University Seal

The evening of March 11, 1868, after the inauguration festivities earlier in the day, the Trustees met at 8:30PM and Willard C. Flagg [1] proposed that the phrase Farmers and Mechanics be removed from the outer circle of the Universitys seal, while Samuel S. Hayes [2] moved that it be replaced with the phrase Illinois Industrial University in the top center of the outer ring, while Chartered in 1867 be placed in the bottom center of the outer ring. L. B. McMurray [3] further suggested that the seals motto by changed from Onward and Upward to Learning and Labor. All three changes were agreed upon and immediately enacted. [4] The Trustees had earlier met on the afternoon of May 8, 1867 to vote on one of four proposed designs for the new seal of the University. [5]