The superintendent of public instruction was made president of this board. The organic act provided that the university should never be under the control of any religious organization whatever, and that as soon as the revenue from the grant and donations should amount to two thousand dollars a year, the university should commence and continue the instruction free of charge, of fifty students annually. Of course the organization of the university was impracticable so long as the seat of government was retained at Iowa City.
In January , 1849, two branches of the university and three normal schools were established. The branches were located at Fairfield and Dubuque and were placed upon an equal footing, in respect to funds and all other matters, with the university at Iowa City. At Fairfield the board of directors organized and erected a building at a cost of $2,500. This was nearly destroyed by a hurricane the following year but was rebuilt more substantially by the citizens of Fairfield. This branch never received any aid from the state and, January 24, 1853, at the request of the board, the general assembly terminated its relations to the state. The branch at Dubuque had only a nominal existence. The normal schools were located at Andrew, Oskaloosa and Mt. Pleasant. Each was to be governed by a board of seven trustees to be appointed by the trustees of the university. Each was to receive $500 annually from the income of the university fund, upon condition that they should educate eight common school teachers, free of charge for tuition, and that the citizens should contribute an equal sum for the erection of the requisite buildings. The school at Andrew was organized November 21, 1849, with Samuel Ray as principal. A building was commenced and over one thousand dollars expended on it but it was never completed. The school at Oskaloosa was started in the courthouse, September 13, 1852, under charge of Professor G. M. Drake and wife. A two-story brick building was erected in 1853 costing $2,473. The school at Mt. Pleasant was never organized. Neither of these schools received any aid from the university fund but in 1857 the legislature appropriated one thousand dollars for each of the two schools and repealed the laws authorizing the payment to them of money from the university fund. From that time they made no further effort to continue in operation.
From 1847 to 1855 the board of trustees of the university was kept full by regular elections by the legislature and the trustees held frequent meetings but there was no actual organization of the university. In March, 1855, it was partially opened for a term of sixteen weeks. July 16, 1855, Amos Dean, of Albany, New York, was elected president but he never fully entered into its duties. The university was again opened in September, 1855, and continued in operation until June, 1856, under Professors Johnson, Van Valkenburg and Griffin. The faculty was then reorganized with some changes and the university was again opened on the third Wednesday of September, 1856. There were one hundred and twenty-four students (eighty-three males and forty-one females) in attendance during the year 1856-7, and the first regular catalogue was published. At a special meeting of the board, September 22, 1857, the honorary degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred on D. Franklin Wells. This was the first degree conferred by the university.
By the constitution of 1857 it was provided that there be no branches of the state university. In December of that year the old capitol building was turned over to the trustees of the university. In 1858 $10,000 was appropriated for the erection of a students' boarding hall. The board closed the university April 27, 1858, on account of insufficient funds, and dismissed all the faculty with the exception 0£ Chancellor Dean. At the same time a resolution was passed excluding females. This was soon after reversed by the general assembly. The university was reopened September 19, 1860, and from this time the real existence of the university dates. Chancellor Dean had resigned before this, and Silas Totten, D. D., LL. D., was elected president, at a salary of $2,000. August 19, 1862, he resigned and was succeeded by Oliver M. Spencer. President Spencer was granted leave of absence for fifteen months to visit Europe. Nathan R. Leonard was elected president pro tern. President Spencer resigning, James Black, D. D., vice president of Washington and Jefferson College of Pennsylvania, was elected president. He entered upon his duties in September, 1868.
The law department was established in June, 1868, and soon after the Iowa Law School at Des Moines, which had been in successful operation for three years, was transferred to Iowa City and merged in the department. The medical department was established in 1869, and since April 11, 1870, the government of the university had been in the hands of a board of regents. The university has gained a reputation as one of the leading educational institutions of the west and this position it is determined to maintain.
STATE NORMAL COLLEGE. Cedar Falls, the chief city of Black Hawk county, holds the State Normal school, which is an institution for the training of teachers and is doing most excellent work.
STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. By act of the legislature, approved March 23, 1858, the State Agricultural College and Farm was established at Ames, in Story county. In 1862 congress granted to Iowa 240,000 acres of land for the endowment of schools of agriculture and the mechanical arts. In 1864 the general assembly voted $20,000 for the erection of the college buildings. In 1866 $91,000 more was appropriated for the same purpose. The building was completed in 1868 and the institution was opened the following year. The institution is modeled to some extent after the Michigan Agricultural College. In this school of learning admission is free to all students of the state over sixteen years of age. Students are required to work on the farm two and a half hours each day. The faculty is of a very high character and the college one of the best of its kind. The sale of spirits, wine or beer is prohibited within three miles of the farm. The current expenses of this institution are paid by the income from the permanent endowment. Besides the institution here mentioned are many others throughout the state. Amity College is located at College Springs, in Page county, Burlington University at Burlington, Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa College at Grinnell, etc.
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