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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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Seminary and College Funds 159 mission to the union in 1802.° The methods used for securing similar grants for other new states differed from time to time to fit conditions, but whatever the method used in making the grant, or whatever the amount of land obtained, the fact of federal aid to higher education through land grants remained constant The history of the Illinois seminary fund itself, dates back to 1804 when Indiana territory was divided into three land districts, in each of which one township was reserved for a seminary of learning.7 As the population increased these three land districts, yincennes, Kaskaskia, and Detroit, were formed into the territories of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, and the townships set aside in each of the land districts were "likewise reserved in the territorial enactments. On the admission of Illinois into the union in 1818, the land reserved for the Kaskaskia land district in 1804 and one additional township were granted the new state and the control of both tracts was turned over to the state legislature.8 Thus seventy-two sections to be devoted to higher education, were granted to Illinois by the federal government and the fund accruing from this source came to be known as the seminary fund. The township first set aside for Illinois was Township 5 N., Range 1W. 3d P. M. in Fayette county. In 1821 the auditor was instructed to lease this land but, situated as it was in the Okaw bottoms, a large part covered with lakes and swamps, it is little wonder that he found this order impossible of execution.9 In 1823 the general assembly, profiting by their experience with the first township, asked the president that the second township be 'When Ohio was admitted she received three townships from the federal government, two of which had been given the Ohio company in 1787 and one of which was given in fulfillment of the Symmes contract. This however was considered an exception and did not affect the precedent established in 1787. f Annals of Congress, 1803-1804, p. 1288. •Enabling act in Annals of Congress, 1818, p. 2546. "Fourth. That thirty-six sections, or one entire township, which shall be designated by the President of the United States, together with the one heretofore reserved for that purpose, shall be reserved for the use of a seminary of learning, and vested in the Legislature of said State, to be appropriated solely to the use of such seminary by the said Legislature.M •Laws of 18*1 p. 60.
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